The Art of Questioning

I would never wish upon my worst enemy (if I had one in the first place) the trials and tribulations of a first year teacher. It is such an uncertain time, in every sense of the word. I remember doubting myself, my choice of profession, my knowledge of my content area, my ability to gain respect from my students, my ability, in turn, to respect them, and, in general, my capacity to reach my students and make a difference—just to name a few. Four years later, some of my doubts have been laid to rest. For example, I am positive that no other job, at this time of my life, could bring me as much happiness. I feel like I have been called to do what I do, and I am grateful to have answered it. That said, not all of the questions, concerns, and doubts of my first few years of teaching are answered. Teachers, decent ones anyways, seem to naturally adopt a certain “trial and error” mentality that is attached to our “call of duty.” We are constantly questioning our lesson plans, methods, our overall effectiveness and success of our students. What worked? What didn’t? Why?

My English 530 professor recently assigned articles that addressed the need for teachers to question and conduct their own research in the classroom, and I couldn’t agree more. Most teachers recognize that in order to best service our students, we cannot rely on standardized testing and “Gold Star” research methods that turns our students into numbers, and blankets individual needs and diversity. In an age of “No Child Left Behind” the American public is closer and closer to relying solely on these means to understand how our students learn instead of recognizing and validating the voice of the teacher, who, above anyone, knows in turn the voices of the students. Like our students, teachers have a story to tell. The issue is that a)will teachers continue to question and seek methods of finding answers and b)will the public choose to listen.

I feel a bit lost at this point of my research, and the scary part is that I know that in many ways, this stage will be the easiest. But, where do I start? There are so many topics that I would like to pursue. Are students still profiting from “canonized” classics? Do the “Westernized” classics contradict our push for a diverse, multicultural curriculum? I have a feeling that most students graduate from high school without ever having fully read a novel—if this is true, how come? Why is it that students are just not reading and/or comprehending? How has technology limited literacy? How can I use both literature and writing to truly impact my students? So many questions….so little time. But, this is just the beginning. ..