Education TEACHER FEATURE OF THE WEEK
(Penny Finley is a teacher at Cornersville Elementary School. She is aware of the changes from year to year and realizes that teachers are required to learn also; such as new technology being introduced to the classroom.)
Blessed to be a teacher
I am blessed to have been in the education field for over 20 years. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I tried out various majors in college, then went to work as an accountant before I finished my bachelor’s degree. I ultimately acquired a position as an elementary school assistant to make sure I wanted to go back to college and finish my degree in elementary education.
My first year of teaching I was blissfully unaware of the high stakes testing pressure. My students and I had the best time learning and growing. I know I learned as much from that crew as hopefully they learned from me. At the end of the school year, evidently my students did very well on state testing. I was asked by other teachers how I did that; my reply was, “I just taught.”
Over the years, standards and curriculum delivery have changed. We are now geared more towards scripted lessons. “Experts” in education with less experience than veteran teachers are deciding what is best for the classroom, and sometimes it feels as if we teachers are puppets. We are blessed in Marshall County to be supported by our administrators to know best practices in our classroom.
One of the questions looming is “Would you encourage others to pursue education?” Yes! Even with the evolution of current technology in the education field, it is definitely still a worthwhile occupation. I am so blessed to have taught all the students that have come through my doors, and I look forward to the next few years I have left! Teaching has had its ups and downs over the years, but I wouldn’t want to do anything else.
