Chapter 5. First Draft
Nowadays in Korea, there are many soap operas in which the main character is a teacher. For example, there is "School 2013" which covers the story about the problems that might be current important issues at school. Watching the program from time to time, I seriously thought of the teaching job and how should teachers do when things do not turn out the way I wanted. How to be a good teacher has been always a matter of primary concern since I decided to become a teacher. I did not know how to treat students and felt afraid of becoming a leader of a class. I thought I had not enough both direct and indirect experiences of that kind. Yet it was hard to make a conclusion and find a solution to the question. I thought I needed some help or advice from others and there was one professor that went through my mind.
Last semester, I met a professor in one of my major classes. She was a professor and a teacher in high school at the same time. So she had many firsthand experiences at school and in every class, before moving on to today's topic, she would talk about some tips for teaching job and useful knowhow to deal with problems that she learned from her experiences. Her stories were always moving to me and I thought her attitude toward teaching was exactly what I thought ideal: she thought keeping close relationship with students is crucial in teaching that teachers should never forget nor ignore. From then, she became my role model for my future teaching life. Therefore, I decided to call her to ask for some advice.
"Haegyung, it's nice to hear you again. How are you doing?" She answered the phone with welcome voice. I was thankful that she recognized my voice. I thanked her about the last semester and asked her that I would like to interview her. She said OK and our interview began.
I told her that I was having trouble concerning teaching job because I did not know which way to go in order to become a teacher. "Especially, I am not sure I will be able to control students who cause problems and who do not want to study," said I. "Did you ever had any experiences that you had problems dealing with students?" "Well, yes… Of course I did have troubles when I started teaching." She replied. "It was the third year that I fell into a dilemma." She added and went on telling. She said, at that time, she got into a serious trouble, almost the biggest trouble in her teaching profession life. She thought she was doing right to students but they seemed to ignore her sincerity and did not listen to her. So she felt useless and even became skeptical about teaching itself. Seeing the students who caused troubles however she admonished, she asked herself who she was and why she chose teaching as her job. "Then, how did you overcome the dilemma?" I asked her. "After some time, I realized that everything was my fault." "What does that mean?" "I just wanted to change students. But actually the one that should be changed was me. Also I realized that the reason why students turn on me in anger is because they are stressed out due to many exams and their insecure future and not because they hate me." In her calm voice, I recognized sincerity and true love for students.
Finishing the interview, she said that I would become a good teacher and encouraged me to try to find my own solution to each problem that I would face at school. "You will make it. I believe you." She added, "but don't forget one thing. Students should be your primary concern. You never waste time when you try to understand students. They know if you love them. That is the very teaching" I thanked her for spending time to me and hung up the phone.
After all, the most important thing that she thought teachers do was to make a close relationship and keep it under any circumstances. I knew it from what she told in the last classes. But I was really glad and thankful to hear about her hard times and how she could overcome the dilemma. One day, I hope I will be an admirable teacher like her and tell students who want to be a teacher about my own stories.
Interviewing on the phone could be one way. ;)
ReplyDeleteIt would be better if you put her name (the teacher's name) that will probably more convincing.
This sentence "Students should be your primary concern." wasn't not clear to me. Did she mean that you should always concern and worry about students on top?
Besides, it would be also good if you make extra interviews. (such as: When did she feel her job is worthy? )
1. I, more than anything, liked the fact that she connected or lead the intro (example related to the topic) to the interview-part very smoothly so that it at least for me was very clear to get what this story will be progressed about. Also, that she thoroughly sticked to her topic, never straying from it, made me more able to focus on the text.
ReplyDelete2. nope, not at all.
3. Perhaps, 'Keeping close relationship with students is crucial in teaching that teachers should never forget nor ignore.',
since her worry first began from about how to handle students. (I believe this isn't only about those who make troubles but also every students she's going to encounter as a teacher in the future, by the way.)
4. Students should be your primary concern. You never waste time when you try to understand students. They know if you love them. That is the very teaching.
5. No, I rather thought that she has an ability at managing those kind of things, which clearly made me admire her for. They are just so good as they are right now.
6. I absolutely loved your writing very much, before speaking anything else. I just kind of got a feeling that the interview ended up very fast, even though it had everything needed. I believe that it would be a nice improvement for your writing, if you add up some details like more about your feelings about what her said etc.. That's all what i want to suggest.
