I've been a teacher of English for over twenty years. One can say you get plenty of experience through this time, especially when you get to really enjoy doing what you do. In an attempt to display the highlights of my "before-teaching" life, I'd thank my grandfather for having taught me the strongest citizenship and moral values; also, the time I spent in the Army is something I'll never regret, for it was then that I learned outsdanding guidelines in discipline and adequate behavior.
All that considered, and throughout my teaching career, I decided that I would put my energy and dedication not only on the language teaching job itself, but also on setting the best example of citizenship to all my students. Although one could easily tell me that it is not my job, the fact is that I have made it my job. I see my students as a person before a student, as a citizen before a 2nd language learner. Considering the fact that our students are surrounded by bad role models everywhere and all the time, I'd say I have to enter this game and fight back: I'll be the one to set a good example. And that is what I call "The Teacher's Extra Mile".
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Há 14 anos
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Hi, Carlos (or do you prefer Ortiz)?
ResponderExcluirWow! I'm impressed!
Your latest blog is very "clean," yet also eye-catching, and the post you chose to make is truly engaging because it reveals something that's not only vitally meaningful to you, but also equally meaningful to any teacher who reads the post.
I particularly liked what you said as part of the second paragraph: "I see my students as a person before a student, as a citizen before a 2nd language learner."
My approach to working with students is, I think, the same as yours in that I see them as people before I see them as students. I don't know whether my approach matches yours in the second respect, however, because many of my students here in the U.S. were not citizens and didn't intend to be: some were here on student visas and planned to return to their native countries when they got their degrees, while others were actually here illegally and were trying to decide whether or not to become citizens.
I suspect, however, that what you mean by seeing your students as citizens before you see them as 2nd language learner is really not very different from what I believe—because I think that what you're referring to here is treating your students with the respect and dignity that fellow citizens deserve instead of thinking of them as a not-quite-normal, somehow inferior creatures simply because their Portuguese (or in my case, English) isn't perfect.
Is that what you mean?
My sincere congratulations on this new blog. Well done! Parabéns!
Dennis in Phoenix
Dear Ortiz,
ResponderExcluirJust like you and Dennis, I feel our students deserve respect and it is our role to be more than language teachers. As a friend says, we´re global educators and our roles are way more than just giving our classroom lessons. We need to inspire, guide, facilitate. We need to commit ourselves in providing students with some guidelines and help for a better, brighter future.
Thanks for an inspiring post to encourage all of us to keep doing our Extra Mile Educator job.
Great post, Ortiz.
ResponderExcluirIt's a long fight but we must go on and never give up!