Its something I plan to keep a sharp eye on. And like anything with teaching, one conversation doesn't fix it, its multiple reminders over a long period of time. Then the message has a chance to sink in.
Ha! A couple of things. I learned really quickly that to be a good english teacher you had to assign a lot of writing, and you had to read and comment on a lot of writing. Basically, its a truck load of extra work outside of an already very hectic job. I also found that as much as I enjoy writing and reading for myself, I didn't actually like teaching the content nearly as much.
I should also mention I'm a health nut. When I finished student teaching for english I was burnt out and I ran away from education and became a Crossfit trainer for 5 years. During that I time I taught around 30 classes a week and really missed working with teens...so I decided to head back to school to pick up a degree in P.E. with the hopes that a combo of working with kids and getting them to move would be a solid way to live my life.
I didn't plan on working in a TItle 1 school in Harlem, but that's a whole other story. In short, I love what I do. I get kids to move, teach them about health and fitness, try to make them better people while I'm at it, and I use that English degree here. Been learning to enjoy it =)
As a college student, this is very helpful to read. I often feel pressure to have my whole future planned out, and to stick with what I like. But I don't always know what I like - I'm only 18, and the world has just started to present it's many wonders to me.
I wanted to be a journalist when I started college. But then I realized no, I want to write fiction, but then I also realized that I want to help kids like me, who are stuck in this weird limbo. So Im in the process of changing my major and adding a minor, and just using my college experiences to learn more about myself. I figure that I won't be able to do what I love without learning more about me.
Did you feel confused and lost too during college? How did you cope with that if you did?
Haha! The quarter life crisis is a very real thing. I'm 33 now, so looking back on it I always knew I liked working with kids, and I knew I had some skill connecting with teens based on my experience as a summer camp counselor. But I didn't know in what capacity or how I wanted to do it.
At 18, I'd encourage you to lean into whatever interests you and get very very good at it. If I've learned one thing I think its this. Competence breeds passion, not the other way around. Being good at something is a great way to start giving a shit about something. Can't say I ever really cared about teaching at underprivileged schools. Now that I do it at a professional level, its something I care deeply about.
The beauty of being 18 in this day and age is that you can choose to be anything you want. The skills and the know how are limited only by how many questions you care to ask Chat GPT. The challenge is choosing that one thing.
Again - lean into what interests you and get very good at it. And if you don't know what interests you, start by eliminating the things you know DON'T interest you.
This is great writing and great teaching. Thank you for sharing! Maybe conversations like this come naturally to you (it seems like they do), but I can’t help but highlight just how difficult it is to speak about weight, health, and body image in a respectful tone, ESPECIALLY with gender, age, and power (student/teacher) dynamics at play. I think you handled it beautifully! Your students are lucky to have you.
I know this wasn't the main point of your article, but you briefly mentioned how our kids these days have more or less unfettered access to the internet. This is causing them significant harm. I deal with it with my kids, and truth be told, I think I have my own issues with it, even at 46. In any case, I'm lucky enough to live in a public school district where the schools have a no phones policy, and it does wonders for my kids. I don't know about the decision-making process at your school, but I imagine it couldn't hurt for you to let it be known that you'd favor a no phones at school policy (btw, this doesn't mean the kids can't bring their phones to school; it just means they can't use them during the day. There are ways to effectively accomplish this; my kids' schools have these special pouches designed expressly for the purpose).
If you haven't had a chance, I recommend Jonathan Haidt's "The Anxious Generation." He does a great job of breaking down the research on it.
I'm happy to know there are teachers like you still around. My husband, also a teacher,
had students coming to him fo get help with their problems. The problem was the parents, who refused to recognize eating and other problems. Straddling the line between parents and kid's privacy was difficult.
I really like how you addressed this… Our women’s conditioning teacher wouldn’t approach anyone about it until they passed out in the middle of class.
At that point the lifestyle has already become an intrinsic part of who they are, and much more difficult to overcome.
Its something I plan to keep a sharp eye on. And like anything with teaching, one conversation doesn't fix it, its multiple reminders over a long period of time. Then the message has a chance to sink in.
