Teaching: I've always wanted to make a difference in other peoples lives, and this fall I will finally get a chance to do it. In my opinion, teaching is the best way to accomplish this. When I got out of high school, I just wanted to coach, period. Once I got to MSU, I realized that this was not a possibility for me without teaching also. So after 7 years in college(I know, I know), I have qualified myself to be a teacher. A wise man(or just a guy that I took advice from) once told me that "it really doesn't matter if you know alot about your subject area as long as you have a passion to teach. You either have it in you to be a good teacher or yo don't."(this sealed the deal for me)I am qualified to teach Special Education, P.E., Mississippi History, Drivers Education and Health Education. I don't prefer one over the other but, if you put a gun to my head and said you can only teach one(most unlikely scenario ever) it would have to be Special Education. It just comes the easiest to me. No matter the subject I teach, I want to bring new innovations to the profession. I want to make it the most fun and stress-free environment possible. I wouldn't mind teaching at any school in the U.S.(just whatever school gives me an opportunity), but I think I fit best with underpriveledged kids. With the way society is now, these kids are the target people that most people complain about not living up to standards. If I'm going to help anyone achieve success, it needs to be these kids.
Coaching: Most little boys lose out on our dreams to be professional athletes at a certain age.(Highly doubt the Atlanta Braves would take a serious look at me as an outfielder right now) My way of coping with this is becoming a head coach.(Hopefully) I love sports and I love to compete. This also is redundant of my last passion in that I want to help kids achieve success. I've been blessed with so many great mentors(teachers/coaches) that it just seems fitting for me to follow their lead.
Family: As corny as it sounds I have a passion for family, even though mine has its share of problems. But what family doesn't?(Don't think of TV families either i.e. Full House or Fresh Prince of Bel-Air because they are just TV shows. If Will Smith was my son and had a party at my mansion and the place was wrecked when I got home, then the show would probably not end with my arm around him teaching him a life lesson..well maybe not.) I think it is God's plan for me to be a good husband and father at some point in my life.
Food: Even though I've been watching what I eat for a while now, I still love to eat. There's nothing better than food from my little corner of the world- soul food. Thank God for vegetables(otherwise I'd be 600 lbs. eating nothing but country fried steak and lasagna from Papa V's) On to Good, Bad and Funny
Passion
- Good: Everything. Now that I'm more mature(sometimes) to understand what passion really is, I feel like it's essential. No matter when you are, you need a passion. I think if you don't have passion, then you don't have direction.(This isn't a terrible thing as some people find their passion quicker than others)
- Bad: Tough one here. It's such a positive blog topic, that I don't know if there is a bad but I'll take a stab at it. If your passion is murdering innocent people then you are not wired right.(Really poor attempt but I had to put something)
- Funny: Sharing your passions on a internet dating site is funny to me. People mock this all the time, and even though I've never done one of those sites I can imagine that every person you meet says they are a model and have a 6 figure income.
That wraps up today. See ya tomorrow
McKinley
Great post. With me about to wrap up my first year as a high school business teacher up I can guarantee you that relationships mean more to students than anything you can possibly teach them. If all they did was come to school for us to chat through their life problems and for me to get them to think outside of themselves to find their own passion then my time there would be well spent.
ReplyDeleteTip: Classroom management and procedures will make or break your first year. If it isn't working then change it early. TALK TO YOUR PEERS and find out who does a great job. Then suck everything out of them that you can.
I agree that passion is critical to teaching, but if you do not know your content then that passion can get zapped in lesson prep. The more you know the more you are able to diversify instruction in order to reach EVERYONE (impossible in and of itself but worth trying to hit).
Special Education is getting over-run with male teachers who are just doing it to coach. I know that is not the case with you. We have two at our school and one I know for sure cares. The other, the head football coach, is saturated with his sport.
I am bookmarking your blog. I didn't know you had one.
Later, Mac,
Cousin Keith