"Is the Great American Teacher Dead?" Response

"Knowledge is power." The origin of this often-used phrase is credited to Sir Frances Bacon in the late 1500s. Its significance has withstood the test of time. A similar phrase is found in the words of Maya Angelou - "When we know better, we do better." Both of these quotes are thoughts that often pop up in my brain, especially when an uncomfortable truth or place I need to improve is brought to light. They have taught me to not be afraid of new knowledge, research, or information and instead to use them as tools for growth. This is how I felt as I read the article by Doctor John Ivers that asked the question, "Is the great American teacher dead?" When I first read this question, I must admit that it stung a little. I am not a current teacher, but my husband is. I take pride in the long hours and care that he puts into his classroom and the education he is giving his students. Because I live with a teacher and see what goes on behind the scenes, it should come as no surprise that I am a big defender of teachers. However, as I began to read this article I realized that this was not a dig on teachers in the United States, but a well thought out and researched article about the best practices of teaching. I loved how Doctor Ivers focused on delivery. He is so passionate about this topic that he said, "Every time a teacher walks into a classroom, he or she should take their craft as seriously as a Shakesperian actor entering the stage." I had never thought of that comparison before, but it makes sense to me. He is not suggesting that a teacher be fake, just well prepared, and full of energy. In the article, Ivers quoted J. Medina as saying, "We don't pay attention to boring things." This is true in most life cases. Why wouldn't it translate to the classroom? 

 The sections on metacognition, especially how it relates to culture were very interesting to me. According to this writing, those who grew up in diverse urban cities were more prone to being a high achiever. I pondered on this a lot. I, myself, come from a small rural town with a large portion of the population sharing the same religion and ethnicity. However, I consider myself to be both a high achiever and a critical thinker. I don't say that to brag, just to point out that I am the opposite of the norm. I thought about my education experience and how it affected me. My thoughts went back to my 11th grade English teacher. He was incredible and pushed me more than I had ever been pushed. I looked forward to his class daily, because it was never boring. He liked to challenge us to think outside the box and often had us research papers backing up claims that were opposite of our personal views. Some students hated this and felt it was unfair. He would allow them to take the easier road, but would first require them to develop a solid argument as to why the paper was unfair. I loved the stretch in thinking that these opportunities gave me. It forced me to see things in a way that I had never before considered. It taught me to be open-minded and empathetic. It was also the birth of my love of writing. Reading this article has made me realize that this fantastic teacher was doing his best to create a rich landscape for learning for students who didn't know any life beyond their small town. I think this access to culturally diverse situations and content is even more readily available now because of the internet.

If I am being honest, I began my reading of this article with a bias in support of teachers and the amazing work they do. The COVID-19 pandemic has made education incredibly stressful and difficult. Teachers, more than ever, need the support of parents and families. For about the first page and a half, I kept having to remind myself not to read this defensively. As I was able to lower that barrier, I felt a different overall tone of the piece than expected. This article was in support of great teachers and filled with research-backed information to help them be more prepared and successful in their classrooms. Reading this was a great exercise for me because it brought to light my personal biases and how they can affect things. The key is to be open-minded. Someday, when I become a teacher, I need to be open to constructive criticism and continue following those two quotes I referenced in the beginning. As teachers, we should never be content to just stay the same. Similar to how we want our students to learn and grow, a constant evaluation of our performance, along with continually looking at the latest research for effective education will prove that the "Great American Teacher" is NOT dead, just evolving.