​“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

 

I would like to say that I had dreamed of being an English teacher ever since my first English class in high school, but the truth is I dreaded my high school English classes. I found most, but not all, of the literature we read to be quite boring and uninspiring. But I could most certainly knock out a perfect five-paragraph essay about whatever research topic was assigned. I told myself early on that whatever my career would be in, it would definitely not be related to English in anyway. Yet here we are. There were many influential professors, teachers, and people during my journey, and it is because of them that I have chosen a career as an English teacher. I wish to make the world a better place through learning, specifically of English and English literature, one person at a time. To accomplish my goals, I have a few key principles I must adhere to.

 

SONDER:

 

Sonder is a noun which means “the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.” I would make this concept a crucial component in my teaching, however, none of my students would be a “random passerby.” It is impossible to know the intricacies that go on in each students’ individual lives, but I believe it is important to understand that students have experiences unique to themselves each and every day. It may be impossible to know, (unless they explicitly tell you), which students may be suffering from mental illnesses, which students have recently lost a loved one, which students are at their breaking point. Each human being on this planet has lived incredible, worthwhile lives, and each human being has also had their own hardships and struggles. As a teacher or student, I wholeheartedly believe it is important to remember this concept every day.

 

CULTURAL AWARENESS/EMPOWERING STUDENTS:

 

I wish to teach English in a country where English may not be the primary language. I wish to travel to different areas, meet new people, and experience different cultures and customs. In doing so, it is important for me to be aware of these differences so as not to inadvertently or accidentally offend anyone. I could use this need for knowledge as a way to empower the students in my classrooms to become educators to myself, borrowing from Freirean theory. A common philosophy between myself and Freire is the idea that everyone has some knowledge to give to others. No one is a simply a sponge, only soaking up information. Being human is a common trend behind my principles, and as humans, we all have much to give to each other. I hope to be able to reflect this thinking towards all of my students.

 

MAKING MISTAKES:

 

We are all humans; therefore, we all make mistakes. Big ones, small ones, life-changing ones - we have all made them. I believe it is important to always keep this thought in the back of your mind. When it comes to teaching English, I must remember to not be too critical towards students whenever they mess up a concept. English is not an easy language to learn. I’m still learning new words and rules daily! I still sometimes mix-up ‘affect’ and ‘effect.’ I’ve been told the distinction so many times, but I still have to rely on autocorrect. Humans are not perfect. We all make mistakes. Learning from them is what is key.

 

INTRODUCTORY ASSIGNMENT:

 

In an attempt to incorporate my ideas into the classroom, I would have an assignment in the first day or week of class in which my students would write about any important time in their life to date. They would be allowed to use whatever language came naturally to them, and it would only be graded on completion, not content. I believe that would be an excellent way to obtain a small glimpse into each students’ lives and cultures, while also giving me an early baseline into their writing style and language preferences.

 

ENDING:

 

I believe, through these fundamentals, that my overarching theme to teaching and learning English, is to understand and respect the humanity behind each individual. We are all just trying to live our best lives and prosper in this world that we have be given. I hope to be able to apply these fundamentals in all of my classrooms.