Quote: Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.
Something I’ve noticed in my internship is how my general demeanor and attitude influences student engagement. Using certain strategies isn’t enough to get students engaged; I also have to deliver these strategies with enthusiasm. I’ve learned that without my morning coffee, not only am I less enthusiastic in the classroom but the students respond to that diminished enthusiasm in kind. Further, I notice that when I make genuine connections with students – either within or outside the scope of the content – students respond to my lessons more positively and actively. Regardless of which techniques I use in the classroom, none of them matter as much as how I carry myself in the classroom and the relationships I develop with students.
