Open House

Think about when you attended school. We remember failures and successes, fights and friends, discouragement and encouragement. We carry much of that with us all our lives. Our perceptions of those days are challenged when we return as teachers or parents. For me, the hallways seem smaller. The days are longer, occasionally frustrating, and usually more interesting. I'm quite certain the chairs and desks are smaller. As a student I thought I understood schools and education pretty well. I brought that perspective and those prejudices with me when I started teaching. But it looks very different on the other side of the desk.

As I prepare for open house, I know that each of the parents I meet will see something at least a little different (and possibly very different) than what I see. I know that only a small percentage of parents are likely to attend, but I also know there are many reasons why a parent might not be able to attend on that night. Most important, I believe that the parents and I share at least this in common: we want what is best for the students.

On a campus as large as ours, parents may spend more time walking around looking for classrooms than they do in those classrooms. I'll have a few minutes to give an overview of the class and then send them off to the next. I'll get requests for information outside the scope and intent of open house and I'll counter with a request that we meet later or follow up on e-mail or telephone. And when it's over I'll wonder whether it was a satisfying and beneficial experience for the parents. I can't know what their perception of school was before they came in, but I can do a little to inform their opinions tomorrow.

Perfection

My friend Robert, an art teacher, is fond of saying, "Practice makes better." (Which I am now fond of saying too. Thank you, Robert!) The twist on the old adage of "practice makes perfect" expresses the belief that perfection is not really attainable. That doesn't mean that we should not strive for perfection. In striving for perfection, we can achieve excellence.

I think I'm a good teacher. I think I'm a much better teacher now than I was when I started. Some days I think I do an excellent job. I will continue to improve my skills, but I don't ever expect to perfect them. Teaching involves so many tasks and responsibilities plus complex relationships and personalities. Then throw in legislative and administrative pressures. Teaching is like balancing and juggling and running all at once.

So I tell my students, "Practice makes better." You've never done this before? Good! What value is there in a class in which you only do things you already know how to do? You find the work difficult? Good! When body-builders go to the gym, they don't pick up paper clips and gum wrappers. They pick up heavy weights that make them strain and develop. (I got that analogy from my friend Hap. Thank you, Hap!) I'm trying to help you develop your mind. This may hurt a little…. You're not good at a particular skill? Avoiding it will not improve that skill.

I don't expect you to be good at the work on your first attempt. (Most of the time not on your second, or possibly the fifth or tenth attempt either.) But I do expect you to try. I expect you to practice the procedures that I show you. I expect you to keep practicing and you will get better. Some of you will achieve excellence.

Why Teach?

Students sometimes ask me why I teach if I know so much about drafting, architecture, and engineering. Couldn't I make a lot more money as an architect or engineer? Well, that part is easy. Yes. Architects, engineers, even top drafters can earn more than teachers normally do. But I would never recommend someone choose a career based only on the money they can get.

An ideal career choice, in my opinion, is one that you can do well, that you enjoy, and that pays enough for you to live comfortably. I like to believe (and there is some evidence to support) that I am a good teacher. Most days I enjoy teaching, although it certainly has elements that frustrate (even infuriate) me. And… well, two out of three isn't bad. Seriously, the pay for teaching has gotten better over the last few years. I doubt it will ever be what I think it's worth. But I have food, clothes, a house, and a car. That's a lot more than anyone really NEEDS.

There is a big difference between drafting all day and teaching drafting all day. Drafters are often stuck at their drawing board (or more likely, computer) all day. I'm often up on my feet all day giving demonstrations, explaining procedures, interacting with other people. While I can sit at a computer all day, I don't like to do so every day. And I like to think I could be an architect or an engineer, but I don't have the degree or certification for either of those.

But here's the real reason I teach: I get to see the lights. I like to learn new skills. I like the feeling I get when the light bulb goes on and I have new understanding. It's exciting and gratifying. And I am lucky enough to have discovered that I can share that excitement when I help to lead someone else to that point. You can see it in a student's face and hear it in a student's voice when they get there. The light bulb goes on and their whole posture changes. That's exciting to me. I get to see the lights.

Introduction

As I prepared for this school year, I thought about what teaching means to me. I wondered how I could share some of my thoughts with parents or colleagues. I'm going to try this area, Sensations. (I'll explain why I chose that name later.) I plan to add something here a couple times per month or so. I'm just starting this on the long weekend of Hurricane Frances. If my electricity holds out I expect to get a couple entries in. We'll see….

So, why Sensations? The short version of the story is that I used the thesaurus on Merriam-Webster Online (www.m-w.com) looking for words that seemed to capture the essence of what I want to do here. When I looked at the definitions for sensation, I really liked the range of meanings. Briefly, they are:
1. a mental process [or] awareness due to stimulation
2. something that causes or is the object of sensation
3. a state of excited interest or feeling

I don't know that I can live up to it, but those definitions capture my goal. These ramblings should be something that make us think and feel.