Ever heard
of Jaime Alfonso Escalante Gutierrez, Joe Louis Clark, Erin Gruwell or Ron L.
Clark?
They are remarkable teachers I discovered through watching movies and
reading books when I first began teaching over 8 years ago.
They are all educators
that inspired me (and continue to motivate me) to step-up my game as a teacher.
-Jaime Alfonso Escalante Gutierrez was a Bolivian educator known for teaching students calculus from 1974 to 1991 at Garfield High School, East Los Angeles, California. – Watch
STAND AND DELIVER! J
-Joe Louis Clark is the former principal of Eastside High School in Paterson, one of New Jersey's toughest inner city schools. Clark gained public attention in the 1980s
for his unconventional and controversial disciplinary measures. – Watch LEAN ON ME! J
-Erin Gruwell is an American teacher known for her unique teaching method, which
led to the publication of The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150
Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them. – Watch The Freedom Writers! J
-Ron L. Clark, Jr. is an American
educator who has worked with disadvantaged students in rural North Carolina and New York City and founded the Ron Clark
Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. – Watch The Ron Clark Story! J
In the beginning, when I decided to study
education and to become a teacher, I didn’t really know why I wanted to do it. For
some reason, I just figured it was what I was supposed to do. Throughout the
years, I have faced many ups and downs (as many teachers do) and I have indeed
questioned whether I’ve chosen the right profession. Fortunately, I opt to keep
hold of those bright moments that occur every so often to help prove to myself
that my career choice is as it should be.
Like…
- those moments I’ve found myself getting through to
those really “difficult” students whom many have failed to reach;
- that moment a student told me that I had inspired her
to pursue her dreams;
- those moments the students smiled so big because of
the extraordinary school trips and events I had organized for them – some they
never thought they’d ever have the chance to experience;
- those moments I walk across the school yard and run into
students who are shouting my name, waving their hands and rushing towards me to
give me the warmest hug - just because;
- those moments parents thank me for the extra time and
support I’m providing their children –whether it be academically or not;
- those moments I witness the children progress, succeed
and go beyond their limits – in and out of the classroom;
- …
I must admit that for
me, teaching has become so much more than conducting lessons about language,
math, sciences, social studies, PE, arts, etc. I personally thrive on the bonds
I get to create with students as I work towards developing their levels of courage,
of honesty, of enthusiasm, of respect, of cooperation and of compassion.
Teaching
for me isn’t meant to be a job; it’s meant to be a passion.
Here are some tales from a few other fantastic educators I’ve had the pleasure of coming across at some point and time throughout my career.
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