In Review
Student Reflections
The passages
below are reflections written by
pre-service teachers who have
participated in aesthetic based
community forums that are presented
in the
book seeds.
“Overall
this experience has not only taught
me a lot about becoming a teacher,
but it taught me a lot about myself.
Art and creativity brings a lot out
within the soul of teachers,
children, and their surroundings. My
one fear of becoming a teacher was
that I would not have been able to
stand in front of a class and teach
a lesson. From this experience I
have the courage to get up in front
of anyone and speak. This taught me
when I become a teacher I need to
dig deeper to actually get to know
my students. I don’t just a teacher
/ student relationship where they
come in and I teach and they leave.
From how Dr. Clark and Dr. French
are with their students inspired me.
Their class is not all about the
grade, but all about the student and
helping them succeed.”
“Through
this project I have had the
opportunity to learn about 14
special, talented and unique
individuals. However, I have also
had the opportunity to learn about
myself as an individual and as a
future teacher. I now understand
that what happens outside of the
home greatly impacts what happens
inside of school. I cannot pretend
that school is an imaginary bubble,
unaffected by the outside world
because I am too naïve to realize
the obstacles and setbacks that the
youth of our country face. If I as a
teacher choose only to focus on
reading, writing and arithmetic my
students and I will not be
successful. If I walk into a
classroom with biases and prejudices
I am not only failing the children,
I am failing myself. As a teacher I
need to step outside of myself and
everything that I have known and
experienced. I then need to take a
step into the lives of the children
who I am teaching. Despite what many
people know and believe, achievement
is not only measurable by grades and
statistics. True and authentic
success is a combination of the
relationships, trust, compassion,
respect, social and academic
progress and triumphs that you and
your students achieve together.”
“By
working with the Gaffney school
children, and the unmasking project
it opened my eyes on myself as a
teacher. I’ve learned that when I
become a teacher, it is more than
just standing in front of my
classroom and teaching math, history
and science. To be a teacher you
have to be able to let children
unveil their mask. I’ve learned that
each child has a story. Whether
their story is good or bad, happy or
sad, each one has a story. It may
take a while for the student to take
off their mask, and show their true
emotions. In order for the student
to do so, they need to feel
comfortable in their school
environment. That is where by job as
a teacher comes in, if my classroom
is not a warm, welcoming place,
where students enjoy coming into
everyday then I am not doing my job
as a teacher.”
“This
course also taught me a lot about
myself. I tend to be the shy student
in the back of the class with all of
the answers. I never thought in a
million years that I would be on
stage, directing young children
dance moves in front of hundreds of
people. To me, public speaking and
public acting was something I wrote
out of my book. The only place I was
comfortable speaking in was a
classroom, where others would listen
and respect what I would have to say
via presentation. However, this
course has allowed me to open up to
other students and let them get to
know me. In short, I have always
been wearing a mask and just didn’t
know it, and that’s what this
program is about, Everyone need
guidance; some more than others.”
Gaffney Students Reflect:
The following reflections are reactions by some of the students at Gaffney Elementary School after participating in Creating a Compassionate Community to End Homelessness.
“Whatever
thing you want to be when you grow
up can come true! Don’t let your
dreams go – always keep following
your dreams and never give up –
that’s what I promise.”
“I think the world would be a better place by stopping the bullies and giving a smile to everyone each day.”
“I got 3 words. 1. Love 2. Peace 3. Together”
“I
pledge to thee that to my fellow
citizens that when their feeling
down I will give them a helping hand.”
“I promise to be a leader and not a follower. I promise to not judge people. I promise to be kind to other people. I promise to make peace for my school. I promise to care for other people. I promise to share. I promise to breath in and out when I get
frustrated.”
