Challenges Are Good

This experience has definitely been eye opening for me and has only strengthened my so called “Teacher Identity.” And it will continue to strengthen it due to the fact that I am not ending my volunteering session during break. I feel as if I have formed a close bond with the students at this elementary school.

Clearly I had formed some kind of bond with the students because one was able to discuss her economic problems at home. It was very hard not to hug that student and buy her a pack of pencils with a big shiny bow on it! I feel like I kept it professional. I believe that I was able to comfort her for a short period but still demonstrate that I was a teacher figure and she must come back to continue her work.

Another incident which was a learning experience for me involved two students. One could not grasp the commutative property concept from the math lesson. I was having a very hard time getting her to understand what I was trying to teach her. I was drawing pictures and using the large easel, the works! Then, as I looked at the other student who was breezing through the questions and already on number 9, I decided to see if he could explain it to her. I was right! She understood the concept and he understood it even better to the point that he could teach it. It was a win/win situation in my eyes. Sometimes students can learn better from their peers rather than from an authoritative figure.

Like I had mentioned in the first blog, they were perfect angels the first day. Eager to behave nicely in front of me and anxious to get to know how old I was and where I went to school. Later some issues arose. People are not perfect. It got difficult on some days. I am not upset about this in any way. That is life. Life is challenging and challenges you. That’s the only way to learn in my opinion. Bring on the challenge!