Though Computer Application packages is what I teach, I see my job as going beyond teaching youths to use these packages, I see the various courses as vehicles through which I guide learners to imbibe socio-cultural values that will contribute to their future lives and that of the community as a whole. Guiding them to adopt peaceful lifestyles and motivating them to become committed to adopting the values necessary for the establishment and entrenchment of a culture of peace is what I aim at.
With the above in mind, I try my best to ensure I embody what I am guiding them to accept. I try my best to ensure there is no fear or intimidation in my interactions with the students. I believe my mood has a lot to do with the atmosphere in the class and so always ensure I prepare myself mentally and psychologically before any class.
My biggest strengths lie in my ability to motivate and inspire my students; I see teaching as being more than imparting knowledge and skills.
I try my best to ensure I portray myself as a dependable role model who is there to willing guide them along in their preparation for their future life.
Guiding them to adopt nonviolent methods of conflict resolution, respect for diversity, and respect for the environment is more than an academic exercise to me. It is an attempt to guide them to develop a true love for the values that lead to a culture of peace.
In their diverse identities, intelligences, and interests I see limitless opportunities for guiding them to imbibe the values of cooperative peaceful coexistence.
Most of my students are usually teenagers and young adults. At their stages of development, I recognize their need for mature guidance and dependable counsel from a teacher. By maintaining a compassionate listening ear, and open mind, they usually feel free to share their fears and questions about both academic and non-academic issues with me with trust and confidence.
I feel my job gives me a unique opportunity to contribute to the evolvement of these young lives and so, while understanding who they are, I try my best to make see what they can become.
A class without occasional laughter isn’t imaginable to me, we play, we laugh, but best of all, WE LEARN!
In my interactions with my students, I usually find myself in the big brother/Uncle role, always ready to commend a right deed or ask for explanations on a wrong one!
They know they are free to come to me at all times but mostly importantly they know I will always try my best to tell them the TRUTH!
When dealing with their conflicts, I make sure I don’t shy away from saying the truth the way I perceive it and try my best to get them understand my reasons before proceeding to guide them to resolve it. This fairness makes all of them willing to share their thoughts and views which help me guide them along.
In the larger society, my position as a teacher and multicultural background place me in a position in which I am called upon to intervene in many conflicts, and I try my best to ensure conflicts don’t end with a “You are right and the other person is wrong” ending.
I try getting all parties to understand each other and come out from the conflict with a better relationship between them.
Ibrahim,
ReplyDeleteTeachers have a lot of power. Sometimes maybe more than we realize. The best teachers use this power as an opportunity to guide, rather than control. It is good that you focus on building trust with your students as without trust no one wins.
Gwen