Now that you have read chapter 2 on the professionalization of teaching and we discussed a few of the issues in class, I would like for you to reflect upon your 13+ years of schooling and the examples your teachers have set for you. You need to think of a time, experience, or memory of a teacher doing or saying something that exemplified that he/she was truly a well-respected professional. OR you can write about a time, experience, or memory of a teacher doing or saying something that was not professional. Do not use names when you are talking about this teacher. It can be as simple as "One of my high school teachers always wore flip-flops to school." Or it can be a complex issue such as "One of the high school teachers used to go to student parties on the weekend and drink alcohol in front of the students." After you state the issue, type a few sentences about why you thought it was professional or unprofessional and how it affected your learning.
Please be sensitive to the fact that this topic is very subjective. Something you might think is unprofessional another person might think is not a big deal. Let's be aware of people's differing opinions. We need to make sure we keep this post PROFESSIONAL:-)
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45 comments:
My middle school teacher was a fun time. This teacher was nice and caused no trouble. Her professional moment was when a good friend of mine got hit by a car. I found out durring her class period, we wernt doing anything, so she let me grieve with friends.I felt that this moment -was professional because she understood what it was like to have a friend get badly injured and expressed that to me in a way that helped me hurt a little less. This teacher went beyond what a teacher has to do. She could have easily just sent me to the counselors office. She gave me options and connected with me on an emotional level. I had respect for her before, but after that, I realized that there is a story, a life- not just boring or lesson plans- behind teachers. Figuring this out as an 7th grader was a big deal for me.
During my senior year, I had a teacher for my worldviews class that definitely gave off an unprofessional vibe. While I did enjoy his class, he constantly made arrogant, sarcastic remarks. I think that this was extremely unprofessional because it placed each of us in an awkward position. We never knew whether he was serious or joking, and it made it very difficult to enjoy the class. I also lost a lot of respect for him because he was always bragging on his accomplishments. Consequently this teacher was unprofessional because of his unnecessary arrogance and sarcasm.
I loved hearing about Taylor's experience with a professional teacher. It's not everyday that you see a teacher who is willing to alter his/her plans to accomodate the needs of the students. We need more teachers like this!
My freshman and senior year math teach was very unprofessional. Though he knew his subject he was teaching very well, it was hard to learn anything in the class knowing he had been caught with porn the year before. Not only this, he gave off an uncomfortable vibe and it seemed like he was always "in your bubble". Neither my classmates or I felt comfortable in his class and when brought to the administration's attention nothing was done about it.
i liked taylor's comment. it is very good to hear that there are teachers who are understanding enough to allow you to be comforted by friends in your hard times--especially during class. This reminds me of my 8th grade teacher and the care and respect she had for each of her students and their needs.
One of my middle school teachers acted unproffesional one time but hasn't made the same mistake again. We had an eight grade graduation party at my middle school and this teacher was one of the supervisors. The only thing was it was a dance party and instead of just observing my teacher joined in. My teacher was female and actually slow danced with one of my classmates. She was a new teacher in her second year, but i still don't think that is an excuse. I believe personal contact with your students to that level is unproffesional.
I agree with maggie. Having a teacher that is overly confident and sarcastic all the time is very unproffesional. It's also annoying. I would lose respect for that teacher as well.
My High school theater teacher was a very interesting person. She came in my freshmen year and was just as new and aqkward as me. Her professional moment was also a unprofessional moment as well. I say this because she treated my friend Remington and I as smart indivisuals one moment then talked to us like we were kids the next. Now dont get me wrong that is kind of a wierd thing to do to students but in the end of my high school career we all found out she quit and was moving away. and for some reason it hit me pretty hard. i guess it was the fact that i grew so much with this indivisual and now she was leaving, but in the end what we all realised was even though she was leaving the memories are still in your head and email is the easiest way to comunicate.
I like what Taylor lewis said you have to always be carieng and understanding as a teacher because you wont be a cold hearted teacher
When i was in seventh and eigth grade I had a the same english teacher and she was also our basketball coach. She became very close with a group of us but did not keep it professional. She let us talk back to her and not turn our work in on time so we treated her like someone our age instead of an adult who was in charge of us. I know she really liked us but she was not successful in keeping her relationship with us professional.
I think that is great that taylor had such a postive experiment with a teacher. After an experience like that it gives you even more respect for that teacher and you see them as a professional even more.