Thank you for writing this! I feel so happy whenever a teacher addresses these issues, because parents don't often see them!
Also I love your writing style. Are you sure you're not a English teacher in denial???
Funnily enough, my bachelors was in English Education...
I knew it! I had a feeling that you have a background in English...
What made you become a gym teacher?
Ha! A couple of things. I learned really quickly that to be a good english teacher you had to assign a lot of writing, and you had to read and comment on a lot of writing. Basically, its a truck load of extra work outside of an already very hectic job. I also found that as much as I enjoy writing and reading for myself, I didn't actually like teaching the content nearly as much.
I should also mention I'm a health nut. When I finished student teaching for english I was burnt out and I ran away from education and became a Crossfit trainer for 5 years. During that I time I taught around 30 classes a week and really missed working with teens...so I decided to head back to school to pick up a degree in P.E. with the hopes that a combo of working with kids and getting them to move would be a solid way to live my life.
I didn't plan on working in a TItle 1 school in Harlem, but that's a whole other story. In short, I love what I do. I get kids to move, teach them about health and fitness, try to make them better people while I'm at it, and I use that English degree here. Been learning to enjoy it =)
Wow! This is so interesting!
As a college student, this is very helpful to read. I often feel pressure to have my whole future planned out, and to stick with what I like. But I don't always know what I like - I'm only 18, and the world has just started to present it's many wonders to me.
I wanted to be a journalist when I started college. But then I realized no, I want to write fiction, but then I also realized that I want to help kids like me, who are stuck in this weird limbo. So Im in the process of changing my major and adding a minor, and just using my college experiences to learn more about myself. I figure that I won't be able to do what I love without learning more about me.
Did you feel confused and lost too during college? How did you cope with that if you did?
Haha! The quarter life crisis is a very real thing. I'm 33 now, so looking back on it I always knew I liked working with kids, and I knew I had some skill connecting with teens based on my experience as a summer camp counselor. But I didn't know in what capacity or how I wanted to do it.
At 18, I'd encourage you to lean into whatever interests you and get very very good at it. If I've learned one thing I think its this. Competence breeds passion, not the other way around. Being good at something is a great way to start giving a shit about something. Can't say I ever really cared about teaching at underprivileged schools. Now that I do it at a professional level, its something I care deeply about.
The beauty of being 18 in this day and age is that you can choose to be anything you want. The skills and the know how are limited only by how many questions you care to ask Chat GPT. The challenge is choosing that one thing.
Again - lean into what interests you and get very good at it. And if you don't know what interests you, start by eliminating the things you know DON'T interest you.
Best of luck, its going to be a wild ride.
Thank you for all your advice! This truly means so much to me!
Brilliant.
Appreciate it!
This is great writing and great teaching. Thank you for sharing! Maybe conversations like this come naturally to you (it seems like they do), but I can’t help but highlight just how difficult it is to speak about weight, health, and body image in a respectful tone, ESPECIALLY with gender, age, and power (student/teacher) dynamics at play. I think you handled it beautifully! Your students are lucky to have you.
It is a DELICATE dance. Thank you for the compliment.
Love this! Those kids are lucky to have you.
I know this wasn't the main point of your article, but you briefly mentioned how our kids these days have more or less unfettered access to the internet. This is causing them significant harm. I deal with it with my kids, and truth be told, I think I have my own issues with it, even at 46. In any case, I'm lucky enough to live in a public school district where the schools have a no phones policy, and it does wonders for my kids. I don't know about the decision-making process at your school, but I imagine it couldn't hurt for you to let it be known that you'd favor a no phones at school policy (btw, this doesn't mean the kids can't bring their phones to school; it just means they can't use them during the day. There are ways to effectively accomplish this; my kids' schools have these special pouches designed expressly for the purpose).
If you haven't had a chance, I recommend Jonathan Haidt's "The Anxious Generation." He does a great job of breaking down the research on it.
I'm happy to know there are teachers like you still around. My husband, also a teacher,
had students coming to him fo get help with their problems. The problem was the parents, who refused to recognize eating and other problems. Straddling the line between parents and kid's privacy was difficult.