What It Means for Me to be a STEM Teacher

by Andy Bell

Quote:

PARKER PALMER

We lose heart, in part, because teaching is a daily exercise in vulnerability.  I need not reveal personal secrets to feel naked in front of a class.  I need only parse a sentence or work a proof on the board while my students doze off or pass notes.  No matter how technical or abstract my subject may be, the things I teach are things I care about – and what I care about helps define my selfhood.

This quote resonated with me because I've felt very vulnerable when I'm teaching also. Putting my personal stamp on lessons, activities, etc. means that when those things don't go well or are received well, I take it personally as well. I'm learning to think less about myself and my work and more about the greater good of teaching students.

I chose the picture because I thought it was a good example of a teacher who is "all in". She looks like she's teaching with abandon and having fun.