A Educational Experience: Reflection: A Teaching Experience

Reflection 3: A Teaching Experience High school was incredibly difficult for me. Although I loved learning and was a dedicated worker, my inability to accept anything of my self other than perfection often crippled my ability to do any sort of work. As a result, one of the most significant learning experiences that I have had in school was being shown that perfection is impossible, and that my best effort is enough. My English teacher Miss Pressman facilitated this experience during my senior year. Her empowering compassion as a “warm-demander” truly transformed not only my education experience but also my perceptions on life. Despite the numerous messages in my life that perfection is impossible, I never quite understood how translate

Instead, she waited for me to come to her. When I finally was able to avoid no longer, I forced myself to walk into her room for during the Extra Help period at the end of the day. Overcome with anxiety, I could not explain why I had not turned in the assignment or why I had not come in earlier, but could only make incoherent mumbles. Miss Pressman calmly stopped me and simply asked, “Show me what you have so far”. I gave her my laptop, showed her my thoroughly detailed outline and my less-than-thorough essay, and sat down. Over the next hour, Miss Pressman helped me formulate a plan for proceeding forward with the essay. We determined a time the next day during which I would work on the essay for a set time period, and then turn it in. She did not lecture me for not having come in before, but instead supported the progress I had made, affirming the fact that I had showed up, no matter how late. We created a plan of action for future essays to prevent the scenario from occurring again, and she explained to me her expectations of what I could accomplish. She did so in a way that was not overwhelming, but empowering, motivating me to reach the potential that I had as a writer. Her actions were truly that of a “warm demander”, gently pushing me to my utmost ability through a combination of great expectation and great support. Her expectations, she explained, were not the perfection that I was hopelessly striving for, but simply my best effort. My best effort, she told me, was capable of far greater things than I could imagine. I was capable, she told me, of far greater things than I could imagine. All I had to do was sit down and