It has been said (and often it has been said by me) that the Luther Education department is, how shall we say, overly determined. We Luther students are warned from day one by our tour guides, our advisers, our professors, and even our peers that education is one of the most difficult majors to achieve, and it's even more difficult to do it in four years time. As freshmen, we turned it away, or kept it someplace deep in our subconscious with a grain of salt. We thought that it was all hype and exaggeration and that there would be no such thing as a fiery hoop for us to jump through.
As I write this, I am in the spring semester of my sophomore year in the Luther Education program, and my feet are on fire.
As students, and teenagers, we are quick to express our disgust with the sheer amount of work we have to do in this hustle bustle world of Luther Education. First it's Chalk and Wire, then we learn about the Proficiencies that we must define in that program. We fork out big bucks and we schedule our lives around a test called the PPST, which costs $130, and proves that we can read, do math, and write coherent sentences. Music educators (especially those seeking an instrumental emphasis) do back-flips to make sure their schedules work around their ensembles, so that they are free for the one hour that Double Reeds Methods is offered. They cross their fingers that the class is not full by the time they get to register.
As I look back on my two years of education here, I come to realize just how stressful it was to get everything in order for this moment, the application to the Teacher Education Program. Was it nerve-wracking? Why yes, it was. Was it maddening? At times, certainly. Despite all this, I am happy with what I have been through thus far. As I stated before, I look down from my laptop at which I sit happily typing, and see my feet below me not as flesh and blood as I new them, but having the appearance of brown toast. What am I getting at? Well, I know that as I continue my education here, and as I go out into the field of professional education, I know that my feet will be healed, and covered in callouses.
Luther is tough. This is true. If Luther students were honest with themselves, they would know that it's not just our program that is incredibly difficult. Education is one heck of a job. As I stated in a previous entry, the passion that a person must possess to be able to get through the entire process alive and functioning is superhuman. Luther is preparing us the best way that they know how for the real world of education. I know that when I leave this small part of Iowa, I will be fully ready to teach in an organized, prepared, and self-reliant way that other school's programs have no parallel to. Luther students: Be not afraid. However, if you find yourselves wondering whether or not you can really see yourself as a teacher, it's probably not the right program for you. That being said, everyone has their tough spots. This program is not easy. Work hard, and aim true, and the flames of each hoop will burn you not to harm you, but to prepare you for the bigger fires coming ahead.
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Andrew, this is profoundly stated. You have a good point. Education is hard, and these few hoops we are trying to jump through right now will be nothing when compared to actual teaching. Just think, then we will have 20 kids in a classroom to deal with. It's a very big job. I think you will be able to handle it just fine.
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