A lot of what "Vice Principal S" said the last visit to District C really resonated with me in this regard, especially the concepts of developing things in common and showing students that you really do remember things they say and do. For example, every season of each sport I coach, I make sure to figure out something each team member is into, whether it be sailing in their spare time, playing Battlefield 3, listening to Miley Cyrus, or anything else; then I make sure to use that as something I can always talk about with that student. I've found that it really helps when trying to get students to listen to you and respect you if they know that you listen to them and take to heart what they say.
Another concept that I think every teacher absolutely has to stick to is their structure. Going into the field, the teacher has to know ahead of time what they will do in any situation that comes up in the classroom. On the other side of that equation, the students also have to know what the teacher will do. If students know that there will be positive consequences for good behavior, and that the teacher will respect them even in the case of bad behavior, they are much more likely to follow the teacher's lead. This ties into another thing that Vice Principal S said last week that I thought was vitally important: every day is a new day. It is the teacher's responsibility to come in every day fresh, not to hold grudges or some sort of vendetta against a student. Most, if not all of the time, students who misbehave or disrespect the teacher aren't doing it because they don't like you; they are doing it because they don't know or haven't been taught the proper way to conduct themselves. Make each day a fresh one and let the students know that you are, and the problems will decrease. There is a good discussion amongst secondary school teachers about keeping a level head in the classroom here.
I agree I think it is important to always be consistent. Rules are put up for a reason and should always be followed. If a teacher sets a certain standard for their class but doesn't uphold those rules at all times what's the point of having them? How can a student grow to respect the structure of the classroom if it isn't always present. That's not to say that one has to be strict but I think every action has to have a purpose. You don't have to have many rules but if you're not enforcing a desired behavior then don't be surprised when its not there.
ReplyDelete"Every day is a new day" really resonated with me as well.... As educators we must rise above our natural human emotions, such as holding a grudge, so that we can be role models and show our students how to act by example. If you prove to your students that you mean what you say and that you are unwavering in your expectations of them, than they will be more apt to trust and respect you. "Everyday is a new day" gives them the chance to make mistakes, learn from them, and start anew.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we must try to develop a better understanding of our students and their interests, which is something I feel can be incorporated into the assignments we give. If we allow students to share their interests and experiences through different forms of writing assignments, the teacher is then given an unobtrusive way to learn more about the students. I bring this up because I feel that knowing your students and their likes and dislikes is harder than we make it out to seem. With teachers having upwards of 100 students, at what point will you know enough about every single student to really make a useful connection? three month, four month? That's why implementing journals, suggestion boxes and things of that nature make developing that connection a much faster process.
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