Taylor Mali on Teachers: Challenging Stereotypes
Taylor Mali: What Teachers Make
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK4syxU
"What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life is to become a teacher?" (Moody, 2006, 0:08)
This video exposes the stigma around the profession of teaching. Teaching is often viewed as the "last resort" job; I couldn't do anything else so I became a teacher. When students believe that teacher's do not care about their jobs, it implies that their teacher's do not care about them and it is reflected in their academic performance. Throughout my high school experience, this is often how I felt when I attended class.
Mali's dialogue challenges and expands the definition of what it means to learn and what it means to teach. Throughout the video, Mali never mentions teaching students to memorize facts necessary in the curriculum, instead he talks about how he shapes students to be strong, resilient individuals. He teaches his students to question, criticize, practice, create meaning, and he makes them "work harder than they ever thought they could" (Moody, 2006, 1:17).
As William Ayers states in his article, To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher, teaching is about "sharing your life with young people, to shape and touch the future" (2001, p.5). I think there is a broadening awareness of the responsibilities of teachers that will serve to challenge the assumptions and stereotypes expressed by Ayer and Mali.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK4syxU
"What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life is to become a teacher?" (Moody, 2006, 0:08)
This video exposes the stigma around the profession of teaching. Teaching is often viewed as the "last resort" job; I couldn't do anything else so I became a teacher. When students believe that teacher's do not care about their jobs, it implies that their teacher's do not care about them and it is reflected in their academic performance. Throughout my high school experience, this is often how I felt when I attended class.
Mali's dialogue challenges and expands the definition of what it means to learn and what it means to teach. Throughout the video, Mali never mentions teaching students to memorize facts necessary in the curriculum, instead he talks about how he shapes students to be strong, resilient individuals. He teaches his students to question, criticize, practice, create meaning, and he makes them "work harder than they ever thought they could" (Moody, 2006, 1:17).
As William Ayers states in his article, To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher, teaching is about "sharing your life with young people, to shape and touch the future" (2001, p.5). I think there is a broadening awareness of the responsibilities of teachers that will serve to challenge the assumptions and stereotypes expressed by Ayer and Mali.