The Teacher Project

To Build a Teacher. 

Who would have guessed, back when my jr. high English class studied Jack London’s ‘To Build A Fire’, that I would someday be looking forward to my practicum.  Back then I wanted nothing to do with school such that I failed my second and third course that year.  I guess you could say that I was a bit of a trouble maker and, can you believe it, I am now getting set to teach students like I once was.  Why?  For the love of literature, Why??? 

Although too late to get any academic credits for my graduation, I smartened up in my grade twelve year, and if I hadn’t done so already, I fell in love with the high school shop.  Mr ‘T’, my high school metal and drafting instructor, encouraged me in my passion for the trades and I finished that year with honors and the distinction of top Sr Wood, Sr. Metal and Industrial Ed student.  Al ‘T’ also encouraged my desire to come back to the high school shops as a teacher. 

I look at the course that my life has taken oven the last thirteen years and I can honestly say that I am grateful that I didn’t go straight to university.  Not only would it have meant moving to the coast, but I believe the practical experience I gained in the meantime will add to a shop class experience…I can see the real world experience add to my ability to foresee hazardous situations, make lessons personal and I can also see my trades experience assisting in the prioritizing of my hidden curriculum. <<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

From the frying pan to the fire, I left a secure career as an underpaid shop lead-hand in ’94 and leapt into university studies.  My family has been very supportive, but my studies have none the less taken their toll not only on myself, but on my wife and my kids as well.  Thankfully, our parents have been great by helping the kids get desires of their heart…namely Aric and his hockey and keeping the three of them enrolled in a private school.  They have also pitched in now and then for dates, holidays and other ‘nicessities’ of life.  I have to say that, financially, we haven’t really been in want for anything and we are forever indebted to our folks…the greater impact has definitely been relational. 

So, with three and some years of education, and ten years of industry and ‘real’ life behind me, I am now into my final year looking towards my practicum with excitement, trepidation and reservation.  Is this for me?  Will I be the teacher that students will migrate towards?  Will I gain their respect…will I enjoy this career?  I suppose the questions are as numerous as the stars in the sky…and I know that none of them can be answered with surety until I am there…but WOW, what a lot to chew on and digest while still cramming new stuff into the weary ol’ brain. 

I recently erupted on a professor criticizing the lack of this, the omission of that and the inclusion of the useless…for that I apologize…I now realize how little about teaching can actually be taught.  Having spent the last week in high school classes, I have so many questions that I wouldn’t know what to ask the university to teach me first.  I guess the reality of building a teacher is that it boils down to one thing……experience.  The only way to learn to teach is to, as Nike says, just do it.I met some great kids this week.  One in particular is a very motivated grade ten in a 4 grade split metal class.  This student thrives on helping, working, learning, teaching…defeating cancer.  And then there are the hockey kids…the ‘my dad is forking out 100G for me to be in the academy and make the NHL’.  Many of these hockey academy kids appear to have little use for school as they are set on making a career out of hockey…the reality is that I will have beaten the odds if any of my ‘kids’ ever make it famous.  What will these students do when they realize they didn’t beat the odds?  If I can give them just one thing while they are in my care, what should it be? 

Another class I sat in on was a keep-em-busy science credit course.  The students in this class are either living on their own, on drugs, pregnant, beaten….  While much of me wants to stay as far from these kids as I can, another part of me is inclined to get personally involved…I know I can do neither, but what can I do? 

To build a teacher….          ………to play the game. 

I have a heart for student success….what will I do when my student fails? I have a desire to equip for life…for career…for future…what if they won’t hear me?If I can keep them safe, show some skill, make my course sexy…I will have a career, but what can I do to have a success? 

….to be continued I am sure.