The Best Teacher I Know...My Mom.
As we
celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week, the question was posed, "What
teacher inspired you?" My answer
was easy: My mom. Not only was she a
great teacher in school, but in my life.
She inspired me to be the teacher I am today. As I watched her teach growing up, I knew I
wanted to be just like her. I even had
the privilege to have her as a substitute teacher while in school. So I can say, without a doubt, that she was
an excellent teacher in the classroom, as well.
My mom
taught many different grade levels throughout her teaching career, but I will
best remember the years when she taught second and fourth grade. I remember one instance in particular while I
was in college, when I saw what an extraordinary teacher she was. She truly showed flexibility, natural
curiosity, and exemplary strategic thinking skills.
The fourth
grade was taking a field trip, and I tagged along to be an extra pair of hands
for her 26 students. There were four
classes going on three buses. Needless
to say, this made for interesting logistics.
One class was split on two of the buses.
Well, my mom's class was the one that was split. Everything was fine
during the field trip, but the classes did not interact with each other the
entire time. They were separate, and
spaced out, doing their own experiences.
After the field trip was over, we went to get on the bus, and NO buses were around. Each class thought we were on the other
buses. My mom had to think quickly
because she was in charge of all these children. We were stranded! Her behavior at that moment defined how the
children responded to the situation. She
pulled me aside to fill me in on what happened, telling me not to let my face
show anything, since I had to help while she tried to figure out what to
do. These were the days before cell
phones, so she had to find a pay phone (gasp!) to call school to let them know
what happened. As she made the call, I entertained
the 26 children by playing Simon Says, I Spy, and games like that. When my mom returned she calmly explained to
the group what happened By this time, it
is past when the students were supposed to be headed home for the day. She needed to use her teaching skills to keep
all the students calm, in one area, and safe.
She came up with creative ways to keep the students entertained, and
engaged. She used the space around us to
teach them about Pittsburgh . She told them little know facts and
transformed being stranded as a "teachable moment". When the bus finally arrived two hours later,
the students were sad to get on to go home.
In a way, so was I, it was such a learning experience for me, I hated to
see it end.
While we
waited for the bus to come, I watched my mom with the students. She had an easy way of relating to the
students. The rapport that she had with
the group was instinctive and effortless.
I realized that was what I wanted to have when I became a teacher. I wanted to have the students enjoy having
conversations about learning with me. They were asking questions to each other with
respect, as well as listening to each other.
She taught them the skills they needed to be successful listeners and
speakers when relating to each other in various situations, not only in the
classroom, but outside of it. What a
remarkable task for fourth graders to do with each other so effectively. I wanted to emulate that as a teacher,
too.
My mom has
been gone for fifteen years now, but I still think of her excellent teaching
skills everyday. I try to imitate how
she worked with her students, her flexibility, sense of humor, work ethic, and
the rapport she had with all of her students.
As a teacher, I use SMART Notebook and SMART amp to connect learning
with student creativity. My students
have the opportunity to work globally with others. If my mom would have had the opportunity, I know
she would have been using SMART Technology to teach in her classroom. I'm sure we would have been working on
collaboration projects together.
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