Learning and teaching are everything to me but at the heart of what I do is always my students. That's the way it's been since I began in my very first classroom in 1999.
I love the 'aha!' moments, when all those puzzle pieces fall into place for a student who has struggled and persisted.
I love the so-called 'challenging students'. For me, they've never been challenging; we just haven't found out what inspires them, what makes them passionate about learning. That's my job - to help them find that and then run with it!
I've loved the moments on school camps, and there have been many! (Including my Year 8 students dying my hair bright red one year - that's a story for another post!)
I love it when I see students who were previously disengaged and unmotivated want to learn and want to learn even more. That's what I love the best.
I love seeing students succeed as they move through life. I don't know how many times I have had to explain to people I talk to that when I talk about 'my kids' and their achievements, that I mean my students - I don't actually have that many children! Yes, they're my students but they're more than that. They're important individuals and human beings whom I respect and care for and am always so very proud of no matter how big or small their achievements, inside or outside the classroom.
My Year 5/6 students created a motto a few years ago and I've always held it close - "We are all teachers and we are all learners in our learning environment." This is so true and so important. I learn as much from and with them as I can teach them. That's powerful.
So...what do I love best about teaching... my wonderful students of course.
#reflectiveteacher
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