Chpt 1 Response to: Becoming a Good Beginning Teacher

I just want to start off by saying that I think it is great we both picked up on and acknowledged the steps to becoming a good beginning teacher. I think this shows that we both are concerned with being the best we can possibly be. I like that you mentioned that the research results (teachers do make a difference) gives you a sense of purpose and that the challenge both thrills and overwhelms you. I feel that this is what many of us are feeling right now and it does reassure me to know that you are on the same page as me.

I have always thought about my own insecurities about being a new teacher, but I had never considered the insecurities that parents and administrators would have towards me. This does concern me, but at the same time I feel it should motivate us to want to prove them wrong, to show them that we can be effective beginning teachers.

I think our insecurities just reaffirm my belief that this is what we want to do. The fact that we seem to care so much about not being effective will just push us to be the best we can be. I spoke to my mom a couple of times about my insecurities and she told me that every year before she started a new school year she was nervous and it just showed her that she cared about how she did. So I must really want to be a teacher because I am very nervous some days!

My final thought was that I think trying to incorporate both questions of, “how am I doing?” and “how are the children doing?” is a great way of looking at teaching. If this is what you strive to do in your years of teaching, I think you have a good chance of being an effective teacher!