When I was in 7th grade, my parents were going through a divorce, and it was rough on me. My grade in science started slipping, and my teacher at the time did something that was very unprofessional. She asked me to come out in the hallway and told me "Just because your parents are going through a divorce, doesn't mean that you have to drop you grades to get their attention. Do you really want to work at McDonalds the rest of your life? At the rate your going that's will you will end up." That conversation has stuck with me, and I couldn't believe a teacher, someone that is supposed to care about her students would say something like that to me. It was the wrong choice of words, and she did not know enough about me or my family to jump to conclusions like that.
I also agree with maggie heinmann. I had a teacher my senior year that acted the same way. He would make fun of people in his class, just to get the other kids to laugh at him. I dropped his class, because everyday I was in there, I felt fear that he would pick on me the next day. I find this highly unprofessional.
I have had a couple of run ins with un-profesional teachers. Math teachers seem to always get me. I stuggle with math and always have to ask them for additonal help so it brings out their true character usaully. In college i had a math teacher who was so above everyones level ( a chemist or something like that) and he could never get down to the students level. He didnt seem to enjoy teaching at all or want to even be there. I asked for help outside of class and I felt like I was being treated rudly. It was a very bad expereince.
I enjoyed hearing taylors blog as well, its nice when teachers get a little involved. ecspecailly at such a rough age (MIDDLE SCHOOL uhh!) when they do show they care it makes you look forward to the class and try harder. Students wont want to disappoint a teacher that they like
Well I think my experience with a teacher or principal was differnt. I dated the principals son for about 2 years. So I basically knew his family really well. I used to attend family fuctions such as; Thankgiving, Birthdays Parties, and just hungout with his family. Well one of those time I was hanging out with my boyfriend at the time at his house. We were just watching a movie in basement and I walked up stairs to go to a drink of water and just so happens my principal was in the kitchen the same time I was but the funny thing was he was in his boxers. He really didnt say much when I saw him but he knew that I was uncomfortable with it. So he left and I got my drink of water and went back to watching the the rest of the movie. I mean I don't know what to think of the situation. I think it is unprofessionable just a little bit. He knew I was one of his students and I was at his house he could at least maybe could of had a shirt on. I do understand that it was his house and he can walk around like that but I have never encountered that before!
I had an experience similar to becky's in middle school i had an art teacher who would just assign a project and then go to his computer and pull this rolling chalkboard infront of him so we couldn't see what he was doing. If you ever had a question you had to go up and knock on the board and he would minimize what he was looking at and then address you. Well one time the class clown thought it would be funny to run up and slide the chalk board accross the room and when he did we all got an eye full of our teacher looking at porn. So needless to say the teacher got fired and we got a new teacher. But obviously that is exteremly unprofessional. Not only was he neglecting the class constanly but he was also doing something highly inapproprate. Another teacher that i had was my dance and drill coach and she was married and got pregnate by the hot new gym teacher so she left her husband and married the gym teacher. So i've seen many unprofessional teachers but they arn't the only ones out there all my other teachers kept up a proffesional vibe.
During my senior year, I had a great teacher, but she was extremely unprofessional. She was my Pre Calc Honors teacher. She and I didn't get along well at first because she was very pompous and put down students and or other teachers constantly. I always did well in her class, but that is because she was a good teacher and I learned well from her. On a regular basis she would put down the head of the math department and call him some name from Star Wars. The class found this hysterical, while I found it unprofessional, rude and cruel. This teacher would also come in to class wearing sweat suits from Victoria's Secret. Although I am a fan of comfy sweat suits, they are most definitely not something you wear to class. This teacher also did not like the fact that I was close with my tenth grade math teacher. She was my mentor and we are friends to this day. She would hate when I would go to the other teacher for help. Recently, this teacher that I am still friends with told me that she was giving review sessions for the Regents in the spring and my Pre Calc H teacher was telling all of her students not to go to the review. She made it clear that they should stay away from the other teacher. This put a bad impression in the students minds about the other teacher and they had no reason to dislike my tenth grade teacher. Obviously, my previous Pre Calc H teacher has an issue with her self-esteem and feels better by putting others down so her students think she is funny and like her more. I feel really bad for this lady because she is a great teacher and can be a nice person, but she has to work on her issues in other ways so that students will see her as a professional.
