"Curiouser and curiouser," that is what I have been left with. McCourt makes a great point about how teaching benefits from inquiry into one's students and oneself.
Inquiry into one's students helps a teacher better connect with them. Through connecting better with students, a teacher can understand what interests them, what they like, dislike, and of course build rapport. All this information is helpful in creating a learning environment where students are more engaged. Teachers can adjust learning on the fly based on how the students are feeling on a subject, a teaching style, an activity/assignment, or just on that particular day. Be curious about your students, they are a river of information, do not resist the flow of information you receive, work with it, or be washed away.
From McCourt, it seems that good teaching also leads to inquiry into oneself. The instructors keep saying that to teach is to teach oneself. Essentially that we can't remove ourselves from our teaching. To know yourself is to know your teaching, and through this knowledge we can evolve our teaching to better suit the needs of our classroom and students. I feel as though there can be levels and separation of oneself from one's teaching, so this is an idea that I'll keep an eye on during my teaching journey.
Stay Curious!
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