Got Passion?

Passion: Can you recall a time that you became more interested in a subject because of the teacher's enthusiasm?  Or, have you had an experience where you loved a subject but the teacher's lack of enthusiasm impacted negatively your interest and learning?

I have always loved art, whether it be on my own or in a classroom.  However over the years the times when I became more invested in spending time on my artwork was when I had a teacher that really taught with passion.  When I was in high school I had an art teacher that was very passionate about what she was teaching us.  She would show us her artwork, and you could tell how passionate she was about the subject just by listening to her talk about it. She would also challenge and encourage our levels of creativity.  After taking her class I was able to develop a greater love of art.

However when I was in middle school I had an art teacher who you could tell was not passionate about her teaching or was so exhausted with dealing with problems that occurred in class that she had lost a lot of her motivation in the classroom.  This impacted the level of creativity in the classroom and the overall class experience.
Students ability to tell if a teacher is passionate about a subject is greatly underestimated.  It is important that teachers always bring passion to what they are teaching!

Authenticity!

Authenticity:  How do you know where your limits are for expressing authenticity?  How can students tell if a teacher is not authentic?  What are the ramifications for learning if a teacher is seen as a "fake" or not authentic with students?

I think it is great having new ideas, thinking of new ways to learn and explore a topic, but when does expressing authenticity go to far.  Authenticity is great in a classroom as long as it is serving a purpose, is it helping students learn new ways and fostering more great ideas or is it distracting from the main point of the lesson.  If students begin to see there teacher as not authentic and genuine they will probably not pay much attention to what the teacher has to say.  Kids are usually very attentive to the character of a person and will likely be able to tell when a teacher is not being authentic.  

Compassion

Compassion: When did the compassion of a teacher make a difference in your life or in the life of your classmate?

When I was in high school my Grandmother passed away.  This was a very challenging time in my life and I can remember my theology teacher showing me a lot of compassion by taking the time to help catch me back up.  She was also someone that you could just go talk to.  I remember her not just as a good teacher but as a good person that truly wanted to help her students. This made a difference to me because I was able to have help from someone at school who wanted to help me through a hard time.  She showed that she cared about her students.

MY VERY FIRST BLOG EVER!!!

I have been asked to reflect on the following question for my Educational Psychology Class,

Respect: How do you define respect?  How does it look in the classroom?  What is the impact of respect or lack of respect in classrooms?  How is respect best established in a classroom environment?

I would define respect as treating others the way you would want to be treated.  Being respectful of other peoples opinions, beliefs, and ideas.  When I think of respect I also think of dignity, by this I mean a respectful persons actions never jeopardize the dignity of another person.  I believe that respect needs to be a two way street in a classroom.  This means that it is just as important for teachers to respect their students as it is for students to respect their teacher.  I am sure that we have all had that teacher that we were convinced did not like us, and it was much harder to focus in class and become motivated by what the teacher has to say when you do not feel respected in the classroom.  Another form of respect that is necessary in a classroom is respect between fellow students.  Respect is shown in a classroom when everyones ideas and questions are paid attention to and one does not need to fear the risk of being judged.  I remember that I was in a class in elementary school where I was made fun of one time for asking a question and I do not think I ever asked another question in that class without worrying what other people were thinking.  When students are more concerned about how they will be treated because respect is not in a classroom it affects the students ability to learn.  However in a classroom where respect is present students will be able to work together and contribute to each others learning.  I believe that the teacher has the ability to establish respect in a classroom environment.  It is important that a teacher encourage and teach students about the importance of respect, including showing respect in their own actions in the classroom.  This will allow for a positive learning environment.