What's your skill? What's your passion?

The other day while standing in line at the bank another customer and I made conversation. While discussing the length of the line and how strange it is that we wait to give our money to other people, we started talking about life and our various interests etc. As he told me he was a computer programmer by skill and interest I quickly reflected on who I am and what my interests are. As it turns out (and obviously I have other "leisure interests") I am a teacher, and have been blessed (I believe) with a passion and perhaps even a small talent to teach (although our IPT 287 class might not be a great demonstration of this)! Later in the evening as I reflected on this epiphany I decided that if this was really my interest and path in life that I need to be doing something a little more to demonstrate my commitment and love for this choice. Some might argue that a career doesn't need to be an area where we are passionately involved, or feel we have a talent therein, however, I beg to differ. When we love something, and feel a genuine interest we tend to make increased efforts to develop our skills in that area and to "reflect" on what we can do to become more effective in its respective domain. Because of this holistic belief I do feel a need to continually search after personal growth and enrichment in the field of instructional psychology and education. This endeavor might also be titled "professional development."

Professional development is not simply attending a random school sponsored workshop, writing a few notes and promising to implement what they suggest (although this can be part of it). Rather it is constantly reflecting on what you did that day, how it was effective, how it could be better, and what are the contemporary tools and theories of the day that might enhance your efforts. In light of this definition I feel the internet and digital communications has become a powerful tool where we can easily subscribe to other ideas and practices by the click of a button. I know once again here I am promoting a tool you might not buy into, however, blogs and more specifically RSS feeds are a wonderful way to read and then reflect on some of what's happening in your area of interest.

It simply would not make any sense to choose a career path, where you indeed have a talent and not research and then reflect on the findings (in an effort to further enhance your talent of teacher, etc.) Just as when we were small, and found for example basketball to be our interest, where we would spend each free moment of the day either shooting hoots, reading about Michael Jordan, and later watching replay after replay, even dreaming about it at night, we too, as teachers need to dedicate our lives to what we love. No, it will not replace obvious priorities of family or religion, if anything our passion for teaching will enhance these areas, and make each day of work/ fun an enjoyable adventure of service and learning. Let us all reflect more consistently so that our efforts as teachers become more focused, inculcating a profound passion for this career choice, therefore helping us become more effective teachers.

(Understandably these are a random smattering of thoughts that I hope will not only inculcate a more profound desire in myself to reflect and continue my professional development, but hopefully will help you do the same.)

*Note: if you read this post, please post a comment expressing your feelings regarding reflection and it’s role in the classroom and life.