This blog is a practice exercise for the course EDM 510 at the University of South Alabama.
Hello classmates, my name is John Corley. I am currently enjoying my second career teaching high school mathematics. The biggest chunk of my working years before that was as Sr. R&D Scientist in the paper chemistry group at International Paper. Now, as a teacher, I sometimes find myself feeling frustrated by lack of formal training in education, so I am enrolled in the Master of Secondary Mathematics Education program.
I would like to talk to students more about their future. I have been able to reach only a very few students and learn about their dreams and aspirations and, sometimes, I feel that I have genuinely been able to help them. Most students sit through class and appear to have little interest or no idea at all about what happens to them after they graduate. When I get a chance to talk to a student individually, I always ask what they want to do. The most common response is no response at all.
Not all of you teach high school, but every single one of you was a teenager and high school student at one time. What were your thoughts about your future then? If you didn't open those thoughts to your parents or teachers, why not? If you feel regret that no one helped you formulate plans for yourself, what form would that help have taken if you had gotten it?
When I was in high school I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I can not remember if I opened my thoughts to my teachers, but I did my parents. My Mom is a college professor so she was on board with anything I wanted to do, but my Dad was not to thrilled to the idea of me being a teacher because of the salary. I started out college in Education and was guilted into changing my degree into something I would be making double if not triple in salary. The problem was, I hated it, but I never said anything or stuck up for myself. I graduated college at The University of Alabama and it wasn't the major I wanted to graduate with and I honestly thought about it while I sat through my graduation. But I am back and finally finishing what I started a few years ago. I would suggest no matter what your personal beliefs are about a particular occupation, it may be something so inspiring to to people. I wish I had someone stand behind me and say, "Ok, this is what you want to do. Ok let's do it." Support and affirmation are the most important things to a young influential student getting ready to embark on their dreams and future.
ReplyDeleteA similar thing happened to me. I know what I like to do - I like to make things work. When I was growing up, I would watch airplanes fly over, and people would say, "Ah, you want to be a pilot." No, no, no, I don't want to fly them. I want to build them. But when I started talking along those lines about my aspirations, I would get negative responses from adults, as if they thought, "What kind of a weirdo would want to do that?" I began experimenting with different ways of talking to adults. What got the most favorable response was telling them that I wanted to be a doctor, so that's what I started telling them. The trouble is, I started to believe it myself.
DeleteThat's what I want to avoid. You see, I take this subject very seriously. To me, this blog is more than just an assignment for completing a course requirement. I really want to hear everyone's thoughts.
I knew I wanted to go to college when I was in high school but I was not sure what I wanted to study. My Mom was an elementary school teacher and I always wanted to be a teacher but my parents wanted me to be able to always support myself so I entered the College of Business. I did not have any teachers that I felt I could confide in and I feel like I would have given that opportunity.
ReplyDeleteFew students confide in me, either. Parents are far better, if you get talk to them individually. I had a parent if a disinterested student tell me about her son waning to be a pilot or aviatator. I started adding aviation mathematics to the lesson. His grades jumped by a letter almost overnight.
DeleteThat is so great. How awesome that you took the time to make the lesson interesting to a disinterested child. That is the kind of teacher I want to be and I respect that so much.
DeleteFrom a very early age, I wanted to be a lawyer (and by that I mean a prosecutor); I was fascinated by all the research lawyers had to go through to get to the bottom of something, and so forth and so on. But then, reality set in in many different ways. For one, I didn’t feel I was prepared nor could I afford to get myself through school. Also, I would only talk about my aspirations with adults only if I felt they were really interested in hearing what I had to say. Now, I do wish I would have gotten some guidance from those with experience, to help me walk along the way to where I wanted to go. I think the reason perhaps, why many high school age students aren’t interested in school, may be due to the lack of positive role models in our society, particularly. I think that many of them look up to the wrong people, if at all.
ReplyDeleteI thought about crazy careers like Archeology and working for National Geographic after a visit to Arizona to see my grandparents. But as far as talking to my teachers at school about this, no that did not happen. I did not think teachers would be interested in what I wanted to be or even what I had to say. Teachers in our school seems tired and overloaded and the last thing they needed was a child talking about their future. Even the counselor seemed preoccupied and uninterested.
