Inspiring Lessons of the Curious Mind - a Story of a Male Teacher in Three Chapters
According to Eurostat's data, Estonia has the smallest share of male teachers in the EU. Here is a story about Ian - a teacher, a student and a musician and his inspiring views on why he teaches, what he is hoping to learn from his studies at Tallinn University and what the children think about their tattooed and pierced teacher.
Introduction
You have an interesting course of life – you grew up in US and moved to Estonia after your brother had done the same a few years earlier. Tell us a little bit about your background.
I grew up with my younger brother and sister in a suburb just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My father’s parents were both from Estonia and this enabled myself and my siblings to obtain Estonian citizenship. My brother was the first to move to Tallinn and my sister and I followed a few years later. My first job in Tallinn was as a night-chef at Swissotel which greatly improved my cooking skills. I then worked for nearly four years at Hurtigruten OÜ before becoming an art, English, and European Hours teacher at Tallinn European School. I am also currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in teaching English at Tallinn University.
I received my Bachelor’s degree from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I studied Film Production, indulging a passion I had from as early as grade school. The experience was extremely rewarding as I had the opportunity to thoroughly express myself creatively. Point Park is also well known for its dance and acting conservatory and I benefited from being surrounded by so many amazing and talented people. Plus, the city of Pittsburgh was just a beautiful place to spend those years of my life.
Chapter One - The Teacher
You are working as a teacher now in Tallinn. Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Although I never formally pursued teaching until very recently, I have always felt a pull from within towards being an educator. One of my first jobs was as a babysitter. I also coached football for 10-12 year olds and often helped out at my church’s summer camp. While working on my Bachelor’s degree I considered the idea of doing a Master’s degree in elementary education, but my move to Tallinn interrupted those thoughts.
After six years in Tallinn, I applied for a part-time position at the International School of Estonia and ended up substitute teaching during the second half of the 2012-2013 school year. That same year I also had the opportunity to substitute at Tallinn European School. Before the beginning of the following school year, TES offered me a position teaching art and English to students in the primary classes. So the 2014-15 school year was my first experience as a proper teacher. But I knew right away that I had finally found my calling.
What do you like most about teaching as a career?
Teaching is the first job I have ever had that I have ever considered making a career. In fact, as I said before, once I began teaching I knew that this was the career I was meant to pursue. I feel like I have finally found a way to make a substantial and positive difference in the world, to truly serve humanity. Not to say that we can’t do this in any other career – I believe every work can be service – but this is definitely the right path for me.
As a career, teaching offers a great deal of potential for personal growth, development and life-long learning. I am constantly impressed and inspired by the children I teach and look forward to meeting many amazing individuals (students, parents and colleagues) as I continue developing in this position. I also feel that this is a career that will constantly pose new challenges and opportunities, keeping it interesting for many years to come.
What is your favourite subject to teach and why?
My favourite subject to teach is art. Art was my favourite subject when I was in school and I find it very natural (and easy) to share my knowledge with the students. I love guiding the younger children through new techniques and seeing the work they produce. I also love the challenge of finding fun, new projects to work on together. Teaching art has improved my creativity and desire to create my own art.
What is your weaknesses as a teacher? Describe the worst lesson you have taught.
My biggest weakness at the moment is my inexperience. My second year as a teacher is by far much, much easier than the first year, but I recognize that I still have so much to learn concerning classroom management and teaching methods. That’s why I’m studying at TU! I also get an incredible amount of support from my colleagues and the administration at TES.
My worst lesson so far was a lesson I attempted to give in my first grade art class on the concept of value. The lesson was not bad because of anything the children did – I simply chose a bad project for their skill level and it completely flopped. The project was meant to take two lessons, but I scrapped it and moved on to a new project in the next lesson. None of the kids asked why we didn’t continue the project so it was obviously not very interesting for them. The experience frustrated me at first, but I learned a valuable lesson and when introducing the concept this year I chose a different approach which was much more successful.
What is the greatest success you have had in teaching?
So far the greatest success I have had was surviving my first year. Since I started teaching before having any formal training I had quite a steep learning curve. The first year was a whirlwind of new experiences, new challenges, and a whole lot of learning. But I survived. In fact, by the end of the year I felt completely comfortable in my new role and was already looking forward to the second year with much enthusiasm.
