Teaching From Within Analysis

The author states, “But at other moments, the classroom is so lifeless or painful or confused—and I am so powerless to do anything about it—that my claim to be a teacher seems a transparent sham” (Palmer 2). I kept reading this quote over and over again. It stuck out to me because I felt really terrible about my experience of subbing the other day. I subbed for a junior high class and I did not have a good experience. I felt like what in the world did I get myself into. By the end of the day, I felt like I will never be a good teacher. I had no control over the children and felt like I could have done better. Reading this quote and the rest of “Teaching from Within”, made me feel better at becoming a teacher. I learned that we are going to have our good and bad days. I know that through it all I am going to have to suffer like the other day to end up having great days because it is something that I love and I want to make a difference in children's lives. Palmer …show more content…
I have to find out who I am as a teacher in order to know if I am going to make it. Knowing who I am will help me know how to make a difference and get those good days as a teacher. If I do not know myself, then I will not know the students. I cannot make a relationship with students if I do not know who I am as a teacher. I think we go into teaching thinking that we can make a difference in one night and when we do not, then we feel like we failed. For example, I know when I got the subbing position for junior high, I felt like I was able to do it, but when I got done subbing for the day, I felt like I was a failure. I now know that it is fine that my first try of being a substitute turned out horribly, but I do believe that through time, practice, patience, and love, the next time I am going to sub, it will be okay. I know eventually I will be able to make a difference and an impact when I become a teacher in at least one child's