Today, we had middle school art teacher, Ms. Oberding, come in and speak about her experiences in teaching art. Something that she said that really stood out to me was the necessity to be with your students in order to know them. This does not mean merely spending time with them in the classroom as a teacher addressing their students, but really seeking to know them as a person in order to help them along in their education and their pursuits. This can be achieved by being active within the school community, as well as the community outside the school's walls in order to really get to know the students and their needs. By being an active part of the school community, Ms. Oberding has been able to help her students in more ways than just educating them about art.
Another thing Ms. Oberding brought up was the importance of being a catalyst in encouraging interaction between staff and students. When a staff member peeks into the classroom to see what is taking place, she takes the time to invite the staff member in and have the students greet them. By doing so, the staff member feels welcomed within the classroom, and the students get to interact with a staff member that they may not usually get to interact with. I feel that this was a very good point to bring up, because I feel that it is a good step in better establishing a community within the school. I am a person who is passionate about community, so to establish a community within the school in which students can open up and engage with each other as well as staff members is important to me.
These two insights she brought up were really good points, and I want to incorporate them into my classroom and life as a teacher in the years to come. I'm glad that she was able to come and speak to my class about such topics, and it was awesome to see her enthusiasm for art and her students.
No comments:
Post a Comment