The Joy of Teaching

Oregon Writing Project Director and new author Linda Christensen suggests teachers should enjoy teaching. I know, I know, a GROUNDBREAKING theory, right? I would think this would be obvious. Maybe my "student-teacher-honeymoon-ness" is clouding my vision of occupation but I feel as if people should enjoy their work (for the most part). I don't think I'd be studying education if I didn't think I'd enjoy teaching. Granted, I've never actually taught a "25 students vs. 1 me" class before but I HOPE that I love my job as a teacher. In Christensen's new book, Teaching for Joy and Justice: Re-imagining the Language Arts Classroom, she suggests that teachers should try to find joy in their work by focusing on their students and communities. By doing this, teachers can begin to further define justice in their own lives (Brown, 1). This is true. So true. Isn't the heart of teaching our students and the lives that surround them? So, wouldn't we find joy in ourselves by focusing on them? By putting our students first, they will feel the confidence we have in them and find it within themselves to succeed. Their success is our joy. I believe that if we, as teachers, do our best to help our students we can have a successful classroom. Christensen suggests that we "can command rigor and high standards in the same classroom where they can create validation, accomplishment, identity, and assurance, but most of all hope". Christensen's thoughts of the perfect classroom isn't as difficult as it might seem. "She centers reading, writing, thinking, talking, and listening in the lives and histories of the young people with whom she works—finding parallels among nonfiction accounts, fictional events and characters, and the needs of the surrounding community", Vanessa Brown, book reviewer, comments on how Christensen finds this combination of standards and hope. I know that when I was in high school, all of the most engaging lessons were the ones that I could relate to my own life. As English teachers, we have the privilege of teaching what matters, real-life issues. I believe that I will find joy through teaching my students what truly matters. I will find joy in seeing them learn and discuss and ask questions. My hope is that I can reach my students on a level that surpasses academic and goes beyond test scores. My joy in teaching is from connecting with my students.

Below I have included a video that the National Writing Project has posted. It is an interview with author Linda Christensen, wherein she discusses the main ideals in her new book. I think it's always helpful to hear an author discuss his/her book because it can clear up misunderstandings and encourage further discussion. I found this video very helpful.

Brown, Vanessa. "Book Review: Teaching for Joy and Justice."National Writing Project 17 Feb. 2010, Online.

Christensen, Linda. Teaching for Joy and Justice: Reimagining the Language Arts Classroom. 1. Milwaukee: Rethinking Schools, 2009. Print.

Video: "NWP in Person: Linda Christensen." Book Review. Web. 18 Feb 2010. .