Exit Slip Sept 10 - Reflections on Frank McCourt

Today, after setting up the logistics of our class blog, we had the privilege of listening to about 25 minutes of conversation with teacher and write Frank McCourt. His words struck a very personal chord with me in a number of ways. 

Firstly, I resonated with his call to personal authenticity. Standing in front of a new class of students, whether literally or virtually, can be an intimidating situation. However, McCourt suggests that the teacher needs to remove "the teacher mask" and make an "admission of ignorance" which ultimately will help to inspire the trust of the students. I have experienced this to be true, both as a student and as a teacher (while co-teaching units for a Science 10 class). I firmly believe that an appropriate amount of vulnerability leads to a stronger foundational relationship between student and teacher.

This idea naturally proceeds to the second point that stood out to me from the interviews with McCourt: that a teacher must strive to understand his or her students personally and develop a relationship with them rather than simply becoming a "taskmaster" in their eyes. His willingness to entertain and listen to the struggles and frustrations of his students, along with his desire to understand them, seems like a very good model for a sensitive and caring teacher. Once the student feels comfortable and understood by the teacher, the teacher can then begin to incrementally challenge the student. In short, I strongly believe that relationships are the foundation of teaching and learning, and this appears to be consistent with McCourt's reflections.

Overall, today's class provided a fun way to get thinking about teaching, as well as an opportunity to start forming the foundational relationships within our cohort and with our professor. I'm very much looking forward to continued growth in these areas. 

Frank McCourt teaching in a classroom


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