In response to Emily's post, being a teacher and a coach is hard to do. You want to be on a friendly level with your team, but at the same time you still have to be the one in charge. If you get too comfy with your team and then you end up having those students in class they still need to understand that in the classroom you are more than just a friend, you are in charge, you deal the cards and you respect them the same way they should respect you. Its hard draw the lines between coaching and teaching those same students. It is hard, but it can be done. Two of my English teachers accomplished teaching and coaching me at the same time.
one day i was pulling into the parking lot when a mother of a student went in an no-entrance drive in and i hit her. my first class of the day was history and my teacher was coach rogers, one of my favorite teachers. he saw how upset i was about messing up my dads truck so when we went to review for a test he played some fun game to help cheer me up. its alot of small things that make you professional but i believe he is a professional teacher.
i dont really think what you wear makes you professional or not, but there is a line that you cant cross. flip flops are fine to me.
and i agree with the other blogs that a professtional teacher has to have a good heart and be willing to change their plans according to what happens.
My freshan year of high school I had this physics teacher and I thought she did some unprofessional things. Everyday in class she would just put notes on the board and would just go through them so fast. She didn't care if we got them down or understood. It felt like she didn't care about her students and only favored the ones that understood the matieral right away. It was hard to learn anything in that class because she never would help you. It felt like you were on your own trying to do things. She also would make sarcastic comments and you never knew if she was just joking. I think she was unprofessional because teachers are suppose to be there and help you succeed.
I agree with Maggie's comment. I have been through a class when the teacher made sarcastic remarks and that is unprofessional. It is rude and sometimes annoying.
In fifth grade, a substitute teacher encouraged the other students in the class to harrass me in order to "toughen me up". I never foregot that day and what it has taught me. I wouldn't look at teachers as trustworthy for a little while because I went to him and asked him for help, yet he kicked me when I was down. I wouldn't trust some teachers just because they had a menacing look on their faces or they used postures simalar to that substitute teacher. For a long time I felt that I couldn't trust anyone and that is why I feel he wasn't being proffessional, not to mention blatantly crossing the line.
I agree with maggie as well. Arrogance, self righteousness, pride, sarcasm, jokes, and bragging are all unproffessional and paths to one's downfall. Teachers shouldn't brag about themselves, they can brag about how proud they are about their students but only lightly.
In highschool I had a teacher that would go over the material but if anyone had a question he made you feel stupid that you didn't already know the answer. So most of the time no one would ask questions because they were afraid of being told they were stupid, then when the tests came around they wouldn't know what exactly to do.
I agree with emily , even though the coach wanted to be nice and treat you special they still need to keep it professional so the players wouldnt take advantage of the coach. If the coach didnt show authority maybe they wouldnt give her respect on the court like they didnt in the class room.
My story about professionalism actually happened to one of my best friends. She had to miss a bunch of school during my senior year of high school because her dad became very sick, so she was with him in the hospital in St. Louis, which from my home town is about an hour and a half away. She ended up missing 2 or 3 weeks worth of schoolwork and was stressed about making up all the homework. The teacher we both had for English comp. 1 told her that she could he would give her the assignments later, and kept telling her she would get them later whenever she asked. Finally, my friend became mad at the teacher for not giving her the assignments and approached him about it. His response was that he was intentionally not giving her the work, because she should put her family first and that some pointless paper doesn't matter as much as being there for her dad. To me, this was one of the most inspirational moments I've ever had in my career as a student.
I had a high school teacher who was far from professional. Most students loved him but that was becuase we never did any work. He just made really weird comments and joked around with the students a lot. He alomost never had control of the classroom unless he threatened to send someone to the office and even then always threatened the wrong people. That class was almost a waste of my time.
Lndsay warren went through a pretty rough expierence that shouldnt ever happen. She is right teahcers are supposed to care about there students and should have offered to help not comlpetly kick her while she is down.
I would have to say the best teacher i had was my high school history teacher. He was a young guy so he knew how to relate to the students. He also made the class fun and interesting and made sure that everyone knew the material. Instead of just lecturing all the time he would show movies that related to what we were studying. I agree with taylor's post that a good teacher isn't just lectures and its always good to know that your teacher is their for you to talk to when something tragic happens.
I had a teacher in high school that the frist day of class came in wearing shorts, flipflops, and a tee shirt. He was really laid back and let us do pretty much whatever we wanted. The Next day he came in wearing a suit and was very stricked. On the third day he found the happy median of the two. He asked us which teacher we liking the best and of course we said the first one. Then he asked which one we thought we could learn from the best and we said the third. Looking back I can see the what he was doing was showing not only did he want to show us he cared about our oppions, but also that he knew where the line was of being professional and yet still having a fun learning enviornment.
