If you walked in to any of my classes last week, you would see very typical beginning-of-the-year activities. We were playing iPod Trivia, conducting Circle-Ups with name games, making posters to hang in the classroom, eating ice-cream sandwiches, etc. There was one assignment that was a little more tedious than the others, but it is the most important because it tells me about my students as people and also is my first assessment of them as writers...The "About Me" letter to Maura.
This blog isn't about their letters though. I haven't read through all 70? copies of them yet. It's about what I wrote to them while they were writing to me. I thought I'd share a little of my teaching philosophy!
Dear Students,
I am writing today because I figure I should write while you're writing. Plus, this is a good time to tell you something about me since you are writing an "About Me" letter. I know I already described Maura as a person to you all, so now I will describe Maura as your teacher. You guys are my heart. I am a teacher because I care about you. I know it seems foolish to say that since I barely even know you, but it's true. I am a compassionate person who cares for people I have never met and I care mostly about the future...YOU! I am a children's (more like teenager) advocate because I believe you all have a strong voice and I want people/adults to hear what you have to say.
My goal, no, my hope for myself as a teacher is that I am able to show you how empowering education can be. It changed my life: my opinions, my viewpoints, my beliefs, and it eventually led me back to you. It helped me realize that the only way to help other people is to educate them so that they have the resources and the knowledge to help themselves.
Please know that I am confident you all have the creativity, the intelligence, the courage, the ability and the ingenuity to change this world for the better. There is a song by Damian Marley and Nas where they sing, "this generation will make a change," and I truly believe that. I rejoice in every one of your victories because I know it takes you one step closer to the prize!
So, thank you for letting me be your teacher. I look forward to our journey together.
lovemaura
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