After spending the last 15 years teaching science and reading/communication arts I changed positions that does not require teaching anything I am comfortable with. Yes, now I am a keyboarding teacher! As strange as it seems to me, I am having to teach a class I have not been prepared for. I didn't take any methods classes in keyboarding, in fact the only class I took was a basic keyboarding class in 1985 when I was in high school. Yes, I do keyboard every day and I have been known to write lots of content in a short period of time, but I have never taught it. Talk about being out of my comfort zone!
While I am finding it a real challenge, I also see this as an opportunity. Because this class seems to be pretty straight forward and I have the luxury of using a program purchased by my district to use I have more time to interact with my students. I can spend a few minutes talking with each one about not only what they are doing in class, but also what is going on in general. The opportunity to create relationships and gain trust will hopefully help me help them as the year progresses. After all, it really isn't about teaching content, it is about teaching students. Because of this, I see my new position as a huge opportunities to make a real difference in the junior high this year.
1 comment:
Two comments: being out of our "comfort zone" increases our opportunities to learn. That's fantastic. I applaud you for the excitement, enthusiasm, and eagerness with which you embrace the "out of comfort zone" space! What a magnificent example you set for the rest of us!
And you say "it really isn't about teaching content, it is about teaching students." How wonderful. If only all teachers could do that. Content is now everywhere. We are virtually in the position where we can say with accuracy that "all information is in all places at all times." Our task now can be teaching students, teaching learners, and modeling how learning really takes place. Not through memorization and the regurgitation of facts that will be forgotten in about the same amount of time it took to memorize them, but through exploration, questioning, searching, reasoning, thinking, collaborating. Real learning taking place! Congratulations!
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