A Passion for Teaching

Yesterday I was at a gathering with colleagues and was struck by the energy and vibrancy of the group that had gathered. What struck me most was the passion for teaching.

The passion presented itself through the strong belief in themselves as teachers who can make a difference in the lives of students. It was evident in their commitment, enthusiasm and intelligence that they each brought to their work and a deeply held belief that they can make a difference to students and students' learning. Each of the teachers had a love of learning and saw themselves as learners.

These teachers demonstrated what Tim Brighouse describes as the 4 Es of great teachers:
· Excitement
· Enthusiasm
· Effort
· Energy.

The gathering prompted me to go back and dip into Christopher Day’s book, A Passion for Teaching. The book helped me gain a perspective within a review and improvement culture.

What teaching needs now, more than ever, are passionate people with a belief in the possible for all students, the intelligence and creativity to design and implement learning experiences, and the capability to bring about improvements where it matters most - in the learning spaces for all students.