August 27, 2014
My name is Gabby Earby, and I am a senior at the University of Tennessee. I will graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in psychology. I will then intern in the Anderson County School System for a year and graduate with a master's degree in education. My dream is to become an elementary school teacher.
I have a passion for kids, and the idea of working with them everyday is really exciting. I spend my summers working as a camp counselor at the YMCA. I have worked with kids from 1st grade up to 8th grade. I have learned a lot working there in the summer, but I know I still have a lot more to learn. I am excited to continue learning in my classes. I plan on using this blog to track my progress and share thoughts about being an educator.
Good Teacher vs. Bad Teacher
In my education psychology class, we recently discussed the qualities of a good teacher and what might cause someone to be a bad teacher. My idea of a good teacher would be someone who is caring, dedicated, passionate, patient, knowledgeable, and loves to learn. I hope to have all of these qualities, and I will work to retain them when I am a teacher. I believe it is important to self evaluate yourself and to always think about what you can do better. One of the most important things I have learned when working with kids is that they can teach you just as much as you can teach them. I try to keep an open mind while staying flexible and learning as much as I can.
With teaching (with any job, really) it is easy to become complacent and comfortable after doing the same thing for a few years. I have heard a lot of stories about teachers not caring as much after they get tenure. Tenure is a teacher's contractual right to keep his or her job unless there is just cause as to why they should lose their position. Basically it is job security for teachers. Once a teacher has this security, it would be easy to just go through the motions every day. I believe that teachers should carefully consider the impacts they are making on children every day. They can either make a positive impact or a negative impact. This should be motivation to be the best they can be. Teaching is an opportunity to change the world, and it should not be wasted with laziness and indifference. I am going to do my best to remember this every day and make the most of every opportunity I have.
I have been lucky to have some amazing teachers in my life. They have influenced me in a way that makes me want to be just like them. They have had such a positive impact on my life, and I hope that I can do the same for my future students.
