Teaching – Week 1

[cs_section parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: 0px;padding: 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]Teachers have my full respect now. After just one week of classes I have learned it is more than just sitting in front of a class and speaking for an hour. Even if you know your subject and material the act of teaching is still challenging. From preparing lessons to all the administration matters, there is a lot to teaching.

Students Aren’t the Only Ones Learning

What I am teaching I know. I have spent years and years learning and using that knowledge. I learned and used it as a hobby in high school, I learned more in college, and now I use it every day at work. Using that knowledge, however, is not the same as teaching it. Sitting with others who do not have those skills and instructing them can be difficult. How do I explain this or that? Is there more than one way to achieve end results? What all do they need to know? What is the starting point to teach from? These questions and more need to be answered.

The biggest of these is where to start. Because of the nature of what I am teaching there can be several starting points. More than that everything gets interconnected. Its that circle of “You need to know A to do B, and you need to know B to do C, but you need to know C to do B and A.” That has been my biggest challenge – finding that starting point that will not be confusing. It is almost as though all the information needs to be thrown at them and then go back and start looking at each part individually. Then when that foundation is set they can be taught more and more, all building on each other. When I am planning my lessons I am looking at the assignments the students have, figuring out if I can do them and how I would go about completely. Then I take that and create a lesson. I am having to learn the assignment just as the student is.

Adding another layer to learning the assignment I am having to think through how to explain it. I am having to learn how to teach. I am constantly asking myself questions such as, If I were a student would what I am saying makes sense? Am I being to boring? Am I engaging the students enough so they are learning? When they ask for help am I guiding them or am I inadvertently doing the assignment for them? Learning how to teach is something I didn’t fully think of before – however, I am now.

That is just week 1. Week 2, 3, 4… 15 will each bring it’s own challenges. With each assignment, each lesson I am learning more about my abilities and short comings. Hopefully with each I am becoming a better and better teacher. Until then it’s time to get the next lesson together. I will catch you next time.

Attempt it. Chance it. Try it. Get to It![/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section]