My middle school years were probably the some of the toughest years of my life. During that time my home life was chaotic to put it mildly, we were dirt poor, and I basically had to raise my younger sister at the same time. For all of my 7th grade year and at least half of my 8th grade year I had a total of 2 pair of pants and 3 shirts that I rotated each week. Many nights dinner consisted of syrup sandwichs or a can of beans. The thing I'm getting at here is that my situation was not unique, and in fact many of the students I teach today have it far worse than I ever did. Though my life was hell during those years, I would not change it for anything in the world. I truly believe that going through those experiences helped to make me the teacher I am today.
With all that said I have 2 rules that I wish every teacher would follow, whether they've just started or have been teaching for 20 years or more.
Rule 1: Do not under any circumstances ask a student's previous teachers anything about the students assigned to your classes at the beginning of the year.
The reason is that all students act differently in different situations and with different teachers, so it is extremely difficult to go by the things another teacher may tell you about a student. For instance, if a teacher is told at the start of the year how troublesome a student is the chances increase greatly that the teacher will subconsciously create the very behaviors they were warned about. YOU CREATE WHAT YOU EXPECT!
Rule 2: Giving respect earns respect.
I understand that students are students and must follow rules in order for learning to occur in the classroom, however teachers must always keep in mind that many students are suffering through home lives far worse then anything I went through. Far too many teachers treat today's students like it was still the 50's or 60's. It simply doesn't work in today's world. I make it a habit to kill my students with kindness. I always say no maam, yes sir, please, & thank you to all my students. I also have never, and will never, raise my voice or yell at students. This works incredibly well, and I am given the same respect back from the students.
The reason this method works is because most of these students come from homes where yelling and manners are nonexistent.
If you do not already do this in the classroom...give a shot....please & thank you! :)
Were these the years you were living in the "trailer park in the sky"
ReplyDeleteDerick