so...i'm currently an art teacher, but i think i'm going to be an elementary teacher next year, hopin for 4th or 5th grade. i work in a poor catholic school, so rules bend a little...but even so. i subbed for the 5th grade recently just prior to thinking it would be cool to teach every subject and all, spread the wings a little. the awakening was like this: no sub plans, so we had 'bees' of everykind. science bee - ended up telling the kids ALL about fiber and whole grains and nutrition and stuff. and they seemed quite interested, despite their regular intake of uck blah and barfo junk for lunch every day. so i was wondering - assuming there is some leniency in the curriculum, how would you, as parents, feel about some stranger 'suggesting' to their child what they should be eating. i'd never make fun or prohibit the junk they eat from entering their mouths, but a lot of these parents rely on fast food and candy to shut their kids up. would you feel pissed being 'stuck' with a child who might question what you are feeding them? the same carries on for...recycling, general agricultural concerns such a pesticides, etc., craft making (teaching them to sew their own stuff) whatever else i could get away with. i personally would embrace someone like...me. but hey, i'm biased. don't wanna step on too many toes.
Well, speaking as a student I know that I get annoyed and normally argue with preachy teachers, even if I agree with what they're saying. Recycling and agriculture are part of the normal science curriculum of almost any school. As long as you're not pushing things like organic foods (I know for people like me, I would love to eat it but it's too expensive to buy) or a vegetarian lifestyle then I can't see you doing anything wrong. The best teachers influenced me in other ways though. My most influential teachers opened my eyes to the world and (especially my current favorite teacher) gave me alot of influence in becoming fluent in Spanish. I mean, you know you're an amazing teacher when you announce that you're moving to Switzerland and an entire class of high school students bursts out into tears, boys included. The thing is, he never crossed the borderline between promoting his own political/ moral agenda and building character in his students. That's the mark of a great teacher. That's just my opinion though. I have had some pretty rough run-ins with some teachers in the past who promoted their own beliefs blindly, so I tend to not look so favorably on teachers who do that.
Schools do a lot worse than actually HELP children learn about nutrition! (and the normal curiculum about nutrition is based on the flawed "pyramid" system, and relies to heavily on meats and dairy products.) Schools try to insist on children being vaccinated with poisonous substances all the time. Parents should be a LOT more upset about this than a teacher, who obviously knows her stuff, telling a little about nurtrition. Hell, I got upset when my kids came home and said, "The teacher said we were supposed to have 4 servings of milk a day." But, I was secure enough in knowing that I was feeding my children properly to get too upset. Maybe these parents need a wake up call. A kid refusing an other Happy Meal isn't the worst thing that could happen to a family! Good job!
I think you can have a great inflluence on kids. Kids are turned off by preaching, but when you set a good example, they absorb it, whether they mean to or not. I am not a teacher, but I work with 7-12th grade students (I am a Student Advocate, basically a counselor). Mostly, I focus on not being judgemental about the choices made by kids and parents. I can't be openly disgusted by a kid's intake of junk food or a family's lack of interest in social responsibility. But, I can encourage kids to eat better and to read more and to recycle. The more time I spend with teens, the more I realize that many of them don't have great examples at home. That tells me that it is so very important for me and other educators to be responsible and caring so these kids have people to look up to. Kudos to you, Kayte, for caring. Too may people don't.
i agree, preachyness is bad. my mom won't even try my vegan meals sometimes, out of defiance. she calls me preachy. i think the key would be to a) be educated in what i'm teaching - get the facts straight and b) make it fun, related to their lives, and hands on.
The best teachers I've learned the most from, aren't teachers who are pushy - they are just teacher who, if you ask, will let you know what their beliefs, views, etc., are...sometiems they will bring it up if you don't ask, but they aren't pushy. Also, great teachers, I believe teach to many learning styles - they incorperate verbal, hands on, visual, etc. into their lessons...I find that is what works for me. Sometimes people have to present things a few different ways before I get the whole concept. That's just abotu learning the stuff teachers are *required* to teacher...In the last few years, I've figured out that more than learning what the teachers are required to teach, by just having a conversation with these peopel...heart-to-heart and one-on-one. If you make yourself availabel to have conversations with the students, that is the best way to teach people about your views - and it's really not forcing them. If you kinda let little piece of your views slip into your lessons (nothing hardcore, lol)...the kids who want to learn me about you as a person, your views, etc...they will seek you out, ask you questions, talk to you on a personal level. To me, when I connect with a teacher, it's much more like a friend relationship, than a teacehr-student relationship. But yeah...I agree, too...preachyness is bad.
I know, I had some sucky teachers too...but in the last two years of my highschool career (this being my senior year) I've gotten some *great* teachers, and they have taught me more than we probably both realize
....yes teachers have a heavy impact on childrens lives..i was homeschooled...i think my mother was the best teacher i could have asked for
Totally agree with Midget. It's my highschool English teacher's fault I'm a writer. Well I loved it anyway, but she really encouraged me, and is just such an all round cool person. Not sure about my other teachers, didn't make such a connection with them. Do what you feel is right.
