Philadelphia Educator Finds Exploring New Ideas Keeps Courses Interesting
As a teacher, Scott Murphy finds it important to keep the students interested and the material current. If a teacher keeps introducing themselves to new ideas, then the courses they teach will remain fresh and interesting to the students. It is just as important for the teacher to constantly be learning as it is for the student.
What is the most challenging aspect of teaching in the classroom environment?
"I think the most challenging aspect of teaching is trying to differentiate the lesson for each student. It is difficult to ensure that the material is accessible for the students with less readiness, while also being challenging for students with higher readiness. At times, it feels like you need 20 different lesson plans for each class."
Do you have any advice for people wanting to enter the teaching profession?
"Make sure that you make time for yourself. It is easy, especially in the first couple of years, to spend way too much time grading, writing lesson plans and other teaching tasks. When you make time to keep yourself happy and healthy, you will feel better and you will be a better teacher to your students."
Are continuing education courses beneficial for teachers?
"If you continue teaching the same courses each year, it is easy for the lessons to become stale. It is important to keep introducing yourself to new ideas in education. Your lessons will keep getting better and better and it will keep the classroom experience fresh for you."
Do you feel a Master's education would be helpful in your day-to-day career?
"My undergraduate degree was in Physics, so the master's degree that I received in education, forms the basis of my philosophy towards education. I think that the process of getting the Master's in Education and writing a thesis helped me understand teaching as a profession instead of a job."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
