How do I contribute to the education of myself and others through ...

Sequence 1 Values in Educationconfidence to contribute they may feel excluded from the interactive method ofteaching. Personally when in lessons I feel valued, included, and comfortable andmotivated to learn.I think Mr. Riding is driven on by a genuine passion for teaching. He has spokenbefore of his enjoyment at university and I think he really wants us to get the bestpossible grades, to be able to go to university, and fulfill our full potential. Hisenthusiasm is constant and in turn we are driven on by it. I don’t ever doubt that Mr.Riding wants the best for his pupils, and that is why he will go to lengths to ensurethat we are getting the best possible teaching in all areas.I think how much Mr. Riding is appreciated as a teacher is reflected in howdisappointed everyone is that he’s leaving. However, personally it comes as nosurprise that he has landed a job as a deputy head. And much as I do wish he wouldbe able to see me through the second year of my A-Levels, I’m glad he’s got a betterjob. He deserves it, he‘ll have no problem. Why he couldn’t just be deputy head atWestwood however, I don’t know.’ (Daniel, July 2004)As I read through this text I could understand the comments being made: I wasstruck by the maturity and the clarity with which Daniel is able to speak about me andmy values: I really felt that I was living my values out and that they were beingunderstood and valued by this student. He makes claims for others and I am awarethat I also teach his brother and I believe his claims. The growing sense of departureas I move towards leaving Westwood brings with it an even more growing sense ofimpending loss. At times, perhaps as teachers we move on so readily and easilywithout always considering the potentially massive impact that we can have on thosethat we teach. To us, it’s a job. To the student, it’s their life chances and future. Tohear a student saying these things constantly reminds me of why I do the job that Ido and why I love it so much. For me, it is a true love in the sense of spreading myown sense of humanity and understanding that goes with it.Perhaps it seems appropriate at this point to pick up on Dan’s comments about mylove of University. I hadn’t thought about this much until reading Dan’s comments:perhaps, on reflection I do talk about my own time at University within the classroomas a way of trying to inspire the love of learning that I have. However, my ownUniversity experiences were split into three quite distinct phases. I completed my firstdegree, combined honors in English and Media at the University of Plymouth. Thiswas a three year course that was able to inspire me on many levels: my creativity yetalso my own love of English as a subject. It was during this time that I gained a real42