Teaching

I have very few memories from my elementary school experience. I don't think I'm alone in this aspect. I think that for a lot of people, the elementary school years are ones that are eagerly forgotten.

Jordan has been accepted to be a Teach for America teacher in Las Vegas, and as part of his training, he is listening to an audio book as part of his required preparation.

I think it's a novel, with different chapters coming out of different experiences the teacher has had with different children. The last chapter was about her observations of two students who had crossed the racial boundary in their friendship. During recess, the teacher would stand at the window and watch the social interactions of her students. She states that she could have written a psychology paper on the relationships she saw on the playground, but her experiences as a teacher have taught her to interpret the actions of the children differently.

As I listened, I was impressed at the teacher's desire for the success of her students. She would take special interest in the students who were lagging behind, inviting them to stay after for tutoring, and she would listen patiently to the child who would tell her facts about anacondas. To this teacher, every child was important.

I wonder how my teachers saw me. I was definitely not the class bully, and probably not the smartest kid in the class. I don't think I was too outspoken, but performed well on school assignments.

I wonder what my teachers saw in my future. I wonder if they saw me where I am now. In grade school, I probably underestimated the soothsaying capabilities of my teachers, but I don't think they would have predicted an extended stay in Berlin.

I guess this has just been an eyeopener for how much time and effort teachers put into preparing good lessons, and how much they care about each student individually. I really admire that.