Recently, I came across an interesting “challenge” thrown down by close educator friends of mine, Justin Schleider and Dene Gainey, who had been inspired by another PLN member, Jessie Boyce. The challenge, to write about why you love teaching within a budget of 100 words, was apparently first inspired by an assignment that Jessie was given as part of a process to be a national finalist for the Teacher of the Year recognition (Congratulations, Jessie!). Although I find that I have mostly gone away from blogging to focus on the spoken word through the Leader Of Learning podcast, the competitor in me is always up for a good challenge, so I figured I would give it a shot.
Here are Jessie’s 100 words:
I get to show students the beauty in struggle and the power of making mistakes. Math is a topic that makes most people cringe and I feel fortunate to get to make it something that is less scary. I love to show my students that something that seems impossible does not have to be that way, but can be fun! I love showing them that the struggles that occur in math are paralleled to life; that there is always a way. I teach compassion, how to be good people, how to love, how to see a different point of view.
Here are Dene’s 100 words:
I love teaching because it is a perpetual process of learning & I am just as much of a student when I teach as the students themselves are. I love teaching because of the immense ability to “reach” and not just teach & to see lives transformed through that reach! I love teaching because little by little, the world can be changed for the better. I love teaching because of spontaneous discovery and the ability to empower students to C.L.I.M.B.E. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing students actualize themselves and take ownership and independence when learning.
Here are Justin’s 100 words:
Teaching is sharing time with people. Every day I get the opportunity to provide a safe environment for kids to explore and have fun. We form connections and memories that will leave a lasting impression on all parties. Together we enjoy creating new neural connections constantly challenging ourselves to grow. I get to feel that I am impacting the world battling hate and fear. Future generations will be changed for the better if I continuously grow and make a positive impact on my students. I am leaving the world a better place than before I got there.
So, here is my 100-word blurb about why I love teaching, or in my case as someone who does not have their own classroom anymore, why I love being an educator:
Being an educator goes beyond just transferring your prior knowledge to students. It’s also about challenging and inspiring others to be lifelong learners, whether they be students OR staff, or in my case, both. This is the part of education that I love most. I have become heavily involved in this avenue of education by coaching other teachers and being a connected educator, learning as much as I can from others and with others. All the while, the end goal remains the same – improving the teaching and learning process to ensure we turn out the best students we possibly can.
There they are… all 100 words that represent my calling in life. Not necessarily an easy task to complete, but I completed the challenge nonetheless. I hope you enjoyed my words and I encourage you to come up with your own. When you do, share them with me and if you are on Twitter, post them using the hashtags #my100words and #100wordchallenge!
