But, to sound somewhat egocentric, what about the ethos of my classes? And to sound less egocentric, how will this ethos benefit those of the students?
This is no simple task as there are just so many concepts to consider...
Is it vital to get the ethos settled before I start? Is an ethos a static or variable concept? Will my ethos be constant or malleable? Does this ethos need to be explicitly stated or implicitly assumed? And where do I even begin in my definition?!
While I'm sure that my environment will shape some of the factors of the ethos I choose to create, I hope that I can apply a few key principles that I hold in everyday life towards this seemingly mammoth feat:
- Respect and trust are earned and never commanded
- It's not a bad thing to make mistakes; it's disastrous not to learn from them
- Everyone has the right to an opinion and to be heard
- Embrace diversity; reject intolerance
- Strive to be happy
- Learning should be inherently fun; therefore, teaching should be the best job in the world!
- If life ever gets too much, look up at a clear night sky. Pause, reflect, and change your mood for the better (this is actually a really good trick for getting yourself out of a funk... try it one evening; space is amazing!)
To get these (and what will be many, many more ideas) into a sort of mission statement is going to be tough. I guess we'll have to see how well I can transmit this into the classroom. No doubt I'll blog about it again soon!
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