Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Why Listen?
It's important to listen to what others say. As I was growing up I often would hear people talk about how much my little cousins and children of friends enjoyed being around me. I was not aware of what I was doing at the time but as I became an adult and reflected back, I remembered being frustrated when kids would come over my house and run around all day. I would make them sit down and color, draw pictures, or read books. My family members came to know that if their kids came to our house they were going to have to do work. When it was time for me to graduate from high school, I was unsure of what to do. I enrolled in college but could not get a grip on why I was there and what I wanted to pursue. I ignored the voice within reminding me of how I enjoyed watching children, reading, writing, and learning. I walked a frustrated path for 12 years because every job I pursued was not satisfying. When I finally headed towards education, doors opened for me and I realized what educating was all about. I reached my destination, I'm not done yet but feel I could have accomplished so much if I had stopped and listened 12 years earlier. Take time to listen to the voice of education. Many changes are needed and many times the solution resides on the inside of someone who genuinely care.
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6 comments:
Lisa:
We need to listen to ourselves more often. When listening to others, we have to contextualize their input. While some in your life may have recognized your ability to work with children, there may have been others who were steering you away from education. I suggest that, when faced with deciding on a career, people engage in a comprehensive review of themselves and their options. In order to make an informed decision, we should look at our interests, skills, and values while obtaining career information. Then we can start to narrow down options and pinpoint what would bring us satisfaction in a more comprehensive manner. I always think of career decision making like the Vehix car ad. Often we feel like we're standing among a sea of cars which all look alike. It's not until we decide how many doors we need, what price range, automatic or shift, and what color, do we start to feel more in control of our decisions. While we would never think to let someone tell us "Buy a Rolls. They are pretty," we often let people influence us when they say, "Don't go into teaching. It doesn't pay." Glad you found your way to your passion.
You may be new to blogging but you may have found an outlet! Keep up the insightful posting and I hope you get many responses.
Your are very inspirational. You are blessed and although I have never met you face-to-face, I believe you are doing what you have been called to do and that is great! I spent many of my childhood days doing what you did...reading, writing, coloring, teaching, etc with neighborhood children. The kids knew that if they came to my house to play games or with our toys, they had to "play school" first and of course I was always the teacher. To have more students in my class, I would often use my teddy bears and Cabbage Patch dolls as well. I would read a story and ask the kids questions. In order to go play games, they had to get the question right. This occured on weekends and especially during the summer from when I was 6 years old until about 12 years old. By that time, the neighborhood kids were bigger and had real homeowrk for me to help them with so I took advantage. So I am fortuante to have listened to my inner voice at an early age and follow it through. This will be my 7th year of teaching 7th grade mathematics and I'm loving it! I sometimes miss my students over school breaks and wish time would fly so I could see them again. Even now, although return to work Aug 11, I am kind of anxious to get back. I'm definitely enjoying my time off, but part of me wants to see my old students and meet those that are coming. So I too feel that I am working in the will that was set before me. Thank you for your words of encouragement and inspiration....
Lisa,
I've always known I wanted to teach and that was because of the wonderful examples of teachers that I had in my grade school experiences. As an adjunct professor at a local college of education I try to make that same impression on my undergraduate students as someone made on me. I had one student say he wanted to be a teacher because it was easy. I laughed and informed him that this was the hardest job he will ever have in his life. :) Hopefully he was listening.
Lisa,
Harriet Rubin states “Women-and men-need to stop looking for advice outside of themselves. You already know your most valuable mentor, which is you”. When a company pairs two individuals up it could cause more of a disservice to the organization then anticipated. Employees should be encouraged to watch and learn from everyone around them. No matter what title the employee holds everyone can learn something from each other. In most cases if someone sees that you are watching what they are doing they are flattered by this and will usually offer to teach you.
Reference
Rubin, Harriet., Fast Company., The trouble with mentors., Boston: Mar 2002., Iss. 56.
Good for you for listening. My mom went back to college when I was elementary school to become a PE teacher. Although too young to ask her at the time, I later found out it was because she was not happy with the job and she knew something was missing. It can be done.
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