Jose Benitez Post
One of the first tips of advice I heard as a rookie teacher was, “Don’t smile until Christmas.” This was a little disheartening as I can somewhat remember the Teachers I had in high school who might have followed that statement, and by somewhat I mean I do not remember their names, but only their strong disciplinary actions. The teachers that I do remember made a connection with me individually, and presented information in an effective way to overpower my stubborn unwillingness to learn. The teachers I remember are the ones who used humor in lectures, and had a sincere interest in my well being.
I know that I lack as a disciplinary leader in my school, and I know that the students know this, but I also believe that I truly engage my students enough to work hard for 90 minutes on one design. I go to as many activities as I can, I sponsor two different clubs, and I ask how every single one of my students is doing everyday. I let them know that I am available for assistance and that my tutorials are after school everyday. Why do I do this? Because I want my students to feel welcome and I want them to discover a small space in their hearts and minds for design.
With this educational philosophy comes a strong need for positive thinking. If I were to dread staying after school or attending extra curricular activities, then my life would be miserable. It is my choice to have a positive outlook on my actions and the actions of the students who are in my classroom. By remaining positive and providing a welcoming environment for creative project development, once students enter my introductory class they usually go on for the next 3 years in my advanced classes.
My Response
Like you, Jose, I was given the same “don’t smile” advice when I started teaching as well. Also like you, I chose to ignore it. I went with what I remembered made a difference in my education. It was the teacher that met us at the door and greeted us everyday as we came in. It was the teacher that would go “off topic” to explore an idea or thought that the class was interested about. It was the teacher who stayed after even if we did not need their assistance, but rather to just hang out. What it came down to, and how I describe it, over making a difference was creating an experience. Yes, the strong disciplinarians created an experience as well, but not one we remember and if we do, it is not remembered fondly. One thing I do remember is that the teacher that created the positive experience for us did not need to be the unsmiling hard-nosed teacher as we all respected him enough to follow a few simple rules.
I, like you, try to create an environment that a student would want to learn in, come to everyday and try something new and risking potential failure. Like you say, it has a lot to do with being positive. I also think it is much more than the books trying to make a difference. That is an effort, but one where you cannot easily see the results. When you create a positive experience you can see the difference you make everyday.
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