In looking back on my reading of this book, I am extremely glad that I chose this to finish out my semester of EDSS 530. In leaving the credential program, in the middle of the interviewing process, and hopefully beginning a new career by next year, I know that it is inevitable I will be facing some giants of my own. However, what this book has inspired me to do is to look at these giants through a new perspective. |
Rather than meditating on all of the ways that I cannot defeat the giants, I need to begin strategizing how to use the talents that I have that can defeat the giants. I cannot get my advantages and disadvantages confused with each other.
In thinking about my future position as a teacher, I know that no matter what it is, it is going to be a "giant." Maybe it is going to be a giant because it is new and unfamiliar. I often think about what a disadvantage it is that I do not have 10 years of teaching experience behind me to make the "giant" seem a little bit smaller. However, like Malcolm Gladwell says, "we have, I think, a very rigid and limited definition of what an advantage is. We think of things as helpful that actually aren't and think of other things as unhelpful that in reality leave us stronger and wiser" (19). Perhaps, my seemingly disadvantage of being new to the teaching profession is actually an advantage. Likewise, perhaps the advantage of having 10-20 years of experience is actually a disadvantage. I think it would be unfair to have such a limited definition of what advantages and disadvantages look like until you see the two in action.
The perspective that this book advocates for is exactly what teachers need in order to overcome the various giants that we will be faced with in our professional careers. We need to face them with creativity, resolve, humility, confidence, and passion. These are the attributes of self that will allow us to claim victory over our giants. We need to figure out what our "slinger" is so that we can overcome our "Goliaths."
In thinking about my future position as a teacher, I know that no matter what it is, it is going to be a "giant." Maybe it is going to be a giant because it is new and unfamiliar. I often think about what a disadvantage it is that I do not have 10 years of teaching experience behind me to make the "giant" seem a little bit smaller. However, like Malcolm Gladwell says, "we have, I think, a very rigid and limited definition of what an advantage is. We think of things as helpful that actually aren't and think of other things as unhelpful that in reality leave us stronger and wiser" (19). Perhaps, my seemingly disadvantage of being new to the teaching profession is actually an advantage. Likewise, perhaps the advantage of having 10-20 years of experience is actually a disadvantage. I think it would be unfair to have such a limited definition of what advantages and disadvantages look like until you see the two in action.
The perspective that this book advocates for is exactly what teachers need in order to overcome the various giants that we will be faced with in our professional careers. We need to face them with creativity, resolve, humility, confidence, and passion. These are the attributes of self that will allow us to claim victory over our giants. We need to figure out what our "slinger" is so that we can overcome our "Goliaths."