As I embark on this next chapter of my life, I approach it with a passion that I have not exhibited in other professions. The eight years I spent in the financial services arena was not in vein, but it was not with defined purpose either. When opportunities arose to attend conferences and seminars, I viewed them through the lens of a vacation, time away from the office perspective versus one of self-improvement. In other words, the thirst to equip myself with more tools –product knowledge, prospecting techniques, and client meeting tips- took a backseat. Producing music and freelance writing are two areas of my life that I take seriously but neither consume the time or require the effort as teaching. Within this profession I desire to better myself and hone my craft by way of reading content-specific books, joining organizations, and earning a much sought after reading endorsement.
Content Specific Books
If there is one thing I have learned en route to receiving my teaching certification is that one can never have enough good ideas. A teaching arsenal equipped with plenty of arrows in the quiver is always a plus and the classroom is a daily testing ground to see their effectiveness. A convenient method of professional development comes by way of reading content specific books. These books can include fresh and innovative perspectives and reference materials can that center on a certain pedagogies or instructional enhancements. One book I plan on finishing this summer is Howard Zinn’s The People’s History of the United States. Zinn’s masterpiece has been sitting by my bedside, waiting to be completed for the last two years, as works from Rudyard Kipling (Kim and many of his short stories), Adam Hochschild (King Leopold’s Ghost), and Thomas Pakenham (The Boer War and The Scramble for Africa: White Man’s Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876 to 1912) have usurped my initial efforts. The People’s History of the United States addresses the United States from bottom-up -instead of the traditional top-down- vantage point. Zinn highlights history told from the common man’s perspective and not one of position and privilege. This book sheds the “his” in history and presents the material, often synthesized from primary documents, into well-rounded version of our history of the United States. As a teacher who would longs to have a social studies classroom in the near future, this book acts as a fulcrum, anchoring a class rooted in democracy and an equitable presentation of history.
James Loewen’s look at U.S. history entitled Teaching What Really Happened: How to Avoid the Tyranny of Textbooks and Get Students Excited About Doing History introduced me to an author who is not afraid to rock the boat and dispel longstanding historical myths. The honesty and commonsensical approach that Loewen uses acted as a catalyst to seek out his other works. That being said, I found his latest book aptly titled The Confederate and Neo-Confederate Reader: The “Great Truth” about the “Lost Cause” with collaborator Edward Sebesta chronicling misconceptions about the U.S. Civil War. As much as I would choose sixth or seventh grade social studies based on their respective course content, I am warming up more to eighth grade social studies as well. Initially, I was put off by the idea of teaching a class that focuses specifically on Georgia and its position in the larger United States. The Civil War is an integral piece of this class and Loewen’s book offers a fresh perspective on a subject that has all too often been presented in more cut and dry, absolute terms.
Speaking on a broader level of instruction, Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe collaborate on Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design: Connecting Content and Kids initially struck a chord because both authors are highly respected –and cited- in the education arena. I respect the approach Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe espouse in Understanding by Design and it anchors my approach in designing my lesson plans. Adding the differentiated component is something I strive to implement more in my unit plan designs. I want to move away from simply using movies or an audio version of material I may have presented in a PowerPoint and truly integrate my classroom with companion literature and more student-led activities. My hope is that this book from Tomlinson and McTighe will fill the differentiation void I feel is missing from my current approach in the classroom.
Organizations
The fact of the matter is I was never much of a joiner. Quite candidly, I always kept my personal circle rather intimate and joining fraternities and other social organizations was never really of interest. As I encounter more and more teachers, there comes a desire to associate myself with like-minded individuals who want to serve students in the most innovative ways. The National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) is one such organization. Their website is full of resources to be used in the classroom and their annual conference is something I plan on attending in 2014. The annual membership is reasonable and I will be part of their growing roster by the end of the summer.
As I have referenced little in regards to language arts, it is still part of my degree and an area I would be glad to teach. In comparison to social studies, it is this area that requires the most room for improvement because I have not taught in a language arts classroom. The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is one such organization where I feel I can learn valuable information as a member and by attending conferences/seminars. Their annual convention takes place in November in Boston. Whether or not I attend this year, this conference –or a similar NCTE event- is something I plan on attending in 2014 to enhance my language arts repertoire.
Reading Endorsement
I thought my college career –or, at least this current phase- was going to end in July. For someone who rarely gave graduate school a second thought, it is still somewhat amazing to think I am now pursuing my reading endorsement. It makes logical sense as my current degree integrates the disciplines of social studies and language arts, two content areas which are reading oriented.
With Common Core beginning to take hold in schools, reading will be a paramount component in this model. I feel the acquisition of this vital piece will not only make me more complete as a teacher, but also a more diverse teacher on a faculty. Several of the teaching positions that I have seen lately ask for candidates to be versed in social studies, language arts, and reading and I want to be well-rounded to fit the needs of the school at which I am employed. It would be wonderful to sit back and simply teach history to students as it is my favorite of the sub-disciplines within social studies. However, this is not practical and I am becoming increasingly fond of teaching students social studies that fits the social constructs of our society. Reading will be a necessary component as integrating a myriad of disciplines will be the order of the day for many teachers going forward.
Conclusion
Self-improvement is meant to be a dynamic element in our personal and professional lives. Despite the number of years spent in a career, we never truly achieve a level of stasis –a point of achieved perfection. I want to improve, and age has allowed me to see that it is fine to ask for help and seek advice from my better-informed peers. Simply put: I do not have all the answers. Reading pertinent books, joining professional organizations, and obtaining a reading endorsement are a means to obtain broader content knowledge and increase my classroom instruction.
Chris Moss - Teaching Portfolio 