In my conversation with my cooperating teacher at SDC, Rebekah Shoaf, I learned that first day attitudes change the way students form opinions of a teacher, that it is important to realize when to take a break from thinking about school and students in order to revitalize yourself and your teaching, and that, as in anything, there will be good years and bad years. Rebekah explained to me that she is harder on the students at the beginning of the year in order to set the tone for the classroom. I was able to see her in action on Thursday and I am impressed by her skill of setting a no nonsense tone right at the doorway as students enter the room. She says as the year goes on she will allow the students more autonomy, but as for the beginning of the year, her students have to write in-class essays and do independent work before she will allow them to work in groups; the students have to prove themselves before they are allowed more independence in the classroom. I think this is a great idea and, throughout my years in high school, never had a teacher with this type of attitude. Before Wednesday, I never imagined myself as the teacher who gives an essay on the first day of school; however, after listening to Rebekah’s explanation on why she gives the students this assignment, I may consider this strategy (for an older class such as English 12- I don’t know how this would work out with eighth or ninth graders).
Rebekah told me she wished she had an ‘off’ button. She said learning how to turn her mind off and away from the students is something she wished someone told her when she first started teaching. It is a difficult task and she has yet to accomplish it. She said there are times when she wakes up in the middle of the night thinking about a specific student. The profession of being a teacher is obviously focused on the students and it is difficult to go home and leave all thoughts of the students at school; however, Rebekah said it is necessary to free your mind in order to accomplish other things.
Similar to Kristen’s statement about teaching being a profession in which one must give it three years before giving up or quitting, Rebekah warned me that there will be horrible years, but also amazing years of teaching. She shared an experience with me about a time when she had the worst year and felt as though she did not want to be a teacher anymore, but then the next year was one of the best years she had. Remembering past good years and being optimistic about the years to come is the best way to persevere through the bad years. I am glad both Kristen and Rebekah shared these experiences as I know I will find myself in this situation and it is comforting to know that it is normal and that other teachers have been in the same situation.
It is a scary thought to think that it may take years before we become truly proficient teachers. I suppose it goes without saying that there are good days and bad, but the thought of having horrible years of teaching is really a frightening thought.
ReplyDeleteI actually love the idea of giving a first day writing assessment test. After reading some of my 11th graders writing assessments, I was shocked at how many of them seemed to be far below their grade level in terms of proficiency. I feel as though for a teacher, especially an ELA teacher, it is important to have a grasp of where your students are in terms of their reading, writing, and analyzing skills from the very first day.
Nicole, I think that your post was very interesting. It's funny how we all spoke to "teachers" but all got different pieces of advice. I like how Rebekah told you about having an "off" switch. I think that that is really interesting. Last weekend I was hanging out with a bunch of people, all work at offices in marketing jobs and one is a teacher. My friends were giving me and my friend a hard time about being teachers and getting off at 3 and having summer breaks and holiday vacations. My friend the 5th grade teacher said about how when they get off work they are able to leave their work at their office, while we bring our work home with us. I had never really thought of this before. I think that she most lilly meant lesson plans and grading all have to be done after school. But i think that it could also apply to the "off" switch. Hopefully one day we are able to find this off switch but if Rebekah has been teaching for a while and still hasn't... we are going to be "on' for a while!
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