The Benefits of Teaching

A student teacher at a liberal arts college in the South recounts the events of her day in a reflective journal. She is nearing the end of her student teaching experience in a first grade class, and is well aware of the challenges and rewards of spending each day in a classroom. Her entry for March 14th begins with the words - “What a day. It was fabulous.” The students have been studying space and have written a story about taking a trip to the moon. One student, who presents particular challenges to the teacher, looks up thoughtfully and says, “This summer you will have to lie down in the grass and look up at the stars, and remember that you taught us all about them.” These are the words of a seven year old - simple yet profound.

It is certain that the young teacher will never forget the remark from her student, and will indeed, look at the stars and remember this class and the learning that was shared. She will see this as a moment of professional and personal growth in the classroom. Notably, one word exists in the Hebrew language for both teaching and learning. It can be said that a teacher is always a learner and a learner is always a teacher. Our youngest students are able to instruct in ways that we could not imagine. Teachers find that what they learn inside the classroom gives a valuable perspective on their own development as professionals and as individuals. The opportunities for learning are as vast as the solar system that the first graders were studying.

We know certain things about teaching in the 21st Century. We know that schools and communities are changing as a reflection of our increasingly diverse society. Schools are populated with students of different races and ethnicities, and also with students who are acquainted with problems related to addiction, poverty and homelessness. These students require teachers who are willing to listen and are prepared to learn about their unique issues and concerns. We know that the role of teacher is changing as more and more teachers see teaching as a way to assume social responsibility in a diverse society. We know that the thoughtful, concerned, and well prepared teachers can make a difference in the lives of students.

Many professions require specific performance skills. Teaching, on the other hand, requires more than skills and strategies; it requires a commitment of the self. Effective teachers see teaching as a way to indulge their intellectual interests and share their passion with others - with students. These teachers teach by their actions as much as by their words. Teachers are engaged with a subject area that they love and know intimately, and the important tools of the trade are the individuals’ intelligence, compassion and wisdom.

At its best teaching is more than presenting facts to a group of students; teaching is a way to reach out to others in a changing world. In return, teachers find that they can learn about the stars and about what is happening in their own back yard.

If you are interested in a teaching career, we invite you to consider preparing for this career at the colleges and universities that are members of the Associated Colleges of the South. Use the map to link to educational departments in individual institutions, to check the requirements and offerings, and to contact someone who can answer your questions.

Nan Partlett
Director, Teacher Education & Adjunct Instructor
Washington & Lee University
April 2003