I find myself really feeling uncomfortable posting without the visual aid of a picture. It might be the kindergarten influence that I live under. Everything must have a visual aid. In fact, I have been to inservice meetings that have explicitly told me I have to have engaging fun visual aids in order to be a successful teacher.
I believe all that.
However, when American children/teens are asked what they need to be successful in school they pick the answer "intelligence." Meaning that they believe you either are endowed with the ability to be successful or you are simply not. When Japanese children/teens are asked the same question, they pick the answer "hard work." Apparently Japanese children are still taught that they are responsible for their own success and their own path in life.
Although I have every desire to be a good teacher and I even harbor a deep secret need to be a beloved teacher I recognize that a lot of our children need to pull their heads out and actually invest in their own education. Whether or not I am engaging. Or fun.
We are doing end of year testing in kindergarten and I have been surprised at the progress that many of my students have made. I am pleased as punch that I had more students at grade level and above than the other two kindergarten teachers. Not because that made me a better teacher but because it made me think I held my own during my first year. Whew!
I did ok. Or did I? Why then would my principal come and ask me to teach 6th grade next year?
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