Reflections on Lesson 4

To be relational as a teacher is to make a connection with the students—to remember that you are there to teach students, not just teach subjects.  As teachers connect with students, the students will begin to connect themselves to the lessons and subjects you teach.  I have seen numerous examples of teachers who have created a love for a subject in their students because the students loved and respected that teacher.  Conversely, I have seen too many examples of teachers who have created dread for a subject in their students because their students actually feared the teacher, not the subject.

Being relational is the part of teaching that I thrive on.  It’s what drives my passion for being in the classroom.  Because I love and respect my students and treat them as capable young adults and not merely receptacles of my input, I feel my students want to be in my class and want to learn.  Some students are harder to reach out to than others, and those are probably the ones I should focus on the most, but ultimately, my goal is to make a difference in the lives of my students.  If they learn a little computers along the way, all the better!