Module 1

Ever since I was a little girl I always dreamed of being a teacher. I remember I used to play "school" instead of playing with barbie dolls. My teachers at the end of the year would give me old work books that they were not going to use the next year and old print outs that they were going to throw away. I always asked if they didn't need them to give them to me; and they did. It is the thought in making a difference in lives and young lives at that. I love to touch hearts and if it's just one a year, that is enough for me to smile!

I remember walking into the third grade one morning and starting class. This is when classes were held in one room all day long and you didn't have to see another teacher. I will never forget that day, it was hot outside and the air conditioner was broken in the trailer that we were in. I remember the doors being open and hearing the birds chirping. The teacher had given us a worksheet to complete and if we were done and waiting on the other students we were able to do whatever we wanted as long as we were quiet. So I went and sat in the reading corner and I started reading my book. After the class was done with the worksheet, we went back to our desks and started going over the worksheet. We were told to exchange papers and grade each others. I sat in my neighbors chair as she sat in mine. We were just told to sit some where. Anyways, the teacher was finished calling out the answers and she was going around picking up our papers. Brittany, the girl who sat next to me, was going over some pencil markings in the pencil tray embedded into the desk. It was then that I heard the teacher say, "CRYSTAL SHERMAN, YOU GO TURN YOUR FLAG TO THE RED FLAG RIGHT NOW YOUNG LADY!" I had no idea what had just happened because I was sitting there patiently waiting for her to pick up the paper. I then noticed that Brittany was the one I had gotten in trouble for. She was sitting in my desk, and she confused me for her. I got written up that day and had never been in trouble since my school career had existed. I just remember crying my eyes out because I had gotten "in trouble." When I came home that afternoon I told my mom what had happened and we made a trip back down to the school. My mom was so mad about what had happened and the teacher still told my mom that I was the one who was drawing on the desk. My mom did not believe her (thank god), but I was so disappointed that she really thought I would vandalize school property. Ever since then, I have thought her to be the meanest teacher that I have EVER had.

The best teacher I have ever had was in the 12Th grade. I would love to say her name, but I don't want to get in trouble for telling. Anyways, it was my teacher cadet class. She was the one who truly inspired me to complete my dream into becoming a teacher. It really was not one specific thing she did, it was an act of many through out my senior year. I am a talented artist and I love to draw and paint. I had done something in my art class and she told me that I need to minor in art because I would be an amazing art teacher. I told her that if I did that, that I might loose my interest in art because I would not be doing it for fun, I would be doing it for work. She knew that I wanted to teach math. When we did out field experience, she made sure that I worked with a great school in the middle grade math department. I love her for going the extra mile for doing that for me. Usually we just went and picked a class that was available. She made sure I got to sit and watch something that was worth it! Even though I graduated high school in 2005, she still calls me to check on me to see how things are going with my baby and school. She is a teacher that need a merit or a badge for being such a wonderful and dedicated teacher beyond what is expected of her. She is the one that I look up to and who is my idol.

After reading the text, it made me think, but on a negative note. I did not like the fact that they almost consider teaching a semi-profession (page 12-13). Did anyone complete the two pages? I did and I kind of thought that after the questions I answered that more came out to be a semi-profession. I do not agree with it at all. I almost think that it is a disgrace for them even thinking that. I mean after all of what teachers do, they do more than just teach, they mentor, they are roll models, they go the extra mile for a student if they need it, they do all sorts of duties, and the list goes on. But it does not make since because when you look at page 21, it shows the literacy scores of the professions and the professions that are actually considered to be a profession, the teachers scored right where they did.

I was in shock when I was reading the beginning where they were talking about the history of teaching and they said that, "many of those who entered teaching, especially at the elementary level, were teenagers." (page 15) I can't believe that that was allowed. They are adolescences themselves and very immature beings teaching the future. When the text was asking questions on page 24, "How could we design schools to be happier places, where learning is a joyful experience?" I mean, it's easy, ask the teachers what they want. Just like the Southwest airlines did. If they were to ask me, I would reply by saying, "Don't make learning so brick like, make it fun, as for having better hand on objects to teach with to help every type of learner there is. Let us be able to paint our classroom a color instead of looking at all white walls year round. Children get bored. Make the classroom inviting. What would you do?

After watching the video, it made me feel like teaching was important, unlike the book, I felt like teaching was a semi-profession. A teacher is someone who really impacts people and makes a difference. The mood was positive like a classroom should be. That working with children is an incredible experience and not a bad thing all the time. That it is not just a "baby-sitting" job. It made it important to me because we as teachers are shaping the future for these young minds. The thought of that makes the job seem so much more than just teaching. It is like their future is in your hands and its fragile.