Allison Behne
Every year, our local high school invites alumni back to share information about their professions on career day. This year, after listening to the speakers, my daughter came home and asked, “When you decided to be a teacher, didn’t it scare you to think you would be accountable for making sure all your students learned everything they needed to? That is a lot of responsibility.”
That was a big question, and I gave her a very honest answer. I told her that no, when I decided to become a teacher, it never once crossed my mind that I would have students I couldn’t reach. Instead, I had a vision of a beautifully decorated classroom full of children excited to be there. I pictured students reading, writing, and creating, guided by my instruction. I envisioned involved parents, collaborative colleagues, and a supportive principal. And, I wanted very much to be a teacher.
I explained to her that a person’s perception often becomes their reality. My perception and attitude are what carried me through college and my first years of teaching. In my first year of teaching
- I had no idea that my classroom included students whom more experienced teachers had “passed” on having in their classrooms. I would often talk about my amazing group of students . . . and they were.
- I was elated to have my very own classroom that even had a small library of about 100 books. What a great start! I knew that with time and resources I would beautify that room and expand the library . . . and it happened.
- I was excited (and a bit nervous) about parent/teacher conferences and the chance to meet with my students’ parents to share growth and develop partnerships in areas of challenge. Working together, I knew we could move children forward . . . and we did.
- I was surprised by the resources available to enhance instruction. There were so many guides, manuals, and reference books, and the fact that they had not been replaced in years didn’t bother me, because they were resources I could use to help plan lessons.
We don’t know what we don’t know, and when learning or doing anything for the first time, we often begin with a perception that is different from the one we have after years of experience. The wisdom that comes with experience may help us become better at what we do. However, if we aren’t careful, it can also alter our perception and attitude. In the above situation, wisdom and experience might have told me that
- some students would prove to be a great challenge;
- my classroom was too small, and the size of my library was pitiful;
- conferences would be great if parents came and followed through; and
- the resources were outdated, and the expectations of use were unrealistic.
And, although much of that may be true . . . the attitude it evokes will influence the outcome.
I am thankful for all I have learned since my first days as a teacher, and I also appreciate the innocence I had then. It is good to remember where we came from and use that to help guide us to where we want to go next. Since our perceptions strongly influence our reality, let’s aim to perceive the world around us in a light that is positive and hopeful. Success will surely follow.
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