What is your philosophy on education?
My philosophy on education is simple: everyone has a great deal of inherent potential that teachers have the privilege to lead and encourage students to uncover on their own. Quoting a great spiritual teacher, I believe that every individual is a “mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom.” My role as a teacher is to give my students – each and every one of them – any resource necessary to make them feel comfortable, secure, supported, and excited to learn. Most importantly though, education needs to have an element of fun. Learning is fun. Learning can also be (and should be) challenging – but challenges are fun when done with the right attitude and in the right environment.
What thoughts do you have for the integration of technology in your own classroom?
Technology should be integrated whenever possible and necessary. It is essential to the improvement of our technology and the future of our society that students are exposed to the technologies ingrained in our everyday existence in the classroom as well. Not incorporating IT knowledge and skills in the classroom is essentially the same as withholding students from using pencil and paper.
Recently there has been quite big fuzz over the fact that according to Eurostat, in Estonia just every eighth schoolteacher is male, which is the EU's lowest indicator. What do you think are the reasons behind this? Perhaps the teacher's work is not manly enough to attract young men or the salary is insufficient or some other reason?
I think teaching is very manly. And womanly for that matter. Teaching is for everyone! It is imperative that children have both male and female role models in their lives. It could be that there are inherited gender-role stereotypes at work here. I do feel that this is still an issue in Estonia. But I don’t know if that’s what keeps men from becoming teachers here. Maybe the issue is the salary. Why is the salary so low? Why is the status of teachers so low? And this isn’t just a problem here, it is very similar in the US. We hear, far too often: ‘those who can’t do, teach.’ This is an absurd and insulting statement. Nobody can do unless they have been taught, so doing and teaching are of equal value. And teaching is doing – it’s doing the act of sharing knowledge, building self-esteem, mentoring, sharing life-experience, helping to bring the best out from within the students, to help them realize their potential to do whatever it is they want to do. Is that less valuable? No. Yet the average salary for teachers in Estonia is less than 1000 euros per month. If our children’s education is invaluable, which I hope most people believe is the case, how can we afford to put such a low value on those delivering this education? However, I don’t believe anyone should become a teacher (or even choose not to become a teacher) based on the salary. Teaching should be something you choose to do because you believe in the importance of education – because you want to teach. Teaching is my passion, my calling, and the low salary is not going to stop me from pursuing what I believe to be so fundamentally important. I honestly don’t know what keeps Estonian men from being drawn to this profession – it’s the most fantastic job I’ve ever had. So guys, if you’ve got questions – if you’re really worried about whether this job is fulfilling, manly enough, or worth doing for the pay – just come talk to me.
Chapter Two - The Student
What do you hope to learn from your current studies at Tallinn University?
I am looking forward to gaining essential knowledge in teaching methodology, didactics and general classroom management skills as well as the knowledge I’m sure to gain from the experience of my course mates.
Is there anything you would like to change at Tallinn University?
I find the most challenging aspect of studying at TU to be the lack of a unified system for sharing and uploading assignments. Currently, some professors use Moodle, some use edidaktikum, some use wordpress, and some simply use email. It’s complicated to stay on top of the workload when I need to search for it in so many different places. I believe the university could benefit from having a centralized platform for students and professors.
Which part of Tallinn University you would introduce to the world?
Well – the university is in Tallinn and I am keen on introducing the world to the place I call home.
Chapter Three - The Band
What life do you live outside of the classroom?
Outside of the classroom I spend a lot of time focusing on my other major passion: music. I am a vocalist in the band Horror Dance Squad. I am also writing for my new, solo, hip-hop styled project and have the fantastic opportunity to write lyrics for some extremely talented Estonian artists, including the band Slippery Slope. When not engaged in working with music, I enjoy painting, riding my bicycle, and reading up on whatever spiritual, philosophical, psychological or sociological literature I can get my hands on.
Does the “band's you” and “teacher’s you” get along well?
