On Teaching

The students sit apart in rows.  An 8-page; two-sides per page midterm is on each of their desks.  Sure only 17 of the enrolled 31 are here (though keep in mind the peek attendance is only 24), but they are here.  A few of them looked worried during the beginning.  So, I went over and told them each to relax; the psychology student that I am.

But here’s the good news.  They’re trying.  Even the kid that never participates or even cares, wrote down answers.  And this is a good feeling: watching them try.  Every now and then a head pops up with concern.  The eyes roll around the room and then---a slight smile!  The head almost nods before returning to look at the test.

And that’s the moment that I smile.  I smile because I taught them that.  I taught them this knowledge that their being tested on.  We’ve gone over psychology’s history, approaches, research methods, the brain, the nervous system, the endocrine system, neurotransmitters, nature v. nurture, evolutionary psychology, and more!  And this is that moment where I realize that SOME of what I said has been absorbed.  They’ve learned! Which makes me a teacher!

Even if none of them pass, what is right on the paper is still new information for them.  Thus, in a small way, I have succeeded…because their pencils and pens are still moving.  The exam is 61 questions plus an essay on nature and nurture.  They’ve been given 90 minutes and a whole lot of encouragement.  Now the ball is in their court, though my paternal instinct is still in the room.  I want to rush to their side and explain the right answer---but I can’t.  They’re on their own now.

Weird that teaching and parenting have much in common; weirder that I think that without any parenting experience.  But I teach these kids and then I let them go out on their own.  Hoping and praying that they’ll do well, that I did my job right and they’ve done theirs.  Teaching takes a lot of trust; I’m sure parenting takes even more.  But I care for these kids and I want them all to pass—to all succeed.

And that’s my favorite part of teaching psychology; even if the fail the exam, hopefully some of the more important points I’ll make this year (don’t mess with psychoactive drugs, don’t forget to sleep, don’t forget to relax and breathe, etc.) will be remembered.  Then I can be okay with this experience, then I can now that I’ve done some good.

And Today, Mark, the principal, wants to know about next year!  Could I really do this next year?  Would I want to?  I keeping saying I’ll head home and then go off somewhere else.  Will I? I have this feeling that I’m kinda good at this, even without any training whatsoever—minus being in school for almost all my life.