The past few weeks have been challenging. Assignments pile up, time ticks away, and I seem to get crankier with every lost minute of sleep.
On top of the typical grind of going back to school, I've been struggling with my current placement. Professionally, it was not the right fit...BUT personally, I didn't have the best attitude.
I'm heading off to a new placement this week, leading me to much reflection about the previous one. I've concluded that there is vast room for improvement. While thinking through the experience and making sense of my feelings, I was reminded of an email I previously received from MT. As I've mentioned before, MT is absolutely wonderful and seems to have a knack for saying profound things when I need to hear them most. Her words of wisdom are often gems, and I've received her permission to share with others. Here's a piece of the email I've been doing a lot of thinking about:
I talk to you about my struggles, not to scare you but to model for you the importance of reflection. Good teachers are always rethinking what they have done in order to be more effective. That is the exciting part of teaching. Doing it better and seeing kids succeed because of it.
Also, the kids are NEVER to blame when things go south. You will hear teachers that do that now and in the future, and they will not be ones you admire. Kids may be difficult, but it is our responsibility to find a way to help them succeed. We do not want to be the kind of teachers who can only be successful with well-behaved children who come to us at grade level. So sometimes it is soul searching time. Do we need more skills, more organization, or a new attitude?
Attitude adjustment: Check. Excited for new opportunities this week!
Thanks for the attitude adjustment. I had just made the comment that I am getting crankier by the minute as the work load piles up...and then I read your post and I had to laugh (it's nice to know I'm not the only one). And after laughing, I had to think--which is usually a good thing. I appreciate you sharing the pearl of wisdom from your MT. I may not be blaming my troubles on students right now, but there is often someone who gets the short end of the stick when I get frustrated. It is a good reality check (and life lesson) to always look inward first before our fingers start pointing--it seems I could use more skills, more organization AND a new attitude.
ReplyDeleteHey Book23,
ReplyDeleteIsn't it interesting how we find so many teachers blaming students for their misbehavior? We read a lot about the ineffectiveness of punishment, and when I see students being punished for their behavior, I truly believe that it reaps no benefits and instigates no change whatsoever. I agree wholeheartedly with MT that the best way to foster a classroom full of students ready to learn is to establish the expectation of success. Students do not want to let down their teachers or themselves; if we make it clear from the start that we care about their success, and our actions prove this to them, the classroom will blossom with learning.