Reflections from an (Almost) Teacher.

Lara/22/Australia
I'm completing my Bachelor of Education (Primary and Middle) with Honours, and this semester I'm required to keep up to date with reflections of my learning, understanding, and progress as I prepare for a research project, my final prac, and attempting to get a job.
These are my thoughts.

Another vague stream of thought…

At this point where I am finishing my degree, where I have been part of 2 different cohorts (having taken an extra year last year to being my honours project) something has come to attention in regards to beginning teachers… Seeing these almost-teachers outside of the school context has made me think…

One of my lecturers stated in class that apparently teachers have the highest rate of alcoholism of any career.

I’m seeing two distinct sides of teachers.

One side is an effective professional, a caring mentor, a sensible person, controlled and self-aware, role model to each child they come into contact with.

On the other side (not to generalise, I know that not all people are like this, but the truth is, some are), outside the classroom and professional environment - the same people who teacher children during the day show rude, aggressive, promiscuous, drunk behaviours, and swear like sailors.

I know that people are still people regardless of a career, and that every individual has the right to make their own choices and live the life they want to… But what does it mean for the values being taught to children? Yes, it is implied that you leave that identity outside the classroom, but we never rid ourselves of bias - As the same lecturer said, if you claim to have no bias, you must be dead.

How can a person carry on living two such different identities? Will the outside party-animal eventually influence the teacher and the values she/he imparts on the children, or will the teacher instead change the party-animal?

This is just something I think about… I know I am quite conservative (I don’t get drunk or swear or sleep around) and by no means am I trying to say that everyone should be like that, but I am just aware of how much of a toll it can be to try and maintain two such vastly contrasting identities, and am simply pondering it.

Reflections from an (Almost) Teacher.

Aug. 09, 10

10:37 PM

Another vague stream of thought…