Reflecting on the class discussions of September 10th, I am left wondering what kind of teacher I am striving to be, specifically what impact I want to impart onto my students. Prior, I believed an excellent teacher meant adhering to district rules, while ensuring that all students excelled within the course. However, Frank McCourt shifted this belief to cater more to their autonomy.
McCourt demonstrated a willingness to entertain students’ rebellions towards coursework, criticizing the work alongside them. He labelled this as “critical inquiry,” and I feel a strong inquisitiveness to how I can bring this concept in my classroom. I believe his method to go with the flow of the students could prove to be effective, but I am admittedly hesitant. I am unsure how I will react to rebellion, and how well received it would be if I fully indulged in it.
I want my students to be autonomous. Therefore, while I cannot be certain of the kind of impact I will have on my students, that is the essence to fostering sincerity. Although I still believe in following district rules for teaching, I will center these regulations more around material, rather than the delivery. My focus will be that my students, instead of passively learning, lean into critical inquiry and make the course knowledge their own.
It’s good to consider a multiplicity of approaches and to experiment with them as you find your own way(s) of relating with your students, the material and the school!
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