The Faculty of Village Academies, August 2006
At the end of the first day of Summer Institute, Village Academies' new and returning teachers wrote about their dreams for the upcoming school year. Here is what they wrote:
Teaching, in my opinion, is not a job but a calling.
My dream this year is to grow exponentially. I've had so many dreams and good ideas before, but have never been in a place that was willing to think outside the box or to do whatever it takes to achieve great things. There is a great vision for social justice in this place. I am happy to be here.
I expect to work hard. My best teaching will look, sound and feel positive, urgent, loving, clear, and engaging.
What is the difference between good and great? To me, good is comfortable, you don't have to do much. Great takes a tremendous amount of effort. My dream for this year is to cross the boundary of good and great. I know that I am in the right place.
I want to be the person that makes every student in my room hang on my every word. I dream of being the person that makes them truly desire to pick up a book and not just read it, but get thoroughly wrapped up in it. So much so that they forget that they wanted to play video games.
My best teaching will come from the love I have for literature, I can literally feel this love generate in my soul and push its way out, bursting in an impassioned lecture of discussion. I want my students to know what this passion feels like; to connect to a book. But before students can learn to love reading, they need basic skills that help them understand what they are reading.
I dream of being the person that can command my classroom by engaging my students and asking thought-provoking questions. I dream of being that teacher who makes the entire room laugh at their jokes while still managing to teach rigorous lessons.
I want students to apply the grammar rules they learn all the time, across all areas of the curriculum and in their speech.
My best teaching will feel passionate and inspiring, sound exciting, funny, thought-provoking and interesting, look like a room full of kids engaged in intense and meaningful conversation or equally intense and meaningful silence while they are all individually immersed in their books.
My dream is to become a better teacher. For the last two years I have not been challenged or held accountable for anything in my classroom. Here, holding me to high expectations will make me a better teacher.
My dream is to continue to put my full efforts into the great culture we have created at Village Academy. I have been given the great opportunity to learn from my fellow educators. I am happy to have several new staff members to learn from/with.
This year I did my research. I found a place where I am so excited to be. This year my dream is to be a part of something larger. I can't wait to work with my colleagues, to learn from and grow with them.
My best teaching will be interactive, engaging, well-planned, hands-on, focused on reaching the highest level of understanding.
My dream has always been constant in my years with children: to make a difference in their lives, that they walk out of my classroom feeling able, feeling that they matter, feeling a handprint on their hearts that allows them to reach their goals and dreams, no matter the challenge.
I want them to know I'm there for them. I want them to know they can make a difference by participating in our society. What is my dream. to inspire all students to strive for excellence.
I want my love of writing to be infectious to my students. I want them to read and reread sentences just because they're amazed at what someone made the words do. I want my student to think of a day as inconceivable if it doesn't include the opportunity to write something.
I dream of students who respect me and are kind to one another, so I will teach them to do so by treating them with respect and kindness. I dream of students doing well on tests, so I will tutor whoever needs extra help. I dream of students who show great interest in learning, so I will plan lessons that are engaging and motivating.
I dream of a school where I am held to high standards, where nobody blames the kids or the test, where everyone takes personal responsibility for the achievement of their students, and where I am respected as a teacher. I have found this here.