Chapter 5. Final Draft
ReplyDeleteOne step further to my future
Nowadays in Korea, there are many soap operas in which the main character is a teacher. For example, there is “School 2013” which covers the story about the problems that might be the current important issues at school such as school violence. Watching the program from time to time, I seriously thought of teaching as a job and asked myself what teachers should do when things do not turn out the way I wanted. How to be a good teacher has been always a matter of primary concern since I decided to become a teacher. I did not know how to treat students and felt afraid of becoming a leader of a class. I thought I had not enough both direct and indirect experiences of that kind. Yet it was hard to find a solution to the question. I thought I needed some help from others and there was one professor that went through my mind.
Last semester, I met a professor in one of my major classes, who I will never forget. Her name is Mira Jung and she is a professor and a teacher in high school at the same time. So she had many firsthand experiences at school, and in every class, before moving on to today’s topic, she would talk about some tips for teaching and useful knowhow to deal with the problems that she learned from her experiences. Her stories were always moving to me and I thought her attitude toward teaching was exactly what I thought ideal: she thought keeping close relationship with students is crucial in teaching, which teachers should never forget nor ignore. From then, she became my role model for my future teaching life. Therefore, I decided to call her to ask for some advice.
“Haegyung, it’s nice to hear you again. How are you doing?” She answered the phone with welcome voice. I was thankful that she recognized my voice. I thanked her about the last semester and asked her that I would like to interview her. She said OK and our interview began.
I told her that I was having trouble concerning teaching job because I did not know which way to go in order to become a good teacher. “Especially, I am not sure I will be able to control students who cause problems and who do not want to study,” said I. “Did you ever have any experiences that you had problems dealing with students?” “Well, yes… Of course I did have troubles when I started teaching.” She replied. “It was the third year of teaching when I fell into a slump.” She added and went on telling. She said, at that time, she got into a serious trouble, almost the biggest one in her teaching profession life. She thought she was doing right to students but they seemed to ignore her sincerity and did not listen to her. So she was frustrated to feel incompetent, and even became skeptical about teaching itself. Seeing the students who caused troubles however she admonished, she asked herself who she was and why she chose teaching as her job. “Then, how did you overcome the dilemma?” I asked her. “After some time, I realized that everything was my fault.” “What does that mean?” “I just wanted to change students. But actually the one that should be changed was me. Also I realized that the reason why students turn on me in anger is because they are stressed out due to many exams and their insecure future, and not because they hate me.” In her calm voice, I recognized sincerity and true love for students.
Finishing the interview, she said that I would become a good teacher and encouraged me to try to find my own solution to each problem that I would face at school. “You will make it. I believe you,” she continued. “But don’t forget one thing. You should always concern and worry about students on top of everything. You never waste time when you try to understand students. They know if you love them. That is the very teaching” I thanked her for sparing me some time and hung up the phone.
ReplyDeleteInterview with her made me think of my future more seriously. After all, the most important thing that she thought teachers do was to make a close relationship and keep it under any circumstances. I knew it from what she told in the last classes. But I was really glad to hear about her hard times and how she could overcome the dilemma. At first, I was surprised to hear that an admirable teacher like her can fall into a slump. But like a silver lining in every cloud, she eventually found her own solution to the problem and became a great teacher. Then I realized how important advice she gave me and showed me through the classes last semester. I felt really thankful to her who brought me enlightenment and wrote an email.
In the email, I wrote that I appreciate her to give such helpful advice to me through sharing your hard days. Also, I added that thanks to the interview I realized that the important thing is to keep on doing what I think right despite worries and fear of failure. In her reply email, she agreed with me. “Everyone makes mistakes and does fail in his life. Yet, not everyone deserves happiness. Only the one who reflects on oneself and learns from failures with pleasure can be happy.” I felt like she was right next to me. I could hear her voice and her warmth from the email. Going on reading it, I stopped at the last words and became numb. “You seemed to learn many things from this interview, and that is the same case with me. You gave me happiness.” It was a shock that struck me at first. ‘Did I give her happiness? really?’
I do not know how to describe the feeling that I felt at that time but one thing that is sure is that the words were so touching that I almost cried. One day, I hope I will be an admirable and warm heart teacher like her, and tell my own stories that can help and touch my students.