Sojourney 1

Candice Sojourney
EDTE 265 Mon 4:00 PM
Professor Teja

The Kind Of Teacher I Want To Be

I did not realize I was looking for anything specific in a teacher until

very recently. It was through the collective total of the courses I have

taken here at Chico State that I have begun to think more introspectively

about the kind of teacher I really want to be. This teacher I want to be is

comprised of bits and pieces of traits I like or find favorable in teachers I

and my children have been students of. As I begin to seriously look at the

teachers I see and have worked with throughout my career in education, I

realize I have a set of traits I look for in a teacher I am willing to say I

admire.

When I set out to complete this interview assignment I decided I

wanted to choose a teacher I admired. I thought long and hard about the

teachers I had access to who teach in a way I could truly say I would like to

be a student in their class. After a few days of thinking and looking at all

the teachers whose classes fit into the criteria in my head, I decided Mrs.

Madison was the teacher I wanted to interview. She possessed the skill

necessary to challenge her students without overwhelming them, she also

truly cares for the well-being and educational future of her students and
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relates to her students in ways that allow the students to feel safe, heard,

and respected.

I wanted to know first, how she was able to establish the kind of

comradery with her students that allowed her to remain in authority as

well. In response to this question, Mrs. Madison reflected back on a

situation with a student who was having a hard time adjusting to being

transferred to a new school as the result of a family relocation. This

particular student chose aggression as a mask to hide the fear she was

feeling as a result of the change. Mrs. Madison recalled her choosing to

place herself in the young lady's shoes. It was at that point she was able to

collaborate with the student to find a plausible pathway to displaying the

stellar student she grew to be. When I asked how this was possible, Mrs.

Madison responded she was a young girl once walking into a new school

not knowing what to expect. She had to realize this girl was feeling much

like she would have felt at that time and provide for her what she herself

needed during that transition.

The next question I asked Mrs. Madison had to do with the skill at

which she was able to present the curriculum to her students. I wanted to

know how she was able to bring the curriculum alive for her students. To

this Mrs. Madison responded she first spent time getting to know what her

student's interests were. From that point, she is able to present the

information found in the text or accompanying supports in more

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receivable ways. She went on to say, “Students have natural likes and

dislikes. If I present opportunities for the students to learn and explore

that are wrapped in their likes they will desire more and the learning

quickly becomes self-directed.”

Mrs. Madison and I spent the last portion of the interview talking

about some of the concerns she had for her students. It was at this time I

realized she was not just concerned about how her students were doing in

her class but rather how her students would fare in life. Mrs. Madison

spoke of the pipeline of young minority students which leads to

impoverished living and criminal activity. She stated “ I want my students

to know they can be whatever they set their mind to. I want to present

them with as many role models they themselves resemble as possible so

they will realize they are able to create a future they look forward to living”

After having heard Mrs. Madison’s responses to my questions, I was

more than ever in admiration of her performance as a teacher. She

exemplified the attributes I found most desirable in an authority figure.

She was relatable, diligent, kind, and had high but attainable expectations

for her students. At this point, I realized that teachers through their desire

to see positive change in their students' lives can create an environment

for students to thrive. Mrs. Madison has created such a place for her

students.