One of the most important things I've re-discovered during my days at Pacific is that I'm very passionate about teaching: no matter who I teach, what I teach, where I teach, I would never give it up, and I'm certain no other career path would ever make me as happy.
Teaching in the US has been quite an interesting experience. Although I'd had briefly taught college students before, I was mostly teaching at secondary school back home, and the classroom dynamics are way too different. Secondly, I had never taught my mother tongue before, and that's been the biggest challenge. I guess that being a foreign language teacher back home has had its advantages when it comes to dissecting the language and breaking it down for students to make connections and make sense of it. However, I still struggle to find answers to questions about the language I had never asked myself before. The setting has also made this experience so enriching: there are plenty of resources available, and I feel that it'll be hard to go back home to chalk and blackboard (or marker and whiteboard, so innovative!) But in spite of the fact that circumstances are different, the act of teaching remains the same, and my passion for it, intact. This is why I have decided to reflect on it by writing this blogpost on the 13 reasons why I love teaching (since 13 reasons why is such a trending topic!). So here they go: 13. because I've had amazing teachers and professors who have shown me how important these "mentors" can be in your life, both as a professional and as a person. I will never forget my dearest Spanish Lit teacher and how much I looked forward to her classes every week. Her outlook on life, on social issues, her pragmatism, her passion... such an amazing human being! 12. because I hope I can inspire young people to become who they want to be. Education gives people the opportunity to be free, to have options, to be critical thinkers, and to make life choices that will accompany them wherever they go. 11. because I LOVE social interactions. I enjoy being surrounded by people, hearing their stories, exchanging ideas and opinions. Some people say that teaching is a lonely profession, and although it might be true for some, I don't completely agree. You might not share as much with colleagues if you don't take the time to do so, but you will inevitably be part of a team with your students inside your classroom. 10. because I learn from my students as much as I learn from the books. This is a cliché for sure, but that doesn't mean it's not true. Students have taught me in so many different ways: by sharing their experiences and ideas with the class, by asking questions I had no easy answer for, by challenging me to spark interest in them (oh that's a big challenge!), by pushing me out of my comfort zone and into the "I've-never-experienced-this-before area" 9. because teaching a foreign language allows me to encourage students to open their minds to new cultures. Globalization is a fact and we can all see it happening. However, to be ready to embrace it, there are a few values we should foster if we want to become global citizens. A foreign language opens the door to new ways of life, different value systems, as well as points of contact between cultures. It's fascinating! My life would be so incomplete without the amazing international friendships I've made throughout the years! 8. because being a teacher encourages me to pursue further studies. I don't know if this is just because I was born a nerd and because I enjoy studying and learning as much as watching Netflix in my free time, or because all teachers have it in them, but this life-long quest for knowledge is unstoppable. 7. because all these years I've been teaching, I've created wonderful bonds with students. As a student assistant, teacher assistant and teacher I have met amazing people and shared unforgettable experiences with them. They have made me smile, laugh, get angry, and even cry inside the classroom, and because emotions are always at stake when it comes to human interactions, bonding is inevitable. 6. because when classes end, I feel empty. After so many days together, so many memories, so many and varied emotions, how could I not feel sad? And this sadness quickly transforms into joy when I think about how much these people mean to me, and even more when I realize how much they've grown and how proud it makes me feel. Yeah, like a proud mom. 5. because I have fun inside the classroom. Isn't it like the perfect combination? Some people wait until they are done with work to have fun, and although I look forward to my social life, I have to admit that I find teaching fun. 4. because we have the power to create a safe space for students. It's not easy being a teenager: relationships with friends and family can be tough, and there is always so much drama going on, so many pent-up feelings that need to be voiced. Sometimes students just want to be listened. 3. because we can be role-models for students. I know most of the students I've had would never ever consider teaching as their career path. However, I still hope that I have (or will) spread my passion for teaching and learning to inspire them to be passionate about ANYTHING. 2. because I teach values as much as I teach grammar and vocab. Being a language teacher is just an excuse, really, although I am crazy about Linguistics and love torturing students with their syntax and pronunciation, at the end of the day I just hope they've learnt about life, about kindness and tolerance. 1. because I feel I can make a small contribution for the greater good. I might not bring world peace, or stop corruption, or even make all my students happy, but I still think that it is through education that we can change the world, step by step
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AuthorI'm Lucia Fraiese, an EFL teacher from Buenos Aires, Argentina, teaching English to international students in Perth, Western Australia. I have specialised in Phonetics and Phonology, and have taught General English, English Literature, English Phonetics, and Spanish as a Foreign Language. I'm also a Fulbright Alumnus. Take a look at the 'about' section for more information! Archives
March 2020
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