Personal Inspiration

For my ICT class, one assignment is to read a book and discuss it with our classmates.  This book is amazing and full of inspirational stories.  One author who has stood out the most to me is Shelley Wright.  I love how she recognized that teacher based learning just wasn't enough for her students.  I'm inspired how she took a leap of faith to change her teaching style to student based learning.  I admire this because change is never easy.  Just like when Shelley I too had teachers who lined up our desks in rows and stand at the front of  the room and lectured for the majority of the block.  Over the years I have recognized that I learn more when interacting with my peers and since I have recognized this a lot of what I have planned for my student teaching placement is where students interact with each other rather than listening to me stand at the front of the room talking to them.  It is teachers like Shelley that help install the confidence I need to believe in my students and the results will follow.  I do recognize that at first this may not be a success but that is due to students not being provided with the opportunity to learn from each other.

So far in the book Shelley has had two entires telling her audience about her decision to change her teaching style and how her students exceeded her expectations.  Reading these stories and watching Shelley talk at Ted Talks, how could I not be inspired to go out and want to make such a positive change in my students lives?

I had met with my Cooperating Teacher (CT) before I had read Shelley's second entry and we had mapped out what we were wanting to cover with our students, what subjects I would take the lead in and about the projects/presentations our students would be required to complete.  I had told my CT that I would love to a unit where my students would have to find a cause out in our world that excites them and have them research that cause and present on it in pairs or small groups (depending on numbers).  My CT loved this idea because it tied into their Social Studies unit.  I was so excited that she loved it.  I am still working out the details of the assignment but it will be integrated into ELA multi-media unit.  So naturally when I read Shelley's second entry in our book club book I immediately thought of this assignment and how I want my students to learn from each other, and to get excited about making a difference in the world.  That is the kind of teacher I want to be.  I want my students to be excited about the future and how they can make a positive impact, positive change. I want them to realize that they can be leaders and that with motivation they can do anything even if faced with challenges.

I know I have so much to learn but that is what makes me so excited about my future as an educator.  I am just starting out so why not start my teaching career with student based learning?  Hearing Shelley's story makes me so excited about my future as an educator.  So if you have never heard of Shelley Wright here is the video of her speaking at Ted Talks:



~ Miss Laing