What A Learning Specialist At California Middle School Wishes They Had Known Before Entering Education
Dan, a Learning Specialist, wished someone had emphasized the importance of patience and self-compassion early in their teaching career. The initial years present challenges— "having a hard day in the classroom...doesn't make you a bad teacher"—but these difficulties are opportunities for growth and ultimately lead to a more authentic and impactful teaching style.
Patience, Resilience, Interdependence, Authenticity, Overcoming Challenges
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Dan McCauley
Learning Specialist
California Middle School
New York University, 2017
Relay Graduate School of Education, Masters in the Art of Teaching
Education
Education
Education
Former Foster Youth, Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Patience is crucial: Building skills and confidence as a teacher takes time. Don't be discouraged by initial challenges; they are opportunities for growth.
2. Challenges are inevitable but valuable: Difficult experiences are a natural part of teaching and contribute to your development as an educator. Learning to navigate them builds resilience and empathy.
3. Joy and meaning are not mutually exclusive from hardship: Finding fulfillment in teaching often involves facing difficulties. Resilience, support networks, and a focus on positive connections with students are key to maintaining a positive outlook and making a difference.
Transcript
What have you learned about teaching that you wish someone had told you before you entered the education space?
I wish they'd told me it was going to take some time. The overarching message I'd give is patience with yourself when starting in education. I had worked with young people for a long time and felt very confident.
I came in with my own strengths, but no matter what, the first few years doing something new will present challenges. This doesn't make you less potent in the classroom or diminish your potential. It just means you have to go through it to get better.
Having a hard day, not being able to reach a student, doesn't make you a bad teacher or mean you're not cut out for this. It simply means it will take time. Knowing that each challenging moment is an opportunity to improve would have helped me early on.
Now that I've experienced those challenging moments and know how to handle them, it's empowering for kids to see you using the resilience you've built. People struggle if they think finding joy and meaning in a job is separate from going through hard times. They are not mutually exclusive; often, they go hand in hand.
So, expect challenges, but know that when you get through them by relying on resources, finding humor, and connecting with young people to affect their lives, you'll reach a place where you can be authentically yourself in the classroom.
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