Social Cognitive Theory

A Critical Incident

According to researchers like Tripp (1994): "they are not at all dramatic or obvious - they are mostly straightforward accounts of very commonplace events that occur in routine professional practice which are critical in the sense that that they indicative of underlying motive and structures in teaching, importantly, critical incidents are created. Incidents happen all the time, but critical incidents are produced by the way we look at a situation: a critical incident therefore is an interpretation of the significance of an event" I believe that critical incidents can happen, not only to teachers, but also to students and depending on how one looks at the situation there can be positive or negative outcomes.

It was during my school years "form four terms three to be exact" that I came across one of the most critical incidents of my life. I can remember it clearly as if it were just yesterday the words of what I believe was one of the harshest teachers I have ever encountered. He stood boldly in front of the class one morning and said "You are all like rotten bighans, stale, stagnant and ent going no where."

I taught to my self long and hard that day, and decided that no one man has the power to determined my future just because he may not have liked my class. I there and then decided that I was going to prove to him what a brilliant person I am and that I will pass all of my exams despite of what he may think of us. Fortunately for me, I was one of the students who's ambitions got the best of them an lead me to succeed in my endeavors, unfortunately for the students who where deterred by the teachers speech and stopped coming to class or trying to pass the subject.

To me, I looked at both sides of the equation and made the best out a hard situation for an adolescent. I withdrew myself form the negative outcomes and ideas that some children decided to follow, like skipping class and dropping the subject. Instead I looked at the situation as a challenge, and decided to rise above the remake made by the teacher and prove not only to him but to my self that I can even be better than him if I put my mind to it.

I was very proud of myself when I graduated form Chaguanas Senior Comprehensive with a complete certificate of pass in ones and twos, but I didn't let it stop there. I furthered my studies and landed a great job as an accountant in a near by firm, unfortunately I never really felt that I accomplished all the things I had wanted to do and I was not happy in the profession I had gotten into.

It was not until six years later that my dreams of becoming a teacher came true; when the Ministry of Education contacted me it actually lifted my sprits in life and filled my world with joy.

Today I am currently

In conclusion I am happy this incident happened