Teachers--Life Long Learners

As a teacher one must commit to being a life long learner.  An educator is constantly learning from their students, learning from their coworkers, and learning from experience.  At the end of the day when the students board the buses and go home the teachers job is not done.  After the school bell rings, a teacher should be immersed in the world of learning in order to educate and help their students understand in the most effective way.  Not only does it make you more prepared as a teacher, but it helps you communicate to your students the idea that learning can be very fun and rewarding.

In To Understand: New Horizons in Reading Comprehension, Ellin Oliver Keene implies that we, teachers, must develop our intellectual lives in order to better serve our students and promote a greater sense of understanding (Keene 18).  A teacher should be able to convey the idea that learning if fun and that it can be done just for learners sake, not just because they are told to do so or because they will be rewarded, albeit by grade or prize (Keene 13).  I agree with Ellin and believe that we need to promote learning and portray it as a success tool.

Although I agree with Ellin and believe that teachers need to develop their own intellectual lives to promote student learning, I must admit that so far I have failed at this.  As a first time teacher and a recent college undergrad graduate, I find it hard to just pick up a book and read because I want to learn something new.  The last four years I have spent all my time devoted to books and work that I did not have an interest in, but rather that I was required to read or do.  I was forced into writing essay after essay in which I had little interest in.  While I was not interested I still worked hard because working hard meant the reward of a good grade.  All the rigorous work  and the extrinsic reward left me just wanting to relax and escape the world of books and learning.  This is exactly what I do not want for my students.  School should not be a chore, it should be a hobby.    If we can promote our own love for learning, perhaps we can instill that in our students.