At first I was nervous about the peaceful coexistence of ‘band Ian’ and ‘teacher Ian.’ But mostly because I was worried about what parents might think about a metal singer teaching their six year old kids. I quickly discovered that this is not (obviously) an issue. Band Ian and teacher Ian are inseparable – this is simply who I am. Plus the kids seem to think it’s pretty cool that I am in a band and they always have questions about my tattoos and piercings.
What do you want to be doing in five years and where?
I definitely want to be teaching. And I hope that it will be at Tallinn European School. The atmosphere at the school is fantastic and I feel I can truly flourish there. After seven years in Tallinn I feel very much at home in this city. Coupled with my creative and musical opportunities, I can’t think of a better place to continue doing what I’m doing.
Interview by Karolin Mägi
You are working as a teacher now in Tallinn. Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Although I never formally pursued teaching until very recently, I have always felt a pull from within towards being an educator. One of my first jobs was as a babysitter. I also coached football for 10-12 year olds and often helped out at my church’s summer camp. While working on my Bachelor’s degree I considered the idea of doing a Master’s degree in elementary education, but my move to Tallinn interrupted those thoughts.
After six years in Tallinn, I applied for a part-time position at the International School of Estonia and ended up substitute teaching during the second half of the 2012-2013 school year. That same year I also had the opportunity to substitute at Tallinn European School. Before the beginning of the following school year, TES offered me a position teaching art and English to students in the primary classes. So the 2014-15 school year was my first experience as a proper teacher. But I knew right away that I had finally found my calling.
What do you like most about teaching as a career?
Teaching is the first job I have ever had that I have ever considered making a career. In fact, as I said before, once I began teaching I knew that this was the career I was meant to pursue. I feel like I have finally found a way to make a substantial and positive difference in the world, to truly serve humanity. Not to say that we can’t do this in any other career – I believe every work can be service – but this is definitely the right path for me.
As a career, teaching offers a great deal of potential for personal growth, development and life-long learning. I am constantly impressed and inspired by the children I teach and look forward to meeting many amazing individuals (students, parents and colleagues) as I continue developing in this position. I also feel that this is a career that will constantly pose new challenges and opportunities, keeping it interesting for many years to come.
What is your favourite subject to teach and why?
My favourite subject to teach is art. Art was my favourite subject when I was in school and I find it very natural (and easy) to share my knowledge with the students. I love guiding the younger children through new techniques and seeing the work they produce. I also love the challenge of finding fun, new projects to work on together. Teaching art has improved my creativity and desire to create my own art.
What is your weaknesses as a teacher? Describe the worst lesson you have taught.
My biggest weakness at the moment is my inexperience. My second year as a teacher is by far much, much easier than the first year, but I recognize that I still have so much to learn concerning classroom management and teaching methods. That’s why I’m studying at TU! I also get an incredible amount of support from my colleagues and the administration at TES.
My worst lesson so far was a lesson I attempted to give in my first grade art class on the concept of value. The lesson was not bad because of anything the children did – I simply chose a bad project for their skill level and it completely flopped. The project was meant to take two lessons, but I scrapped it and moved on to a new project in the next lesson. None of the kids asked why we didn’t continue the project so it was obviously not very interesting for them. The experience frustrated me at first, but I learned a valuable lesson and when introducing the concept this year I chose a different approach which was much more successful.
What is the greatest success you have had in teaching?
So far the greatest success I have had was surviving my first year. Since I started teaching before having any formal training I had quite a steep learning curve. The first year was a whirlwind of new experiences, new challenges, and a whole lot of learning. But I survived. In fact, by the end of the year I felt completely comfortable in my new role and was already looking forward to the second year with much enthusiasm.
What is your philosophy on education?
My philosophy on education is simple: everyone has a great deal of inherent potential that teachers have the privilege to lead and encourage students to uncover on their own. Quoting a great spiritual teacher, I believe that every individual is a “mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom.” My role as a teacher is to give my students – each and every one of them – any resource necessary to make them feel comfortable, secure, supported, and excited to learn. Most importantly though, education needs to have an element of fun. Learning is fun. Learning can also be (and should be) challenging – but challenges are fun when done with the right attitude and in the right environment.
