The connection between teaching and learning

I have always been awestruck by the symbiotic relationship that exists between teaching
and learning. Teachers of course teach and impact their students. Students equally teach and
impact their teachers. As a student I have learned most in the classrooms where the teacher is not
an overbearing dictator but rather a fellow learner. The teacher has their authority, but they also
recognize that they too are on the path of learning every day. In classrooms with that mindset,
people are more comfortable making mistakes. Everyone is in the same boat: growing and
improving day by day. I want my classroom to be a safe environment where no one is afraid to
make mistakes, seeing as it is a part of the learning process. I hope to be a teacher who is
comfortable learning from their students. I do not want my pride to get in the way. I want my
classroom to be a place where everyone works together to better themselves and each other.
Goals for students
As a teacher my goal is of course to help the students learn and truly understand the
content they are responsible for. Not only do I want them to learn what is mandated by the state,
but I want them to learn other valuable life skills through me and on a deeper level I want to
inspire them to want to do well.
I had read in the book Teach Like Your Hair is on Fire that Esquith, the author and
teacher of an amazing classroom, incorporated life skills into his everyday classroom routine.
One that really struck me was the ability to handle money and balance a checkbook. His students
had classroom jobs, as most elementary school rooms do, but in his classroom the students were
paid for their jobs. More demanding jobs were higher paid, and every couple of weeks the
students would rotate. Not only were the students “paid” (in fake classroom money) but they also
had to pay rent on their desks. Nicer desks, desks that were closer to the board had a higher rent.
In case a student forgot their supplies, they could rent or purchase supplies from the classroom
store. They could even save their money for treats at the end of the month. Every time a
transaction was made the students had to account for it in their checkbook. I found this so
fascinating. Not every parent teaches their child life skills such as these; Esquith took the
responsibility on himself to inform his students. The students had a higher level of responsibility
and learned something that is extremely applicable to life outside the classroom. This is just one
example of a real-life skill I would like to implement in my classroom.
Not only do I want my students to learn their content and be aware of how things work in
the adult world, but I want to inspire students to genuinely want to do well. I have always been
bothered by the students who simply do not care. Granted I know that it is impossible to avoid
those students; but I hope that I can be the one teacher to inspire change. I do not know how but I
want my students to gain a zeal for life by sitting in my classroom.
Teaching methods
Something that I have always loved as a student is variety in the classroom. Not only are
there many different learning styles that must be accounted for but having variety in the
classroom makes things more exciting and interesting. Granted there will be times when students
have to complete a “boring” activity, like finding vocabulary in the text book; but I believe that
the rest of the time students should be involved and enjoy what they are doing. When students
love what they do on a day to day basis, they take ownership. In my experience students who
own their work tend to perform higher. I cannot say specifically how I will teach when I have my
own classroom, but I know every day will be different, exciting, and engaging to the students.
Interaction with students
As a student I have loved and appreciated the teachers that take the time to build a
personal relationship. I find it very important to know your students, their interests, the things
they like, who they hang out with. It always warmed my heart when a teacher would come to my
extracurricular activities; I felt as though I had a strong support system. By knowing these things,
I feel as though teachers can have a more holistic view on their classroom, rather than only
seeing the student as a student. Granted there is a fine line when it comes to knowing your
students. It has to be kept at an appropriate level and not let the students view me as a friend, but
rather a teacher who genuinely cares about them. I am willing to walk this line because I do
believe that in building relationships with your students the classroom environment becomes
more like a community. There is a feeling of comfort and trust. I think that when students are
comfortable and know their teachers are supportive, they will learn better. I also think that by
building relationships there is an unspoken level of respect that is reached. When that mutual
respect between students and teachers is present the environment of the classroom is calmer and
safer.
Assessing learning
I have always struggled with the idea of grades. On one hand students are not identified
by a number. Growth in learning is not 100% identifiable through testing. However, teachers
must have some way of gauging student understanding. In my future classroom I will of course
have tests, but they may not always be the traditional multiple-choice tests. I would like to
conduct evaluations through multiple different ways that is beneficial to all types of student
learning. Perhaps I would give students a “test grade” through multiple-choice testing, maybe
individual interviews with students where they have the opportunity to teach me the content,
through presentations, essays, and other larger assignments. I would never keep the testing
consistent because I do not believe it is fair to only address one style of evaluation.
In theory I would love to grade on participation. I think this is a good way to show
student understanding, but the reality is we do not live in a world where everyone is comfortable
speaking out in front of the class. Many times, I have witnessed classrooms where the same five
students respond to questions and verbally patriciate; I have even been in a situation where I am
the only student who participates. I think a good way to get around this is to conduct individual
interviews with students. They would not be a huge portion of a students’ grade but rather a little
check in where I can see how the student is learning, what they are struggling with, and a one-
on-one opportunity for students to be in a safe environment where they can come to me with
their concerns. I believe this would create a community of trust and openness in the classroom.
Not only would I be able to gauge how well students are doing but learning can be negatively
impacted by outside factors. Things occur, life gets crazy, and this chaos can cause a decrease in
achievement. By having a time set aside where I can ask students how they think they are doing
and why, I will be better equipped to look at the student as a person and not just a number.
Professional growth
In the state of Virginia, where I plan on teaching, teachers are required to attend
professional growth seminars and are responsible for documenting a certain number of hours
dedicated to professional development. Of course, I will complete and look forward to the
professional development that is required of me. However, I will also turn to my students as a
source of how to improve myself. As a student I have always valued student surveys. Teachers
and students spend the whole school day together; students are directly affected by a teacher’s
abilities. Therefore, I believe that the most growth comes from reflecting on how your students
felt and learned, what they enjoyed and found helpful, and ultimately if the teacher was an
influential member of the classroom. I hope to not take my students’ responses personally but to
still reflect on their opinions. Teachers are present to serve the students which is why the
students should receive what is necessary to help them grow. In order to help the students, grow,
I as a teacher need to grow, and I firmly believe that that growth stems from student responses.