Moving Forward

If you really want to positively impact students, especially students with histories of behavior problems or academic failure, you need to face forward. What the heck is he talking about, you might be thinking to yourself right about now. What I mean is that in order for a student to make a positive change, they need you to truly believe that they are capable of change. You must be willing to forget their past mistakes, and move forward. Do not pay attention to teachers who have had these students in their class in past years and are eager to share all the horrible things that these students have done. They may even expect you to share their anger, hatred, or disgust. Worse yet, colleagues may expect you to share in their firm belief that these students are not capable of improvement. Do not let yourself fall into these traps. Your belief, or unbelief, in students capabilities is conveyed daily, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not. Often, these messages are transmitted in subtle, seemingly invisible ways. Do you believe that all your students are capable of growth and improvement? Do you have high expectations for every single individual who walks through your classroom door?

Practice Makes Perfect

I recently came to the realization that this is the first time in my 11-year teaching career that I have been in the same classroom (and same grade level) for 3 consecutive years. Now, don't get me wrong, I am grateful that I have had the chance to teach 5th through 8th grade in multiple urban settings. My varied experiences have given me perspective and fostered versatility. Yet, I can't help thinking that teachers move (or get moved!) around too much. If you are a beginning teacher and have an inkling that you may be cut out for a different setting or a different level, by all means pursue that inner sense that is pushing you in a different direction. That being said, it makes a whole lot of sense to me to think that a teacher needs consistency and time in order to develop into a master. I feel increasingly more confident with every year that I teach 5th grade. My students are reaping the benefits of having a teacher who knows the curriculum and has been given the time necessary to begin supplementing it and enriching it in new and exciting ways. This is only possible with time (and of course a drive to continually reflect and improve). If you adopt this mentality of continual reflection and improvement, it may be easier to deal with the frustrations and setbacks that you will most certainly experience in your early years. I hope you're in it for the long haul because good things are awaiting you on the road ahead...

First Day Of School is History!

Well, I had certainly planned to write again before today but the beginning of the year madness gripped me yet again. We were sent off campus to a mindless inservice for an entire day (out of three days total) of preparation for the first day of school. I'm sure that many of you can relate. Anyway, I'm wondering how the first day went for all those new teachers out there. When you get over the relief of surviving your first day, what are you left thinking. If you're like me, you might be replaying a circumstance in your mind and wondering if you handled it the right way. That's probably a good thing because this means you reflect and, more importantly, you care. Even if you are judging yourself harshly right now, the good news is that you will have many chances to "right the ship". When a student was acting in a way that bothered you, did you address it? Or did you let it slide because you felt bad correcting a student so early in the year? I hope you addressed it because the time to set the stage is NOW and the students are in the process of figuring out where you stand and what you stand for. The best advice I can give you in this regard is to practice addressing negative behavior in a way that gets your point across strongly without eliciting an angry response. How can you redirect a student respectfully? The key is to frame your words in a way that makes it clear to students that the main reason their behavior is unacceptable is because it detracts from learning and prevents them (students) from reaching their potential. Avoid making it about you, making it too personal. One last comment on this subject. Carefully examine the motives for your actions/reactions in the classroom. As much as possible, try to act with selfless intentions. Are you struggling with classroom management, or with a particular student? Feel free to share or discuss by posting a comment.









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