Knowledge Is Power & Words Are Strong :: Teaching Teachers Education Essays

Knowledge Is Power & Words Are Strong It was the end of my junior year of high school, when the excitement of summer vanished in two seconds. All my life I have always been placed in advanced classes, until my senior year. My junior year, my English teacher took me in the hall during one of our classes. Those few seconds in the hallway echo in my brain almost everyday. Without hesitation, she began saying, "Shafali, I think it would be best if you did not take A.P. English next year. I don’t think you will make it in the class." Feeling sick to my stomach, I returned to my seat. My self-confidence in myself was shot down. Words are strong; they can be used for good as well as bad. Teachers are more than "teachers." They have the power to encourage and fulfill dreams, however they also have the power to discourage and crush dreams. I have this wonderful dream to be able to see all the uniqueness and possibilities in all children. As a teacher if I am ever placed in a similar situation as above, I hope to encourage the student’s strengths and help improve on the student’s weaknesses. I will approach teaching as an adventure and not a chore. In my class, the students will not be the only one’s learning. I will be learning as much as the students. I have a BA in Communication Arts, seeking a BS in Education with a specialization in English 5-9 and Oral Communications 9-Adult. The combination of these two degrees will enable me to take a creative approach to motivate and teach my students. I believe each student is a great student; some students just do not know how to communicate their knowledge. People communicate 85% of the day to accomplish a task, yet the education system does not encourage communication classes. Oral communications will be an essential element in my classes, whether it is role playing or giving a speech. People’s number one fear is public speaking. If I can get students to overcome this fear, their self-confidence will enable them to accomplish anything. To accomplish my goal of having a motivating and creative class, I will encourage a lot of cooperative learning. In groups, students are able to motivate each other and collect a variety of ideas. I have always received positive feedback on group projects. My experience in school when studying for a test is ending up with an entire book highlighted from beginning to end.