This post is part of the Teachers Certification Map’s “lessons from the field”, a series of posts featuring passionate, inspiring educators from across the country discussing some of the lessons that they have learned over the years that would help young teachers as they embark on their careers.

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Stephen Tom, who also runs Teacherlinx, has been an eight grade English teacher for 6 years  in Los Angeles CA.

Below is our interview with Stephen:

What and where do you teach?

I currently teach eighth grade English in East Los Angeles. I work for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching for six years. After I graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in English, I decided that teaching would be an interesting profession. I immediately went for my teaching credential at Cal State L.A., while I worked part time at an after school day care for the city of Arcadia. I subbed my second year out of school for L.A. and the city of Monrovia.

What inspired you to teach?

What inspired me to teach the most was the idea that I could continue in an educational setting. I think that schools are the backbone of American culture, so I definitely wanted to be a part of them in the future. I was also very intrigued by the development of reading and writing amongst teens.

What classroom methods are most helpful in pushing students towards their goals?

The classroom methods that I have found most helpful in pushing my students towards their goals is to connect with where they’re currently at, and allow them to see a bit into the future and where they want to be. This is the zone of proximal development. I observe many new teachers have the most difficulty with grasping the level of their students. Without reaching the students at their learning / understanding level, a teacher may never reach their students in the most effective way. For example, my story selection relates to their experiences. I tell stories that relate to their lives. This teaching ability and experience only comes with time.

What is the one thing you wish you’d known when you started in the classroom?

One piece of advice I would like to give newer teachers is to not give up the profession too early. Out of the seven teachers I got hired with my first year, there are only two remaining. This percentage is most likely true throughout the Los Angeles Unified School District (Second largest district in America behind New York). The ability to be resilient must come within newer teachers because the first three years are very rough, especially depending on what school you work at. Tap into all the resources around you, and build a relationship with experienced colleagues who can assist you. The sad thing is that teachers can ruin lives, so even though it’s your first year, you definitely don’t want to negatively impact kids.

What would you like to improve about your teaching?

Some skills that I would like to develop would be increasing the motivation of students. If you are able to motivate, then students will do your work. Teaching has been compared to acting because you literally have to put on a show every day. Being yourself is very important, but often times you have to learn the art of motivational teaching. What are the keywords that get students thinking? What facial expressions relax the crowd? What types of questions intrigue their mind? I think these types of teaching skills come from experience. With lack of experience, educational classes that can cover these would be great.

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