Being a teacher is always an adventure-and being a new teacher sometimes feels like youve been dropped in a jungle with no map, food, water...just a semi sharp stick you sometimes wanna stick into your own eye!
But those moments...those Obama meme "not bad" moments are what I wake up for everyday! I love those moments and have had a fair share in the last 5 weeks!
I have several intro classes in Graphic Design. The past few weeks we have been learning the software and how to use the tools to create and manipulate graphics. There is a girl in my B block who we will call "H". H is a very enthusiastic student but is having a hard time learning and manipulating the software. But last week we had a break through. I was showing her one of the key tools in Illustrator-one I had shown her several times prior-and had the 'AH HA!" moment with her! She slowly began to realize what this particular tool could do and that manipulating it wasnt actually all that difficult at all! I let her be for several minutes and come back to check on her and already things were happening on the screen-things that days ago she was convinced she could NOT do!
Round 2-it gets better! Tuesday we come back from a long weekend and jump back into our project. While the students are working I notice that she is sitting next to her neighbor and that are quietly discussing something out of earshot. I naturally go to see whats happening-and the young man that she was helping was manipulating, very effectively, the same tool that she had begun to finally learn the week prior.
I spoke up- "Hey guys whats up?'
"Mr. Raney-H just taught me how to use the pathfinder tool in Illustrator!"
"Is that right?" I said
H- "Yea I remembered all the steps again! It was easy this time!"
Boom. I wanted to drop my mic and walk out of the room. I felt like a rockstar. Not only did she remember ALL of the steps but she was now passing it along to another student.
And THAT is what its all about.
Until next time...
Nice Mr. Raney! Very nice. I'm really glad you got to experience a moment like that! I had a similar moment when I was able to see my students exhibiting behaviors that I had taught them and demonstrating the knowledge they had gained from me. I love seeing students experiencing an "Ah-Ha" moment, but I truly think that the best moments for me are watching the students teaching other students. It is truly magical and makes you realize that they MAY actually be listening to you when you talk. Haha. I'm glad we get to have these kinds of moments, because without them, all the planning, politics, and training that we have to go through just wouldn't be worth it.
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