All about the students!

http://www.bhjustice.org/assets/diverse_graduates.jpg

What is the point of teaching? Is it simply to put a knowledgeable person at the front of the room and let them mention and instruct on different things they know? Or is it something deeper? I, and many others, believe that the goal of teaching is the success of the students. However, I have also encountered many teachers who do not care about student success. These teachers just like to lecture and show that they are knowledgeable, and get paid all the while! I believe this should not be the case; teachers need to be for the students first.

Obviously, there are many different types of teachers, and many different types of instructional strategies. It would be wrong to accuse any teacher of being in the wrong for trying their best as a teacher. However, the point I would like to make concerns what a teacher is meant for. I believe that a teacher needs to be very knowledgeable, but they must also be able to come down to where students are at. School is meant for the success of students; students must exit high school being either college or career ready! Therefore, a teacher's job is to share their knowledge in a manner that students will benefit from. Sometimes this means that teachers must lecture high school students, and sometimes this means that kindergarten teachers will be on the floor with their kids. At the focus, though, teachers must be thinking about how the students will learn best; student success is a must.

The reason I mention all of this information is because I want to encourage all teachers to have student success on their mind. It is a school's worst case scenario if teachers only halfheartedly instruct; the students at that school will be missing out on a great education. When I go to teach, my main goal will be student success. What will be your main priority as a teacher?