Between the homework for my main education classes and the homework for my English Special Methods class, I have been feeling pretty overwhelmed. I have received so much information and I just can’t process it all. This has made me think about all the students in public schools and what they are asked to do every day. At least for me, all of my classes are about education, which is something I want to do. This is not the case for middle and high school students. They have anywhere from four to eight different classes every day and have to process all of that information. That’s a lot to ask of students.
Furthermore, I have noticed a huge difference between my personal feelings toward the homework for my classes. In my education classes, some of what I’m asked to do and learn seems useful, but most of it I don’t find useful at all. This makes it hard for me to actually do it. But with my Special Methods homework, I feel that all of it is useful; I am excited to work on that homework, and most times, it doesn’t even feel like homework. It’s something that I get to do and it’s fun.
Which has led me to think about what makes it fun and why all classes can’t be like that. For my Methods class, I’m learning about things that I want to learn about, things that are directly relevant to me and my life. In my education classes, I’m learning what the teacher thinks I need to learn in order to be a good teacher. It’s good information but not something that I would probably actually ever use.
I love to learn. I like looking things up on the internet to answer questions I think of throughout the day. I like reading books on topics that I find interesting. I like discussing new things with my friends and family and comparing our thoughts. But when I have the choice to do those things, it’s much easier and more enjoyable for me.
I never would have thought that I would find an education class boring or useless. After all, I am choosing to be an education major; that’s something I want to do. No one is making me do this. But my actual learning in those classes isn’t what I would call fun. It seems more like work.
This was an important realization for me. I don’t want my students to have to just do work in my classroom. I want them to be interested in what they’re learning. I want my students to love learning as much as I do. To accomplish this as a teacher seems like it would take a lot of work on my part, but I think it would be worth it. I’m still figuring out the best way to do this, and it seems like a daunting task, but I will find a way to make it work.
The most important thing I could teach my students is to love learning. If my students learn nothing about grammar, writing, or reading but learn to love learning, then I will consider myself successful.