"Rule number one: I can't kill anybody. ...
Rule number two: I can't make anybody fall in love with anybody else. ...
Rule number three: I can't bring people back from the dead."
hmmm! Limitations on wishes. Interesting thought. As I was preparing my speech last week, starting with a series of numbers the first thing that came to me was the phrase from Genie, "10,000 years, will give you such a crick in the neck." Genie comes out of lamp
I considered opening my speech with a similar phrase. My husband joked that if I was going to do that I needed to incorporate the Genie's limitations on wishes in my speech too. "No way," I thought. On reflecting on my first interview however, I thought maybe incorporating my limitations (weaknesses) was an ok idea. Not for that speech, but as a philosophy.
At my first teaching interview I was asked 2 very similar questions: how will I motivate students to do a project, and how will I motivate students to do daily work? Seems simple enough so I talked about how I share stories, build connections, have students build the guidelines for projects around their interests, tell students why I'm there and ask them why they are here. All of this amounted to building relationships to motivate students. I wasn't asked to give examples but I gave examples from my class for projects, I also said I share my enthusiasm about the subject and when I'm interested, it builds student interest. These responses from me was followed by, "How are you going to motivate them?" What?! I just told you. What are you looking for?
At my first teaching interview I was asked 2 very similar questions: how will I motivate students to do a project, and how will I motivate students to do daily work? Seems simple enough so I talked about how I share stories, build connections, have students build the guidelines for projects around their interests, tell students why I'm there and ask them why they are here. All of this amounted to building relationships to motivate students. I wasn't asked to give examples but I gave examples from my class for projects, I also said I share my enthusiasm about the subject and when I'm interested, it builds student interest. These responses from me was followed by, "How are you going to motivate them?" What?! I just told you. What are you looking for?
Here are the facts...just like the Genie, I have limitations.
- Rule number one: I cannot put information in your head and make you remember it; you have to put forth effort yourself.
- Rule number two: I cannot make anybody fall in love with math, I can only share my enthusiasm and hope it's contagious.
- Rule number three: I cannot make students act a certain way in class, I can only set expectations and be consistent seeking administrative support IF necessary.
You tell me, am I unrealistic? What do I say in an interview? Listen, other than grades, what motivates students if it isn't a relationship and connection to real-life? Can teachers, that have to do it all, love everyone, share everything, still expect that there are some limitations? Don't get me wrong, every day, every year, I can change my courses to be better for my students and myself. With that said, I know I have limitations as a parent, as a teacher, as a wife there are some things I don't have control over and pretending I do is a bigger deficit than realizing what I DO have control over, I think.