What thoughts do you have for the integration of technology in your own classroom?
Technology should be integrated whenever possible and necessary. It is essential to the improvement of our technology and the future of our society that students are exposed to the technologies ingrained in our everyday existence in the classroom as well. Not incorporating IT knowledge and skills in the classroom is essentially the same as withholding students from using pencil and paper.
Recently there has been quite big fuzz over the fact that according to Eurostat, in Estonia just every eighth schoolteacher is male, which is the EU's lowest indicator. What do you think are the reasons behind this? Perhaps the teacher's work is not manly enough to attract young men or the salary is insufficient or some other reason?
I think teaching is very manly. And womanly for that matter. Teaching is for everyone! It is imperative that children have both male and female role models in their lives. It could be that there are inherited gender-role stereotypes at work here. I do feel that this is still an issue in Estonia. But I don’t know if that’s what keeps men from becoming teachers here. Maybe the issue is the salary. Why is the salary so low? Why is the status of teachers so low? And this isn’t just a problem here, it is very similar in the US. We hear, far too often: ‘those who can’t do, teach.’ This is an absurd and insulting statement. Nobody can do unless they have been taught, so doing and teaching are of equal value. And teaching is doing – it’s doing the act of sharing knowledge, building self-esteem, mentoring, sharing life-experience, helping to bring the best out from within the students, to help them realize their potential to do whatever it is they want to do. Is that less valuable? No. Yet the average salary for teachers in Estonia is less than 1000 euros per month. If our children’s education is invaluable, which I hope most people believe is the case, how can we afford to put such a low value on those delivering this education? However, I don’t believe anyone should become a teacher (or even choose not to become a teacher) based on the salary. Teaching should be something you choose to do because you believe in the importance of education – because you want to teach. Teaching is my passion, my calling, and the low salary is not going to stop me from pursuing what I believe to be so fundamentally important. I honestly don’t know what keeps Estonian men from being drawn to this profession – it’s the most fantastic job I’ve ever had. So guys, if you’ve got questions – if you’re really worried about whether this job is fulfilling, manly enough, or worth doing for the pay – just come talk to me.
Chapter Two - The Student
What do you hope to learn from your current studies at Tallinn University?
I am looking forward to gaining essential knowledge in teaching methodology, didactics and general classroom management skills as well as the knowledge I’m sure to gain from the experience of my course mates.
Is there anything you would like to change at Tallinn University?
I find the most challenging aspect of studying at TU to be the lack of a unified system for sharing and uploading assignments. Currently, some professors use Moodle, some use edidaktikum, some use wordpress, and some simply use email. It’s complicated to stay on top of the workload when I need to search for it in so many different places. I believe the university could benefit from having a centralized platform for students and professors.
Which part of Tallinn University you would introduce to the world?
Well – the university is in Tallinn and I am keen on introducing the world to the place I call home.
Chapter Three - The Band
What life do you live outside of the classroom?
Outside of the classroom I spend a lot of time focusing on my other major passion: music. I am a vocalist in the band Horror Dance Squad. I am also writing for my new, solo, hip-hop styled project and have the fantastic opportunity to write lyrics for some extremely talented Estonian artists, including the band Slippery Slope. When not engaged in working with music, I enjoy painting, riding my bicycle, and reading up on whatever spiritual, philosophical, psychological or sociological literature I can get my hands on.
Does the “band's you” and “teacher’s you” get along well?
At first I was nervous about the peaceful coexistence of ‘band Ian’ and ‘teacher Ian.’ But mostly because I was worried about what parents might think about a metal singer teaching their six year old kids. I quickly discovered that this is not (obviously) an issue. Band Ian and teacher Ian are inseparable – this is simply who I am. Plus the kids seem to think it’s pretty cool that I am in a band and they always have questions about my tattoos and piercings.
What do you want to be doing in five years and where?
I definitely want to be teaching. And I hope that it will be at Tallinn European School. The atmosphere at the school is fantastic and I feel I can truly flourish there. After seven years in Tallinn I feel very much at home in this city. Coupled with my creative and musical opportunities, I can’t think of a better place to continue doing what I’m doing.
Interview by Karolin Mägi
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