Why some people belong as teachers...

Many people say that 'Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." As I was not able to do my actual profession as a chemist, I am teaching chemistry. In that way, yes it's true. However, that phrase is usually used in a derogatory way saying that teachers are ones that can't do much. Not true. It takes a special person to be a teacher because these following problems can affect those less prepared.

1. Most of the time, a teacher is teaching the subject that he/she spent at least four years studying in college. You don't decide to spend four years, countless hours of studying, doing work, research let alone paying 60,000+ dollars to learn a subject area you despise. In certain areas such as math, science and history, the subject may not be widely receptive to the students you teach. I teach chemistry and have <10% of my students that actually like the subject. Most comments that are brought from my students are things like "This is pointless, this is stupid, why do I need to know this, this has nothing to do with life." This is all being said to a person who spent entire nights to write lab reports. I find it very offensive that what I am passionate about is considered "pointless" and "stupid"

2. There is little ambition and a strong lack of trying on parts of students. In this day and age, it's OK to give up if things get to hard. Today in doing stoichiometry, I had approx. 30% of my students not do their homework saying that they "didn't understand." There are notes in your notebook correct? Or how about the textbook you bought? Was I not in my room at 7am every morning for extra help? There is no reason that homework isn't done because you didn't understand. When you work through problems, try to find the answer through your resources, you learn. Another girl said "what if I get frustrated and give up?" Well the more you work the problem themore you'll get from it when you solve the problem. Children give up too easily now and this will affect them years down the road.

3. Students feel they are entitled and that their actions, or lack there off, have no repricussions. There are 5 or 6 students that are doing very poorly in my class, that is below a C-. However, these students are the ones that don't pay attention in class, don't do their homework, have poor attitudes, and don't come to extra help. There are many more that don't do their work or come to extra help and are getting in the C range. If you do your work, you learn the material. You can't learn how to do a problem on a test without doing them in the book or on the worksheet. If you still can't do the problems, then you can come to extra help to learn the material. This is all pointless however, if you aren't paying attention in class. That's where the steps and the examples are. With no attention in class, you won't be able to do your homework. But where does a lack of attention in class usually come from? A poor attitude. Go into a situation thinking it's stupid or pointless, or too hard, then you arne't going to put any time and effort in to it.

4. You are either a friend to your students, they like you, and thus don't respect you as an authority figure or you're a teacher and authoritative, your students don't like you and don't respect you as a person. Either way, students are so self absorbed in themselves that they don't respect teachers. Numerous times classes have put away things or gotten up to head to the door while I'm still teaching. My mentor teacher says this is very disrespectful to me. I tend to agree.

I've treated these kids with respect, tried to help them as best I could and have tried to be the teacher I think I have to be. Well, that hasn't worked. Now it's time to be the teacher I was with my pledge classes.