This is why I teach

March 6, 2008

This afternoon after we finished the final lesson for the quarter, I asked my last class of the quarter to evaluate the course. They were to include weaknesses and strengths of the course curriculum, and then weaknesses and strengths of me as an instructor. The first time I did this, I cried. I cried all night. I was student teaching. I remember in Casa Grande Union High School I did this after the first semester of a Gifted Seminar that I built from scratch and had the school board approve. I cried again. All night.

I won’t lie. Teaching isn’t always fun and wonderful. I joke some weeks about how I am going to go teach college where I have less of the complaints from here and there. Sometimes I believe it more than others. Sometimes I inquire as to the pay. Sometimes I just shrug and move on, and sometimes I sit on the couch and don’t want to do anything when I get home. But today I asked for an evaluation, because as a teacher I cannot get better unless I keep asking and keep changing. And every now and then we, as teachers, receive these little nuggets, these little rewards, that help us get through the day, finish the year, sign those contracts and return next year. This is what I just read.

“Mr. Adams, your strength was allowing your students to believe they can do better than what they’ve previously done because they’ve leaned and grown. I don’t know how you did it, but it sure as hell worked for me. So thank you. Your weakness, however, was… I really don’t know. I guess the reason why most of your students change their perspective on learning and life is because of who you are and what you teach. So Thank You.

Posted in AP Lang