[ teaching & learning ]

Why I teach

A woman with short, gray hair and glasses is seated at a desk, grinning widely and holding four books in her hands. She is looking to the side and appears to be laughing.

Librarian Laura Silver is a member of the United Federation of Teachers

For two decades of my professional life, I sidestepped teaching and gravitated to social work, museums, cultural institutions, news outlets and nonprofits determined to improve the lives of workaday people of New York City.

Nine years ago, I looked at my list of career goals — be a mentor, influence young people, share my love of reading and writing, give back — and thought, umm, this is teaching.

Now, as a middle school ENL teacher turned high school librarian (with a stop in elementary school along the way), I am, everyday, a learner — thanks to my colleagues, my supervisors and, most important, my students.

What does my day look like as a learner?

I field questions, direct students to resources and ask questions to make sure I’m on the right track with my recommendations.

“Do you have any books on the Circassian genocide?” (We didn’t, but I located one available at the public library via interlibrary loan.)

“I want to know more about … how to start a business, fashion design, anatomy, how to prepare for the SAT, speaking Italian …”

As a librarian to the younger set, I created simple songs to build excitement for reading and to demonstrate basic library skills. “I want to sing the ‘Hug the Book’ song,” one 3-year-old clamored each week as I entered the classroom for library time.

Keep the routine. The repetition helps kids gain familiarity with patterns of language and invites them to interact with books in a loving and respectful way (hugging the book as they pass it around the circle).

The requests are not always so gentle and understated.

First-grader A: “I want a LEGO book.”

First-grader B: “I want a LEGO book.”

First-grader C: “I want a LEGO book even more.”

Ugh. I have only two LEGO books in hand and no time to get another one before the bell rings.

There is grabbing and tugging. A waterfall of tears (not mine).

Young readers are rightfully devoted to subject matter.

Keep several copies of popular titles within reach for each class during browsing time.

“I want a book in my language,” declared a fifth grader.

I handed over a bilingual Urdu-English book about a hijab.

Whew, my efforts to build a multilingual collection matter to students.

“I don’t like books. They are all too hard for me,” announced a first grader.

Gulp. I am shirking on my job.

Introduce him to a variety of titles and to read-aloud books. Sit with him.

Stay on your toes. Idea: Invite him and his classmates to write mini-autobiographies about their lives.

In the library, students of all ages delve into topics and stories that resonate with them or add a new dimension to academic or self-directed learning.

Minecraft, soccer, friendship, airplanes, romance, horror stories, Harry Potter, and books about their home countries. My job is to pay attention to what students want and to nudge them toward further exploration.

It’s a two-way street.

Students have taught me greetings in Urdu, Russian and Arabic and have introduced me to concepts that previously seemed unthinkable. For example, not every society adheres to the notion of four seasons; in Bangladesh, according to a student born there, there are six.

I teach because I am learning, always: how to be a better facilitator, a more attuned listener and a more approachable partner in collaboration. I share my own learning journeys (which include starting guitar lessons as an adult and tiptoeing into the seemingly impermeable realm of music theory) to model risk-taking and to cultivate ongoing curiosity — hallmarks of excellent teaching and learning.

What’s your why?

Countless talking heads outside the classroom have a lot to say, but we want to hear from you. Why did you choose the teaching profession — and why do you stay? Send submissions up to 500 words, along with a photo, to united@nysut.org.

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