Are Teachers Agents of Change, or Agents of the State?

I recently read an article in a blog called “Agents of the State”. This article really made me think about the teacher that I want to be after I graduate. Do I want to be a teacher whose primary focus is state testing, or do I want to branch out and teach children about life. I think it is still important to get the students ready for the state tests, but I do not want to lose the chance to inspire my students. My high school English teacher was actually the person who inspired me to want to teach. She was so passionate about what she taught, and she made learning fun. I wanted to inspire children like that.

In the blog article, the author also talks about change. He says, “Discomfort is the means by which things change. Without that agita in our seats, we never reflect or see ways to change our practice.” I love this statement because it is very rare that people want to change. We get so comfortable in our everyday lives that when it is time to make a change we do not want to go along with it. We want consistency and normalcy, and that is perfectly understandable. The only problem with that is we live in a world that is constantly changing. I believe that we have to be open to change to be able to teach effectively. Teachers should be used to change due to the new students, and new protocols every year. In a way, I think that is a part of the job description.