I have come to terms that before any student, parent, or faculty will ever care how much you know, they must first know how much you care. Presenting oneself with a high level of professionalism is more than the sum total of your acquired knowledge and ability to carry it out. Indeed, it is much more than that. To be wholly a professional educator, you must be truly permeated with the willingness and passion to connect with your students at an individual and personal level. Students need to know that you are going to meet them at their level long before they will ever consider meeting you at yours. Approaching students with this mind-set spurs student’s social emotional development as they will begin to feel a genuine connection not to just the teacher, but to the culture of the classroom, their peers, and to their own learning. Students need to know you care. This has been my experience throughout my student teaching practicum. As a student teacher, or even a first year teacher, it is a daunting task in itself to maintain organized lesson plans, class schedules, budgets, and the like. However, I soon discovered that taking the time to invest in the diverse needs and cultures of my students can do just as much, if not more, for them than filling their heads with knowledge alone.
Adopting this mindset as an integral part of my pedagogy also aiding my own learning in what it looks like to be in a place of leadership and advocacy for both my students and school community. Taking the time to invest in the social and emotional well-being of students has better prepared me to understand how to best communicate with parents as it relates to specific needs of their child. Being proactive in the manner has helped me in having more positive relationships with students and their caregivers Additionally, the willingness to collaborate with other teachers in reflective practice and developing supports for students has proved helpful in contributing to a greater sense of comradery within both the department and school community.
Adopting this mindset as an integral part of my pedagogy also aiding my own learning in what it looks like to be in a place of leadership and advocacy for both my students and school community. Taking the time to invest in the social and emotional well-being of students has better prepared me to understand how to best communicate with parents as it relates to specific needs of their child. Being proactive in the manner has helped me in having more positive relationships with students and their caregivers Additionally, the willingness to collaborate with other teachers in reflective practice and developing supports for students has proved helpful in contributing to a greater sense of comradery within both the department and school community.