Optimists are defined as people who are hopeful and confident about the future. Pessimists are defined as those who tend to believe the worst aspects of things. And realists are those who accept a situation as it is and are prepared to deal with it accordingly.
As an adjunct professor at the University, for the last 20 years I have been teaching future teachers. Although not a full-time professor, I do feel I bring much to the table. Since I am (and have been for 30 years) in an elementary school classroom every day, I have often felt that my biggest contribution to my college students’ journey is helping them to make that transition from theory to practice. That I can highlight the realities of the classroom for them, since that is where I live my life, squarely puts me in the realist camp. At least that was what I used to believe.
This week I got an email from one of my current college students, just reaching out and sharing that she really appreciated my optimistic slant on education, since, as she put it, ‘everywhere we turn, we are bombarded with how bad it is going to be’.
I paused for a moment and wondered….was I a realist, sharing the realities of the classroom with my college students to prepare them for joining this amazing profession? Or was I more of an optimist, looking at the positive side of things that I shared?
Her letter made reference to the “kid stories” with which I start every class/end every email. These are real life stories about students and things that have happened during my teaching career. Some are recent, some happened years ago. Some are funny, some are eye opening, and some are heartbreaking. But they are all shared to remind these college students of the reason they are going into education: the kids!
While I always believed that these stories highlight the realities of working with children, perhaps the way I share them can be perceived as positive or negative. Even when sharing the heartbreaking stories, I will often finish with the lessons learned or the important take-a-ways from the story. Did that make it optimistic?
I am, by nature, a very positive (okay- optimistic) person. I chose to see the good in situations, find the silver linings, and seek ways to turn negatives into something good. I am not a Pollyanna though, with my head in the sand, ignoring reality.
As far as teaching goes, I know that it is one of the hardest professions in which to work. Teachers are asked to do herculean tasks with little or no resources; expectations continue to be added to an already overwhelming list; and teachers are vilified and demonized by the very political officials underfunding education.
Yet I also know that it is, without a doubt, the most fulfilling, impactful, and hopeful career you could ever chose. This optimism comes because I am intimately familiar with the realities of the classroom.
I know that an effective teacher can truly change lives. A caring teacher can bring students through dark and challenging times. A creative teacher can find ways to reach students that others have given up on. An observant teacher can help students to discover their passions and talents.
While that may seem optimistic, it is also reality!
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