On the eve of an unprecedented whole week off of the high school, this is my horoscope:
Relief is arriving in the form of temporary freedom. Of course, you may never feel as free as you ultimately wish, but at least now some of the overbearing restrictions are lifting. Don't misuse this newfound gift by frittering your time away. If you can stay as focused as you were when the pressure was on, you'll accomplish more than you thought possible.
Creepy.
I'm excited for a week off. Is that wrong? I think deep down inside me somewhere, I'm really loving this whole thing. It's just being buried in a mass of my own neurosis. I seriously think I am developing an anxeity disorder. I've been watching insane amounts of TV just to quiet the ever faster sound of nagging voices in my head, questioning the existential purpose of it all. Non-reccomended reading at this stage of life: The Bell Jar
Ok, constructive topic: How does one achieve respect in the classroom? I hate to admit it, but I really don't think I have it in one of my classes, and it has been affecting everything lately. My master teacher has this sheet by his desk that has mine and other teachers first names on it, and a group of them were by the desk and saw my name, and now they have all given up the whole "Ms. So and so" thing and call me by my first name. When I asked them to stop they asked why they had to, seeing as how I "am barely older than they are and you only call someone Ms. if they are an adult."
In ways I can't blame them. As professional as I try and be most times in the classroom, I really don't see myself as an adult, and so I guess I can't really expect them to see or treat me as one. Maybe the trick is more self-confidence.
Anyone got a quick fix for faking that?
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Ouch...no fun. I wish I had advice for you on this one, but as of Wednesday, I'm pretty sure my first period dropped the whole respect thing forever. They still refer to me as Ms., but that doesn't mean they listen to me. Or do their work. Or show up to class on time. And they love to "secretly" talk s*** about me in their native languages, which I don't understand...though I DO understand facial expressions, pointing, and laughing.
So yeah, I have no advice, but I offer my own miserable experiences this week as solace.
One thing I have found to be effective is talking to one different student each day about non-English-class stuff. I try to greet my students at the door, and I just pick one and say "Hi Student X, how's that architecture competition going?", or whatever they're into. Their "Dear Teacher" letters have plenty of material to use.
I don't know if I would go so far as to call this "effective", but so far my students are only mildly disrespectful. I feel that if they know that I think of them as an individual, they might just go against that mob mentality that makes the class collectively scoff at my authority.
Whales,
What the F? Of course they don’t respect you. First off, why are you surprised. And second, do really even fucking care? I mean sure, it’d be nice if all of your students looked up to you with some-sort-of David Koresh like admiration, but hell… if you want this you’ll need to start teaching religion. Which I have been informed by my students is illegal. The ten commandments is the last time I try and teach them something that I think they can use.
Lets look at what you’re saying here:
I'm excited for a week off. Is that wrong?
No, of course not. I’d stab my own mother in the eyeball for a week off right now. You be grateful for a “ski-week.” Go get drunk, or go do something far removed from your students and youth culture. I’d suggest volunteering at a rest home. Listen to their stories, they’ll sound like this; “I fought for four years in the European theatre and killed twelve members of the SS,” or “I riveted the wings of planes together,” or “ I wanted something greater that a set of spinners on my ride and the newest pair of jordans.” Now that’s a generation.
I think deep down inside me somewhere, I'm really loving this whole thing. It's just being buried in a mass of my own neurosis. I seriously think I am developing an anxeity disorder. I've been watching insane amounts of TV just to quiet the ever faster sound of nagging voices in my head, questioning the existential purpose of it all.
Ok Sartre.
Non-reccomended reading at this stage of life: The Bell Jar
This should never be recommended to anyone anyhow. It’s a boring self-indulgent piece of poop- I’ve never read it.
Ok, constructive topic: How does one achieve respect in the classroom? I hate to admit it, but I really don't think I have it in one of my classes, and it has been affecting everything lately.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down a bit. You don’t need them to respect you, just have them listen to you. Maybe you’ll get their respect someday, but honestly it probably won’t be anytime soon, maybe not till years later, and in some cases maybe never. And you probably won’t get their respect by having them run all-over you. Look, chalk this up as a learning experience. You’re a student-teacher. You’re learning, at best you should be attempting to be a bad teacher not an adequate or terrific one. All of this won’t come in a matter of days. Hell I had a job washing cars once and that took me practically all summer to get down acceptably. What I’m trying to say is this shit takes time, and you won’t help yourself by beating yourself up at night about this. As long as you don’t repeat your mistakes you should be fine.
Now with the whole classroom not respecting you, they probably never will, just give up on that. As far as with controlling the classroom this is another matter, and I think a lot of it may have to deal with being too nice at first. So if you can, start cracking the whip. If you think a lot of it is lost, just don’t let it get worse, but at least go into your first real year being strict, standoffish and altogether not yourself, and then ease off on this if you feel you can. I’ve heard from countless young teachers at my school that they all made the same mistake and were too nice during their student teaching. Also, many are surprised at how they act in a classroom, compared to how they felt they would prior to entering a classroom.
My master teacher has this sheet by his desk that has mine and other teachers first names on it, and a group of them were by the desk and saw my name, and now they have all given up the whole "Ms. So and so" thing and call me by my first name. When I asked them to stop they asked why they had to, seeing as how I "am barely older than they are and you only call someone Ms. if they are an adult."
Call them by their middle-names. If this doesn’t work add an adjective or phrase to this. If you find yourself still needing more add, “captain,” “mister” or “misses” to your name for them. Ex. Captain Outraged Over Nothing Maxwell.
In ways I can't blame them. As professional as I try and be most times in the classroom, I really don't see myself as an adult, and so I guess I can't really expect them to see or treat me as one.
You should blame them. Just keep reminding yourself. These kids don’t know dick about shit. They probably know about as much as you did when you were their age. Don’t romanticize about this. If I ever have the good fortune of running into myself when I was seventeen I will kick myself in the nuts so hard, it’ll take care of the vasectomy I’ll plan seven years down the road when doing my student teaching
Maybe the trick is more self-confidence. Anyone got a quick fix for faking that?
I do, go in drunk everyday.
Oh, I feel your pain, because I am in the same position. I guess we have to remind ourselves that we DO NOT really have a master teacher right now who can step in and mediate between us and the class. Someone told me that my "set face" or how I look regularly, probably looks like a dear caught in some headlights. How do I fix that?!? I just have to accept I can't .. the students will probably never really respect us, even if we give them a nice lecture or speech about it. It's hard to accept, but I guess we just have to look forward to the day when they might. It is difficult if you are only a few years older than the students. Sometimes it's hard to be strict in front of the classroom and be secretly laughing at yourself on the inside. How do you stay serious when you want to laught?!? I guess it's just finding a balance ...
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