Essential Question

The idea of having to come up with an essential question was somewhat intimidating at first, at least for me, because it's something that requires a lot of thought. There are also a lot of aspects and things to think about when planning to become a teacher and it seemed almost a little overwhelming to be able to settle on one important question.  

That being said, I started really thinking about the teachers I’ve had in the past and what I liked or didn’t like about them and why. There were teachers I absolutely loved, teachers I didn’t like as much and teachers who were just okay. One of my favorite teachers in middle school liked to come off as very strict, scary and intimidating at first, but then as time went on, students realized that while he meant business, he was still very approachable and not scary at all. He also made sure that we learned and that we worked hard, but kept the lessons interesting enough where we weren’t bored. Another impressive teacher was my band teacher. The high school band consisted of 150 students and he knew every single one by name. At the end of the year, we’d have a band banquet, and he’d call the seniors up to the front of the room and say something about all of them. The fact that he not only knew his students names, but knew enough about them to talk about them at the band banquet was very impressive. Granted, students had been in his class for four years, and some for six, but I love that he actually made the effort to pay attention and get to know his students. There are teachers, who, even though they still may have a large number of students spread out over multiple class periods, don’t get to know their students at all. They don’t make an effort. They stand at the front of the room, teach what they have to, and leave at the end of the day. Everyone in the band respected the teacher and could joke around as a class, but at the same time, when it was time to buckle down, we worked hard in order to sound good at performances, parades and competitions. We all wanted to do well for him and we didn’t want to disappoint him. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is that being a teacher is a constant balancing act that the good teachers I've had seem to have mastered. It’s about finding all the right balances in every situation. It’s good to be friendly and approachable, but not so much so that you’re a doormat. It’s good to get to know your students, but not so much that you’re more of a friend than a teacher. You have to make the class fun and relaxing, but not so much where no learning happens and where the students don’t want to work. So, with all this in mind, I decided on my essential question: How can I not only find that balance in a way that works best for both me and the students, but also maintain that balance over time?