“My journey as a teacher began with me swimming in the water, just off the coast of Education Beach, encouraging my students on the shore to ignore the waves and jump into the seemingly cold, choppy water.
Each year in the classroom has brought me closer to the shore and my students, like the tide bringing in waves. Some years I enjoyed the exhilaration of the surf and hanged ten, while others humbled me, dragged me down and shook pedagogical and organizational sense into me.
Tides roll in and out and like water seeping into the sand, lessons learned each year are absorbed into my teaching practices.
I recently earned a Masters degree in Middle Level Instruction where I learned the truth about the preconceptions many have of adolescents, showing the reality how they learn and explaining the what and why’s of their various needs.
After twelve years in the classroom, I have landed on the shore once again, shaking water out of my ears, ready to go back into the water and encourage my students to go under the surface of the water, to see their lives from a deeper perspective.
I continually strive to challenge myself with absorbing new theories and best practices that wash up on shore, while letting those things that matter least go back out with the tide.
I refuse to be a piece of driftwood that landed on the beach long ago, faded, lost zeal, and has not moved in years.
Rather, I hope to be like a dolphin that can go above and below the surface of the water, to be able to adapt and integrate new theories based on solid research into my classroom pedagogy to benefit my students with understanding, excitement, and joy.”
Steven, thank you for your help. Readers, as always, I cannot tell you how appreciative I am that you continue to come here. I hope that you will also support Steven. If you are interested in helping support this blog, I have 2 spots left. Just send me an email at jasontbedell [at] gmail [dot] com.