I liked what taylor Lewis said about the middle school teacher. The teacher showed that not only did they cared, but to be 100% honest sometimes there are things that happen to us in life that far exceed the importance of what our lesson in class was for that day and she obviously knew that. I think it take a real professional to roll with the punches like Taylor's teacher did.
My Spanish 1 teacher in high school was a little on the ditsy side. Our class was right after lunch so the first 15 mins of class she spent picking food out of her braces. After she thought she had got all the food out she would turn to us and ask us to examine her teeth for any food she might have missed. um.....gross. So then after that the rest of the class period we would talk about her kids or her husband, or something horrible that was going on in her life and we RAREY did anything that had to do with spanish.
I have a couple of classes now like the one Kelly told us about. Teachers who make fun of you or try to make you feel stupid for asking a question are definitely unprofessional.
I had a English teacher in high school that really related to her student. This made her a professional because she knew ho to relate her students and was almost like a friend but still maintained the teacher status and all her students respected her. There was never a time that I could remeber that she was unprofessional becuase i guess for the most part she liked being a teacher and like having her students respect her in the way that they knew that they could come to her with anything and also when it came to class time you did your work and paid attention.
I think that the teacher that Emily Wolk had needed to find a different way of relating to her student and still being professional because she let her student talk to her any kind of way she was not respected and it seems that she cared more about being a friend that a professional teacher.
When I was in sixth grade,I had a teacher who acted very unprofessional in my opinion. When one of my best friends broke her leg,she asked If I would ride the elevator with her and carry her books to class. I told her that I would be more than happy to help out. Everything was fine until one of my teachers started giving me trouble for always coming in late, even though he knew the situation. He would constantly make sarcastic comments about it and joked about telling the gym teacher that I needed to do ecxtra drills on gym class, since I had been riding the elevator. My classmates would always laugh at his jokes but it really hurt my feelings. I find this unprofessional because he should not have made fun of me in front of the class, drawing attention to the situation. I also don't see why he would have had a problem with me quietly arriving just a minute or two late, while my friend's leg was healing. And even if he did, I think he should have talked to me individually.
I like Kelly's comment about her teacher who made the students feel stupid when they asked questions. I think we all have had a teacher like this at one time or another, making us realize how important it is for teacher's to treat students in a manner in which students feel comfortable asking for help.
My high school History teacher was very professional in the way he tought and helped his students. Alot of people think that in order for students to like teachers they have to have a friendship. I think teachers are alot more respected and liked when they are professional about theyre job and very knowledgable and helpful on their subject. No matter the situation, you are still the teacher, and your words and actions will always echo in their minds.
I understand and agree with Taylor. Although its important to be professional, there is always time for empathy.
I had a teacher in high school that would make the entire class laugh before the actual class began. Everyone would laugh and get in a great mood and class would go over great everyday. I think that this was professional because he knew exactly what to do to grab our attention. He dressed up everyday, he had on dress slacks and nice shirt and tie. Which was also very professional, it made you think that he wanted to be there teaching everyday.
My senior year math teahcer was very unprofessional. He would talk bad about different sports in our school and put or school down. Which I felt very uncomfortable with knowing he taught for the district. But, just didn't care.
I agree with Scott Bailey that it is very proffessional for a teacher to dress up and look nice every day because it makes the students look up to them.
While i was in high school i had a biology teacher who was by far one of the best teachers i have ever had. I was working way to much and not sleeping enough because i had to help pay for my schooling. The teacher noticed and sat down to talk to me about it. This was a very nice and professional thing to do. He helped me with my work so i didnt fall far behind.
I had a gym teacher in high school who used to walk around the school in a body suit. (I'm telling mu age here) In the 80's and 90's, women used to wear these loetard like things called body suits. Refer to "Flashdance" for an example. Consequently, she married the counselor, and he ended up having a sexual relationship with a 16 year old student. ALL VERY UNPROFESSIONAL!
I wanted to respond to Eva White's comment, that is so funny. But you were in his house. Principals are people too! :)
The first thing i think of is my kindergarten teacher. Ms. Schuab was so amazing...she was also my gymnastics teacher at the YMCA, by coincidence. While she kept these lives seperate, we always had this special relationship that i think is fairly rare when your six years old to have an adult that is just your friend.
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