Hello again Future Me,
I am sure you still hold strong to your beliefs and your core values. It is important to be very clear about what your core values are and why. While you are teaching, there are several times when your core values will need to be clearly defined. You will need to decide what kind of a classroom you will have. There are many ways to run a classroom, and your core values will help guide you towards which way best suits you. Core values are also very important for disciplinary issues. You will need to know which things you will stand firm on, and in which areas you have more flexibility. Core values wills also help you with your teaching style. The way you teach and what you teach can depend a lot about what is important to you. If you don't have a connection to the material you are teaching, how can you expect your students to have a connection? Here are my current core values in order of importance, from one to six. I know these have been important to me for a while, so I am sure they will still ring true for you.
1. The classroom is a place of caring and respect.
2. The classroom is a community.
3. Music is a curricular subject in its own right.
4. Music is the greatest accomplishment of the human spirit, and without it, we deprive our students of a complete education.
5. Integrity- do the right thing, whether someone is watching or not.
6. Be proud and celebrate your accomplishments as both a teacher and an ensemble.
Ranking these core values was difficult, because all are VERY important. Don't forget about any of them.
Sallie,
ReplyDeleteWell done—You hit it right on the head: your core values will impact almost everything you do in the classroom, so it is important that you have them clearly defined before beginning to teach.
1/1 NS