I think teachers discount how much they really contribute to children's lives. They are learning from you all the time. Your habits, your mannerisms, what you say to others, how you treat them---all is being absorbed minute by minute every day. The subjects you teach them could not be taught without you. Sure, anyone can go on the internet or read a book and try to learn something. Trial and error is the way many people learn. But a teacher is there for so much more. You have experience. You KNOW more, and have a much different perspective on what the upcoming elections mean as compared to a six or sixteen-year-old. They look to you for guidance, and inspiration. Who is going to go on Google and learn Calculus on their own? Who even remembers what Calculus is for? Newton invented it. Physics teachers know what it is for. The cell phone in your hand and the blog you are reading are made possible by the understanding of our physical world through multiple formulas based on Calculus. But who's going to teach it to the students? What football team has ever made it to the Superbowl without a coach? Don't discount yourselves. Teachers are inspiration and knowledge and everything children need to prepare themselves for the future.
On Jul 2, 2012 Jason Morgenson wrote:
I think teachers discount how much they really contribute to children's lives. They are learning from you all the time. Your habits, your mannerisms, what you say to others, how you treat them---all is being absorbed minute by minute every day. The subjects you teach them could not be taught without you. Sure, anyone can go on the internet or read a book and try to learn something. Trial and error is the way many people learn. But a teacher is there for so much more. You have experience. You KNOW more, and have a much different perspective on what the upcoming elections mean as compared to a six or sixteen-year-old. They look to you for guidance, and inspiration. Who is going to go on Google and learn Calculus on their own? Who even remembers what Calculus is for? Newton invented it. Physics teachers know what it is for. The cell phone in your hand and the blog you are reading are made possible by the understanding of our physical world through multiple formulas based on Calculus. But who's going to teach it to the students? What football team has ever made it to the Superbowl without a coach? Don't discount yourselves. Teachers are inspiration and knowledge and everything children need to prepare themselves for the future.