“How are you, or is your approach, different than your favorite teacher?”
In high school my two favorite teachers were Dr. Horner and Mr. Moffatt. Dr. Horner was my 11th grade English teacher and Mr. Moffat was my 7th grade math, 9th grade Computer Skills, 12th Grade Computer Graphics, and Computer Tech teacher. Both of them have had a huge influence on how I view teaching. Dr. Horner instilled the importance of project based learning. Mr. Moffatt influenced how I looked at technology as a teaching tool. Both have influenced the way that I interact with students and my colleagues. I owe a lot to both men.
So how am I different from them? I’ll admit I struggled with this question. I think the main difference between us is in how I approached lesson planning. When I was Dr. Horner and Mr. Moffatt’s student the internet was still in it’s infancy. In fact our computer lab had restricted access and we had to learn how to code in html. This meant that both the Doc and the Moff had to rely on text books. Both did their best to supplement the textbook but ultimately the textbook was the guide. My approach was always different. I looked at the learning goal and then used the textbook was a resource not the be all end all of education. If both the Doc and the Moff were still teaching today I’m sure that they would view their lessons as well.