Aside from the influence of a parent, no one else has so much opportunity to shape a person’s beliefs, ideals, and even behavior as a teacher. Most remember a teacher that left an indelible mark on their life. Their names and lessons remain forever.
Saturday, Oct. 5, is World Teachers’ Day, a time set aside to honor those who work every day to help shape the next generation. According to UNESCO, it is a day to celebrate how teachers are transforming education and also to reflect on the support they need to fully deploy their talent and vocation and to rethink the way ahead for the profession globally.
Faculty members in the University of Miami School of Education and Human Development, as well as recent graduates, reflect on their teaching style and how they were influenced.
Tywan Martin, associate professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences.
I use an “educatainment” approach in my classroom that I adopted from a colleague, which is a combination of education and entertainment. I start with music because music helps to change, shift, and elevate the energy in the classroom. I am high-spirited, so I go around the classroom and fist bump students. That helps to humanize us. Some students see us as just professors and don’t believe we eat and sleep like everyone else.
I use various platforms, including Kahoot!, which is an interactive platform, and Kritik, which allows students a say on how to grade other students. I want to help students interact with one another and to create a safe space where they can say what they believe in and what is on their mind.
Recently, I received an email from a former student that made me cry. She said that although my class was about sports administration, it was really a class about life. I teach them to communicate with other human beings. Knowing and understanding what stakeholders need is important. When you get those types of emails and letters, you realize the impact teaching can have.
Kirsten Schwarz Olmedo, senior lecturer, teaches American Sign Language (ASL) and Contemporary Issues in Disability and Society.
I want to create a class family. For some students it is difficult to open up, especially after COVID. So we move around and interact and call each other by our names. This allows us to create a brave space when talking about disabilities and their impacts where we can talk about things that may be hard to talk about.
I took ASL as my foreign language requirement in college. I just thought it was so powerful to give students the ability to connect with others and to sign. I believe being a good teacher is meeting students where they are, at the level they are at, and then helping them to grow. You walk into my classroom, and you are learning the material, but then we watch a quick video on TikTok or a movie with an ASL component, or we do an augmented reality scenario to experience what it feels like to have autism or another disability. There is no way you will get bored in my class.
Kumani Riley, a 2024 graduate who is now a technology coach at Shenandoah Middle School.
I decided to participate in the Teacher Accelerator Program because it sounded like a wonderful opportunity. I got a chance to experience field work and see how they approach teaching during the program. As a result, I decided to take on a role in education. My role involves coaching teachers at Shenandoah Middle School on how to effectively implement technology in the classroom.
I guide educators on utilizing tools like augmented and virtual reality. For example, a class can take a virtual trip to Mars to enhance their learning experience. Technology is very important, and it is constantly evolving, so it is useful for students to understand how to work well with it.
I believe good teachers have great communication skills, are empathetic, and have a great deal of compassion because they want their students to succeed.
Cara Gilliland, a 2024 graduate, is now a third grade teacher at Citrus Elementary School in Vero Beach, Florida.
The teachers that I had growing up drew me toward education.
I was very shy. One teacher stands out in high school. Her name was Nadra Hunte, and she found me and recruited me for a club called Family Career and Community Leaders of America. I ended up joining her club, and she ended up bringing me out of my shell. She made me be part of a state competition. She grilled me about public speaking, and she really affected my confidence in a positive way and allowed me to show my knowledge. I ended up with her encouragement running for different leadership positions in the organization. She made me be brave and be a leader.
Now in my classroom, I try to be warm and welcoming, but structured. I want to create a space where kids feel safe and are allowed to be creative. But at the same time, be consistent with rules and expectations. Because they need that.
I want to impact the next generation in the best way that I can.
