Considering RIBTS (Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards)

RIBTS consists of eleven standards, each standard composed of a range of three to seven sub standards. The point of this entry is to explore a substandard that I feel I am able to achieve at without any secondary education teaching experience, and conversely, to scrutinize a substandard that I feel at this time I am not able to achieve. Standard 10.3 states, "Teachers explore new instructional approaches and strategies, including technological, in the classroom." Undoubtedly, I know that as a teacher, I want and will continuously approach teaching as an evolving passion. Because of student, life and political variables that are entwined within classrooms, I, though only a college senior, understand that a stagnant teacher is not an affective teacher. I heartedly surmise that technologies play vital roles in the classrooms at capturing and maintaining student attention, and at inspiring students to strive for attainment. Even in the face of rigid and suffocating curriculums, technology provides a teacher with the opportunity to be more fertile in the classroom. Just think of the benefits of a masterful PowerPoint or Keynote presentation.

Despite my confidence in my ability to perform standard 10.3, I feel reluctant at attempting to maintain the professional standard of 11.1: "Teachers maintain standards that require them to act in the best interests and needs of students." Ultimately, how can anyone be certain what is best for another person, or what that other person's needs are? Americans have a majestic ability to not examine themselves. Ergo, many American's, including myself, are not confident in what they need at any one time. And, our desire for immediate gratification and our overall OCD nature are cultural constituents that makes me question our ability to know what is best. Though I do not wish to turn this entry into a haughty philosophical rant, if Americans (and again myself included) understood their needs, than why are we a nation that is predominately obese, or flawed in a wide array of other areas from consumer spending, to polluting, to smoking? Though I may often act like my ego is big enough to fill the multiverse, to assume that I can and will understand my students' needs is a little too deiform for my tastes. As a teacher, I want to show up to work, teach students about the catharsis of life and how they can find the same catharsis in literature, and occasionally save a child from the pitfalls of a deadbeat society or family situation, but to assume that I am going to act in their best interest in doing so is too self serving and too American for my red and white blood cells and blue blood.

My Favorite Teacher

As an introduction exercise for SED 405 at RIC, the class must write a short paragraph on a favorite teacher:

My favorite teacher, who I choose to keep anonymous on the web, demonstrated three key characteristics as a teacher. The first and most imperative characteristic that she had was her mind state regarding bell-curve grading. Her aim as a teacher was to only grant a select amount of A's for the class; yet, she did not have an equivalent number of F's to match the A's. Coincidently, her bell-curve grading system, she argued, accounted for a plethora of variables. Her grading curve eliminated the miniscule percentage of failing grades. The second characteristic that my preferred teacher had was her ability to listen to what students had to say. By being able to intensely and patiently listen to her students, she helped generate a respectful atmosphere among her students, who kept a similar attitude towards listening in her classrooms. Thus, there were many deep, revitalizing conversations in her class, which revolved around her curricula. Her third characteristic was that she was warm. Her warmth comprised her temperament, her dress style, and, most importantly, her classroom's atmosphere. She was a teacher students wanted to be around, because of her cordiality and patient demeanor. Thus, she easily heightened teenage interest, particularly mine, in complex subjects.