After reading many of the posted comments and replys, I am seeing a trend that I don't like. Why must everything be shown to us in a negative fashion? We know there are problems, we want to help and make a difference. If we would look at the positive aspects of teaching and the successful approaches, would we start to be more positive than negative? If the negative approach to getting married was used as opposed to a positive approach who would still wish to do it? If we look for the good and spend time exploring positive approaches to teaching won't that help us to become better teachers? I would like to know student and faculty thoughts on this.

I completely agree with you about needing more optimism as teachers. Looking at the possitive, the passion for teaching, the love for learning, the love for sharing knowledge...this is why we teach, and they are not all the same thing. If you can't find possitives to your job you could do more harnm then good. It rubs off on others. I wonder if some need to reconsider why this is their career path. Being a negative person who only sees the misfortunes in teaching is not healthy.

Good post Brooke, I agree with you completely. As one of my physical education professors says, "you must have a conviction about teaching". This is something I think everyone needs to evaluate about themselves, what are my motives for teaching? I hate to see teachers who look like they hate what their doing. This attitude is not going to attribute to student success, but only lead to a negative climate in the classroom.

in my experience in the school of ed here at app you either have two sorts of teachers, those who focus on the negative in an attempt to weed out people who think teaching is an "easy alternative to a real job" and those who are extremely positive because they believe that teaching is, as you guys have said, a calling to promote and believe in the youth of today. i know it's hard when we read so much negative literature, and it's hard if you get bogged down in the legal aspects of education, but as i said the other day in class to dr. turner, i've always thought it's the teachers who don't get bogged down in the crap who are the best ones. we just have to make sure that we become crap-free teachers!
-emily

I just wanted to say "Yes!" to Emily's comment, and add this for you reflection.

What is the difference between "being negative" and "being analytical"?

Being analytical is seeing the positive while being aware of the negative possibilities so you are prepared. Being negative is not being able to see the positive aspects of a situation.

Just my thoughts.

I agree with you Kari. We have to be able to acknowledge and identify "the elephant in the room" before we can do anything about it. That's to say that if we do not identify and discuss the problems in education they will go on unresolved. I am all for being positive and creating a positive learning environment, however, I do not believe in burrying our heads in the sand just to get that "warm fuzzy feeling"

I agree about facing the elephant in the room. Our education system is not perfect and could use a tune up every once in a while however we can not let the crap get in the way of our duty and joy as teachers.

I totally agree that in all of the method and foundation courses I have taken so far that I have seen a pattern with negativity. The negative aspects are always pointed out in education. This is why we have so little of the community having a desire to put themselves in the education field. Who wants to become a part of something that is looked down on so much. We learn a lot about how important positive reinforcement can be in the classroom and with our teaching, so why do we as adults not communitcate in this way with eachother? Why are we so quick to point out all of the bad things we are doing instead of commending one's progress and great ideas? If we are saying that positive reinforcement can be effective with children, then we should use it amongst ourselves as well. Commend a fellow peer or collegue's motivation and help them go further with their ideas. That is one of the biggest problems in education, not coming together as one with our accomplishments, but concentrating on what's wrong with everything.