2000-09-02
Confident about job choice, posted at 02:12:23
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com I drove home today, from East Lansing to South Haven. As a long drive often does, I was lulled into thinking and reflecting upon my life. I'm really into navel-gazing lately, probably because I'm happier than I have been in a few years and it's finally nice to look at myself a bit more than usual.Okay, so here goes my conclusion: I want to teach in an inner city school when I get my first teaching job.
I'm in an inner city school now for my placement, and it's only a week long. But from hearing the complaints about the habits of my fellow interns' mentor teachers and seeing how well my own teacher does in the same school, it makes me think that I could make a similar difference in the lives of students.
Backtracking a bit... I have never really been sure that I wanted to teach high school. I knew that whatever I did, I wanted to be in a situation where I could help people and enhance learning. But whether that was through student affairs in a university/college setting, through social work, in counseling, etc. - I wasn't sure. Teaching just seemed to be the most logical choice out of all those.
After just one week in a classroom though, I'm now sure I want to do it. I'm sure I'll get some lumps as the year goes on and my rose-colored glasses may fade a bit. But right now I am feeling absolutely wonderful about my internship and the choice that I have made for my career. And that feels amazing to say.
Being placed last year in Haslett and Holt was fun, but these two upper/middle class, primarily white schools did not afford me the challenge that I'm getting now. My classes are one-third Latino, one-third African American, one-third white, with some other nationalities scattered in there as well. The income level of the students averages out to well below the poverty line, and all students in the school are considered at risk. English is the second language for many of the students. I'm enjoying this experience far more than the ones last year. Although I haven't got involved in the classroom too much so far, I can feel my teacher making differences already. I'm making differences too. In the span of four days. I never felt that all of last year. Those kids are all going to college no matter what. But at Eastern, I feel like I'm doing good work.
I feel like I'm writing a big sappy cliche of an entry here, but I'm loving the work. I really enjoy the teacher of one of my TE courses, who almost made me cry today in class, talking about the one student she lost in her career. I'm feeling more confident than I ever have about my job choice