For Day 15 of the 30-Day Blogging Challenge, I must name three strengths I have as a teacher.
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My relationships with students is one of my strengths. I am a very approachable, mild-mannered teacher. I enjoy learning about my students as readers and writers, as well as getting to know them as individuals with lives outside of school. I think my students know that I sincerely enjoy being around them (most of the time) and that I care about them. I would not be a teacher if this were not the case.
Technology. I hesitate to list this as a strength, but there are many colleagues who see this as a strength of mine. I am not afraid to try new technology and use it in the classroom. The reason I hesitate to list it as a strength is because this implies that I am an expert in technology and know how everything works. As most teachers who use technology know, this is not true. I simply enjoy teaching myself how to use new tools and planning lessons that make the most of technology. I am also just as frustrated by it as anyone else is. And I definitely cannot solve every glitch that comes my way. Having spent the last year studying Instructional Technologies and Digital Media Literacy at the University of New Haven, I also now have a much deeper sense of the importance of preparing our students for a digital future.
One of my strengths inside and outside of school is that I am a good listener. I try to understand other points of view without judging. Students, parents and colleagues all need to have their chance to express themselves and be understood. When I am in meetings with parents, I sometimes hear others trying to finish what a parent is saying. I try to let them have their say and acknowledge their position. Over the years, I have had many people (students, parents and colleagues) express their appreciation for that fact that I listened to them.
Okay, this was not as difficult as I thought it would be. It actually feels good to write about my strengths. Anyone care to share their strengths below? You’ll be glad you did.
