" We are more than teachers, much more !" :Reflective Classroom Teacher 3

Teaching is what we do, it is not what we are. That is our uniqueness as humans. This distinction is the truth that allows us to all to break from the herd and discover our unique personalities and develop our individual styles as teachers. We are like all teachers and yet, we are like no other teacher. It is impossible to leave me outside in the hallway when we walk into our classrooms; we teach who we are each and everyday. That being the case, it is imperative that each of us reflects every day on the effectiveness of our teaching. An excellent starting point to this lifetime process is to rethink our philosophy of education. The first question that should come to mind is; "Why did I choose this profession?" There or course will be several answers that will come to mind. Your task is to discern the truth. This is a most difficult task but it is basic to your success. You can do it, you must.

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Comment by Meredith Johnson on July 8, 2009 at 2:28pm: Many years ago I would drive past corn fields and along the Mississippi River for an hour from the middle school where I was a principal to my home. This was the time I would spend each day reflecting on the decisions I had made and planning for future events. If I would have lived three minutes from the school I would have missed out on this opportunity of reflection. I remember sitting in a meeting a few years ago where the educator next to me mentioned she was writing a book on the topic of reflection. I went and searched the topic and located the following two books. Getting to the Core: Reflections on Teaching and Learning by S Joseph Levine and McSpadden, Kay. (2007). Notes from a Classroom: Reflections on Teaching. Charlotte, NC: Stampley Enterprise. I mention them as educators enjoy settling sail on their own individual, professional development journeys when it comes to reflection. I have found some teachers enjoy writing down their thoughts and for years we purchased the following journal for all teachers new to our school or any others who also wanted to explore that avenue. The Teacher's Daybook, 2008-2009 Edition: Time to Teach, Time to Learn, Time to Live (Spiral-bound) by Jim Burke (Author). Whatever methods works best for you to reflect on the effectiveness of your teaching is a terrific place to start!