At the 4th International Conference on Teacher Education and Social Justice, in January of 2007, Grant and Gillette outlined a list of actions which a student of education can do “to put [themselves] on the path to becoming an excellent teacher, one who is an activist and an advocate for students and colleagues now and in the future.” They list the following actions:
1. Get experience with all types of learners and their families
2. Become critically active8. Learn to identify allies
9. Study effective teachersMy institution, Goshen College, firmly believes in the role education plays in social justice, and so do I. While I have many areas of growth in these 9 steps, I feel that I have already taken great strides towards understanding what it takes to be an “excellent teacher.”
I realize that, as a future educator, I have a responsibility to my community (action #4). No matter where I end up teaching, I will need to be involved in more than just my own classroom, to understand the context of how the school is operating, where my students are coming from, and how that affects their learning. I have already begun to take these steps, volunteering in my own community of Goshen. In high school, I volunteered in a second grade classroom at a local elementary school. Because of my (admittedly limited) ability to speak Spanish, I worked with a small group of students that had recently moved to the community from Mexico. I read with them, helping to familiarize them with the English language. Then my first year of college, I volunteered at The Post, an organization in downtown Goshen that provided a safe place for youth to spend time after school. In addition to simply hanging out and playing games with them, I was able to tutor in a variety of subjects and participate in “life-lesson” meetings, where we would teach things not generally covered in school, like table manners and cooking skills. This year, I am tutoring middle school students in a variety of subjects.
Having been a student all my life, I have had ample opportunity to observe a number of teachers (action #9). Perhaps my most influential teachers have been my High School english teachers; it’s not a coincidence I am going into English Education. In college, I have observed an even wider variety of teaching styles, showing me both effective and ineffective teachers. Outside of my own experience, I have had the opportunity to observe english teachers at the high school level. Both highly effective, veteran teachers, they are well loved in their communities and have received many accolades for their work. I feel honored to be able to work with them in such a close relationship, where I learn a lot every time I talk to them.
While I feel well-prepared in these two actions, there are a number where I need additional experience. One action I could benefit from growing in is action number seven, “Practice Democratic Principles.” I have never voted in my life nor do I stay very abreast of political issues or even current news. In the 21st century, this is borderline unacceptable. News is so accessible that I don’t have much of an excuse to not be relevant. This will become even more important as I begin my career as a teacher; it is impossible to ignore the reality that education in America is highly politicized. By understanding current issues related to education, I can make my voice heard and do my part in making education better.
I also need to become more critically active (action #2). I have strong opinions regarding social justice and education. However, I find it way too easy to take stances on these issues without doing anything about them; all of my support is mental. It is way to easy to come up with excuses (I don’t have time, sorry I’m in college I don’t have any money, etc.) and choose not to become active. Unfortunately, education in America today is not perfect. It will only change when those who care step forward and work towards something better.
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FYI... There are formatting errors that I do not understand. I will keep trying to fix them. Sometimes technology just gets the better of us.
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