I was watching Oprah today and a question came up to one of the guests on when he knew he was a MAN. You know sometimes boys say I am the man of the house and then one day you really realize you were a boy and are now a man. So it got me thinking. When did you know you were a teacher? As a first year teacher last year I applied, interviewed and got the job, told friends and family that I was a teacher but did not really feel like a teacher. I knew I was a teacher when I met my parents at Back to School night and had to stand up there and be confident and talk about various things that we would do over the year. The parents were looking at me(this young fresh graduate) for advice and had questions for me. Sometimes it hits some of us later in the year or maybe early. Curious.
This week in in-service. I called my mom to tell her too. I'm the first in my family to go to college, so I knew it would mean a lot to her to hear of my "professional" experiences. It did.
I think when I was hired at my current school, five years ago. It was a brand new, Christian school and we had a total of 15 students on day one. But when we all sat at our desks and I passed out assesments and they all picked up their pencils and began...I don't know, but it really was one of those moments I will never forget. I AM a teacher....goosebumps and all. :0)
I didn't consider teaching until I was a junior in college. I was in the social work program, and I did some field work in an adult education program. I really enjoyed it much more than my other social work experience, so I ended up changing my major. I had taken many English and philosphy classes as electives because I enjoyed them. I only had to add a few more classes in each area and the education classes. I chose secondary education since I am not a "little kid" type of person. It was not "natural" for me, however. For the first several years, it really felt like a job, but by year five I'd really found my place. Now I can't imagine doing anything else.
I knew I wanted to be a teacher when my parents gave me a chalkboard for a birthday present and I lined all my stuffed animals in front of it to teach them the ABCs. I realized I AM a teacher the first time I successfully shut down a misbehaving kid in my student teaching class without saying a word to him. All I did was walk to his seat, place my hand on his desk and shoot him my newly-perfected TEACHER LOOK, all without stopping my discussion of poetic devices. My cooperating teacher almost ruined the moment but held her applause until after the dismissal bell.
According to baby/school memory books, I was a teacher since I was four. Very much like Catnfiddle's story! In high school - still said I was going to teach! BUT I did not until I was in my 30s. I KNEW I was a teacher when my lesson bombed and I had no choice but to keep going! Thankfully the bad lessons aren't that frequent!
I still look in the mirror and try to convince myself that I am an adult and I don't have much luck. lol. As for teaching, I think giving presentations to faculty and at board meetings made me feel knowledgeable and realize I was a professional.
The first time I felt I was a teacher was when my former AP called me "maestra" which means teacher in Spanish. This is how we refer to teachers in Mexico, where I'm from, and it is very formal use of the word.
When I gave my first swat (remember I started to teach in 1974):lol: Really when I got my second contract
Everyone who met me "knew" I was a teacher as far back as high school. I didn't "know" I was a teacher until 6 months after I quit (after 3 years teaching). It was seriously like a semi hitting me one day. So, so happy I'm back in the classroom
I also don't know if I'm REALLY a teacher yet. I confirmed that I wanted to be a teacher when I issued a Reading 3D assessment last year in residency and fell in love with the data. lol That's what it's all about. Gotta love that data!
