Teaching
with Heart
Teaching is an important activity,
not only because we pass skills and knowledge onto the
next
generation, but also because as teachers we serve as
significant role
models for our students. Most of us have ideas about who
we want to be
as a
teacher. Yet the reality of teaching is that we sometimes
get carried
away under the pressure inside and outside the classroom,
and lose
sight
of who we truly want to be. It helps if we articulate who
we truly want
to
be, not only because it gives a focus to our actions, but
also because
we commit ourselves more fully to our thoughts, goals, and
ideals once
they are put into words.
In the end it is all about making a difference, and to
help make a
difference in the classroom I wrote the "Teaching with
Heart
Statement" shown below.
I have signed this statement, and it now
hangs in a frame above my
desk. In this way it provides a daily reminder of the
teaching
principles that I want to follow. In order to commit myself
to these
principles, I show the statement to students and colleagues
when they
visit my office; now I have to "live it."
What can you do as a
teacher? If
the principles of the statement appeal to you, you can download the
statement (click
on the image above), sign it in the lower right corner,
frame it, and
hang it
in a visible place in your office. You may, of course, want
to modify
it as you wish so as to make it your own statement. Also you
might find
it useful to show
the statement to colleagues and students because this is a
great way to
discuss and share our values in education. Finally, in case
you choose
to use a version of the above statement, I would appreciate
it if you
could send
me an email message. I would also
appreciate any feedback and comments you choose to share.
Thank you for helping to make a difference!