Full Circle

Paper

Nam
e

Adam Toth

Date

14 June 2013

For me it is difficult to define teaching, and has been made even more challenging
after having the opportunity to be in a classroom and trying teaching for myself.
Trying to define teaching is like trying to define the planet earth. Of course there is
a technical definition to describe our planet, but to those who have stood on top of
a mountain, considered the cycles of nature, or seen nations come together for the
greater good, the technical definition of earth does not come anywhere near
describing what it is like to experience earth.
I feel that defining teaching is similar to defining earth. There are different
elements in teaching, such as lesson planning, classroom management, meeting
objectives, and raising grades that deserve their own field of study, just as
geology, geography, and meteorology. My experience in Ed 2500 has taught me
that these elements of teaching are absolutely essential, but even being a master
of all of those elements does not make you a real teacher. In all great teachers I
have had there has been a sense of passion; a desire to help others make
connections in their mind that will result in more then a good grade. Truly great
teachers have an almost undesirable desire to help students excel endlessly. This
attribute, the fire, the passion, is in my mind the line in the sand that divides a
good teacher from a great teacher.
Perhaps the best way to describe what I mean is through an example. There
is a student at R.I. Baker who we will call Jeff. Jeff is the stereotypical overconfident
jock who is considered popular, but also a disrespectful troublemaker. I am not sure
in what sequence this frame of mind came to be, but Jeff is seen this way by his
peers, staff, and I think even by himself. Teachers have told me on several
occasions that they cannot wait for Jeff to graduate from Baker and move on to
high school, and I began to feel that Jeff was seen by teachers as a lost cause.
However, I had a neat experience with Jeff where I saw him compliment another
student who is seen as unpopular. I made a point to compliment him on it, and for
the rest of that gym period, Jeff, to everyones surprise, was full of praise for good
sportsmanship and encouraged those who typically dont participate. I talked to
Jeff afterwards about how much it must have meant to those students to be
encouraged by him. I could tell he was proud of himself, and that to Jeff a
connection occurred where he understood that even someone with a troublemaker
reputation could help others feel good about themselves. That to me is teaching!
Until that point, my day had been a little disappointing, but seeing Jeff learn like he
did made it all worth it!
I have learned in Ed 2500 that passion is not enough to be a teacher; there
are practical elements of teaching, such as lesson planning, that I need to have a
more proficient understanding of. I have also learned that a passion for true
learning must attend a great teacher, and that is a strength that I feel I can build
ED 2500 Orientation to Teaching
Instructor: Kurtis Hewson

off of.
Five years from now I hope to see myself confident with the practical
elements of teaching, more passionate about learning then ever before, but willing
to never see myself as a perfect teacher, willing to learn, improving myself always,
and striving to be a true teacher.

ED 2500 Orientation to Teaching

Instructor: Kurtis Hewson