ReplyDeleteWhat students want to do is what I am *most* interested in.
DeleteI have ALWAYS wanted to be a teacher. I have a brother who is 6 years younger than I am. By the time he was about 4, I had him sitting at the table doing "worksheets" I had made for him!
ReplyDeleteI was also an athlete who was lucky enough to earn a scholarship to South. The NCAA eligibility requirements gave me no choice when it came to finishing in a timely manner. So I left high school knowing exactly what I was going to be doing for the next 4 years.
When I was in high school, my aspiration was to one day become a lawyer and then a judge. My parents and teachers were very supportive and encouraging. After I talked to one of my father's friends who is a lawyer, I changed my mind. I know that many people change their minds/majors when they get out of high school. For that reason, I think that teachers should present future possibilities to students. A lot of students don't know what they want to do with their futures because they don't know what's available to them. Also, if you see a particular student who has a talent or an affinity toward a certain skill or subject, let them know what careers and/or college majors that might interest them.
ReplyDeleteI always knew I wanted to be a teacher. I am a fourth generation teacher. I have always loved working with kids and it's the only thing I ever knew. My mom actually tried to talk me out of being a teacher. I could not deny what I was called to do though. I think kids should be given an idea of what's out there though. Even in the elementary school where I teach, we have a career day, where different people from the community come and share what they do. I know high schools probably do the same thing, but do the kids go? My son wants to be a marine biologist when he grows up. He's nine, and I'm sure he will change his mind before he gets to college, but I know, as a mom, I'm already thinking, "How much does that pay? Is there a need for that job? Would it be dangerous? Could he be replaced easily?" He's nine and I'm worried already! I do think the most valuable thing is to let kids know their options. I see you teach math, but this would be a perfect discussion for your kids to do in a blog.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in school, I knew that I wanted to become a teacher as several of our classmates have stated. However, my parents had a different path for me. So like the character in the movie Son-in-Law, I went through a variety of majors. The one that I came close to finishing was a degree in nursing. I was one class away from beginning my clinical when Infectious Disease did me in. It was at that point that I knew I had to change to something else. My parents actually recommended teaching. I had come full circle at that point. If I had it to do over again, I would start out in education. I regret all the time I spent trying to find myself when it was right there all along.
ReplyDeleteI had a wonderful guidance counselor during my years at McGill-Toolen who made sure that I was on top of things. Being a good student was not typically a concern of mine, as I had always done well in the past; but things like deadlines for the ACT and applications often slipped my mind. My guidance counselor pushed me to do things that I might not have had she not recommended them. I always knew that I would ultimately pursue a career in education; my parents wanted me to go to law school.
ReplyDeleteIn high school, I had NO idea what I wanted to be and I honestly didn't always pay attention either. The teachers I listened to were the ones that asked questions and seemed to truly care; rather than just lecture me about what I should be doing.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in high school, I didn't even know if I would go to college, and, as far as career choices, I had no idea. I didn't think that I was very smart, and I was too afraid to talk to my teachers; I remember one of my English teachers chasing me down in the cafeteria. I completely ignored her, not to be rude, simply because I didn't want to get into trouble. I thought that talking to my teachers could lead to getting into trouble or disappointing her. I was an average student; I didn't do well enough to get a scholarship, and my ACT scores were average. I went to college out of necessity, and it was then that I decided that I wanted to be a teacher.
ReplyDeleteMy parents never really talked to us about college, but both had Associate's Degrees. I never knew that I would be doing what I am doing now. I was not completely unsure of my future, but knew we didn't have money to pay for college. I spent my Junior year abroad and it changed my life. I got some scholarships and took off to the University of Alabama in the fall. I didn't know all of the ins and outs of getting in, so I had to consult my teachers at school and guidance counselors for the information I needed to know. My teachers didn't really challenge me or say, "Hey, you are going to do great things," but I knew there was something bigger for me out there and a better life. I went with my instincts and here I am!
ReplyDelete