I Am a Teacher
When I started teaching in 1986 (yes, I'm bordering on ancient...lol), I had the students no one else wanted. They weren't kidding when they said I'd probably have to tap dance on my head to get them to learn. Soooo, I set out to do just that: find any means necessary to get my students to learn.
It's been an interesting process...and I learned a lot about myself on the journey!
The thing that most gets me is the trend nowadays for Differentiated Learning, Multiple Intelligences, etc., because I was trying to do all that 20 years ago and getting laughed at! I was told my methods were unusual and somewhat inappropriate...I mean, whoever heard of using acronyms, songs, rhymes, rhythms (and the list goes on) to get students to memorize. They just need to spend more time & effort on their learning.
Color-coding things? How ridiculous! "Formulas" for sentence structure or idiomatic phrasing? Pshaw! No such thing! Rhyming the grammar rules, or singing them? Just not done! (Um...did we not grow up with those wonderful short videos by Schoolhouse Rock?)
And now, when some of my colleagues are struggling with trying to plan Differentiated lessons, to reach those multiple intelligences, I am having the time of my life teaching! Yes, I still have a LOT to learn, because learning never stands still, but I am having FUN in the classroom! Just ask my students & they'll tell you I am the Crazy Pollyanna Spanish teacher...
