Who Is The Best Impossible Teacher - 1188 Words

Looking back on too many years of education, I can identify one truly impossible teacher. She cared about me, and my intellectual life, even when I didn’t. Her expectations were high — impossibly so. She was an English teacher. She was also my mother. When good students turn in an essay, they dream of their instructor returning it to them in exactly the same condition, save for a single word added in the margin of the final page: â€Å"Flawless.† This dream came true for me one afternoon in the ninth grade. Of course, I’d heard that genius could show itself at an early age, so I was only slightly taken aback that I had achieved perfection at the tender age of 14. Obviously, I did what any professional writer would do; I hurried off to spread the good news. I didn’t get very far. The first person I told was my mother. My mother, who is just shy of five feet tall, is normally incredibly soft-spoken, but on the rare occasion when she got angry, she was terrifying. I’m not sure if she was more upset by my hubris or by the fact that my English teacher had let my ego get so out of hand. In any event, my mother and her red pen showed me how deeply flawed a flawless essay could be. At the time, I’m sure she thought she was teaching me about mechanics, transitions, structure, style and voice. But what I learned, and what stuck with me through my time teaching writing at Harvard, was a deeper lesson about the nature of creative criticism. First off, it hurts. Genuine criticism, the typeShow MoreRelatedStudent Relationship With Student Relationships1720 Words   |  7 PagesMadelynn Mills Mr. Bernard English 1301 5 November 2017 Teacher - Student Relationship Considering that most students spend five to seven hours a day with their teacher for almost ten months, it is safe to say that school is a big part of a student’s day to day life (Urooj). Since students spend most of their time in schools, it is import for them to have a positive relationship with their teachers. A positive teacher - student relationship is a relationship that has emotional support towardRead MoreAmerica s Educational Apartheid, By Jonathan Kozol1614 Words   |  7 Pagesat the High School level are being restricted in what they can accomplish as well. For instance, Kozol supports this argument by conversing with students who need to take certain classes, yet are rather required to take different classes that will benefit the financial needs of society. In his article, he converses with a high school student who needs to take AP classes and be prepared to go off to college, yet they are only told take classes that are required for graduation, for example, sewingRead MoreMerit Pay Demise Essay834 Words   |  4 Pagespay for teachers has existed for decades in many countries across the globe. The debate has been particularly heated in the United States. Since the 1920s, public schools began awarding pay mostly according to title, and seniority rather than merit. Numerous attempts have been made to introduce merit pay systems throughout this period, but it never gained widespread popularity on a national level. Now, however, political leaders such as Barack Obama have supported merit pay for teachers. This hasRead MoreMy Philosophy Of Education : How We Must Educate Our Children1393 Words   |  6 Pagescompete with children from countries around the globe. State testing assessments drive curricula and make students, teachers, and principals more accountable for what is happening in the classroom than ever before. Education is focused on the individual child, and there is a greater push for parent involvement. Despite what we see and read in the media, research indicates teacher job satisfaction is still high. Many educators are essentially quite positive about their chosen profession (RotherhamRead MoreMerit Pay Demise Essay examples1124 Words   |  5 Pagespay for teachers has existed for decades in many countries across the globe. The debate has been particularly heated in the United States. Since the 1920s, public schools began awarding pay mostly according to title, and seniority rather than merit. Numerous attempts have been made to introduce merit pay systems throughout this period, but it never gained widespread popularity on a national level. Now, however, political leaders such as Barack Obama have supported merit pay for teachers. This hasRead MoreThe Disadvantages of Standardized Testing Essay1487 Words   |  6 Pagesis it the best method? Standardized testing can be biased or unfair, inhibit both the teacher’s and the children’s creativity and flexibility, affect funding fo r schools, cause untested subjects to be eliminated from the curriculum, and cause anxiety for children and teachers. Standardized tests can also be biased or unfair because questions on these tests necessitate understanding and abilities that typically children from advantaged families have (Kohn, A, 2000). Children who live in poorerRead MoreThe Importance Of Leadership As An Effective Teacher Leader1179 Words   |  5 PagesYou re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who ll decide where to go.† (Dr. Seuss) Educational leadership is an array of things, there are many skills required to be an effective teacher leader and there are some difficulties that arise within. What is leadership is a questions with a heap of correct answers and almost no incorrect answers. There have been countless numbers of books, papers, and speakers who have tried time and time again to answer this question. (AntonakisRead MoreLegal and Ethical Implications in Classroom Management1491 Words   |  6 Pagesfrom what we have seen before. Teachers were in the classroom because they wanted to be and not because they had to in order to make a living. Today’s teacher is frustrated thus classroom management becomes an issue that needs mention under many forms. Behavioral issues ensue and parents lose trust in the educational system. Parents are also at the helm of this problem and our classrooms are faced with ever changing methods of discipline and classroom management. Teachers are given lists of ways to organizeRead More Educational Philosophy Essay1374 Words   |  6 Pagesweek; I have wanted to be a teacher my entire life. I do not know why I originally made th e decision, but, currently, I want to be a teacher so I can give back to the world. Deciding what subject to teach took a little consideration, but I made the decision fairly easily. I began comparing subjects I enjoyed and came up with math, psychology, and home economics. After researching the job market, the choice to make was clear. This country is in need of math teachers, and therefore, that is theRead MoreEssay on The Importance of the Role of the Teacher1667 Words   |  7 PagesThe Importance of the Role of the Teacher The future of the world is in the hands of the children. Whether the future be a positive or negative one depends on the children and the education they receive. The education of a child is so valuable that one needs to consider the importance of the childs education. Also, one needs to consider how to go about nurturing those bright minds so one day they can become independent individuals. As Educators, one needs to be aware of the short-term effects