I've discussed the mom thing enough. You're probably like "Okay. We get it. You're bad at this. Move on."
Will do!
Let's discuss something I am relatively okay at: teaching.
This is currently year 5 in the classroom for me. I've been at my current high school for 3 of those years teaching mostly 11th grade English, (every once in a while they like to throw in a sophomore or a senior group). I love this class. The age, the content, the behavior, the literature- everything. This is my sweet spot.
I honestly have been sitting on this blog post for over 4 weeks now, in this exact spot. I have NO idea how I want to shape this blog or even begin to talk about my love for education.
Management?
Content?
Students?
English?
Parents?
Environment?
Professional Development?
There are literally so many things to talk about with education, that I've had the worst time narrowing down what it is I want to discuss in my first education themed blog. I will probably hit every aspect of the teaching realm, eventually, but for now I'll start with my basic management style.
How would I describe it? Laid back, but not too laid back. Chill, but not too chill. Strict, but not too strict. Yeah. That means nothing.
My management style has changed over the years. When I first started, like many first year teachers, I was super laid back. Too laid back. I ate up the students love for me and gave in to them. By the end of the year they were walking all over me.
As the years have gone on, I've gotten super mean.
Just kidding, mostly
I start off the year not letting them do anything.
No, you can't go to the bathroom.
No, you can't turn this in late.
A drink of water? What? No. You can't.
Don't even think about bringing your phone out in this classroom.
Stop. Talking.
Your eyes need to be up here at all times.
You forgot a pen? Figure it out.
And all of that is just the first week.
Then as soon as they start deciding to hate me, boom! I start to show more of my personality. Turns out I'm a pretty likable teacher once you get passed the first couple weeks. My teacher personality is some mix between Ms. Norbury (Mean Girls), Mr. Feeny (Boy Meets World), and Mr. Keating (Dead Poets Society). At least that's how I see myself, which we all see ourselves differently than how others may perceive us.
Throughout the year, I have to still have some stern talks with kids about their behavior, but now it comes as second nature. My default relationship with every student comes with the same basic foundation of respect. If you're a student in my class, you already have my respect. That means you are heard, you are understood, you are believed, and you are valued.
High school students, more than ever now, need to feel as if they are valued and understood. That's why I have high standards for them. That's why I require them to read outside of my class. That's why they are required to participate in all class discussions. That's why I grade their essays and writing assignments harshly. Because I KNOW they can do it, and I value their education.
I'm currently in a weird place with my juniors and seniors. They need to be adults, but they really aren't close to being adults. I mean, yes, LEGALLY, they are close to being adults, but even my senior students- it will be a couple years before they are really, TRULY responsible adults.
So I have this weird thing now with them. Half of the time I'm like "DO YOUR WORK. BE AN ADULT. COLLEGE AND REAL LIFE IS YOUR NEXT STEP SO ACT LIKE IT." And then half the time I'm like, "But, someone has to TEACH them to be an adult. Some of the students need to be eased into the adult world, not thrown in."
So, for us high school teachers, how can we transition them?
The BIGGEST thing I hear from former students who graduate is that they are not prepared for real life, college, work life, or whatever they go to. So where's the gap? When do we start to get REAL with them? How to transition EVERY STUDENT?
How on earth do we meet every kid where they are? How do we get them to meet every standard before they have to leave for real life? How do we plan for different learners, and get everything done that we need to do in a day?
It seems bleak to end on that note. Teachers have a really rough go right now. We're feeling ignored, put on the back burner, and overall tired. Tired of jumping through hoops, tired of the apathy, tired of thinking about every single aspect of every single standard, and every single student 24/7.
This blog took a weird turn. But I guess I'm glad it did.
I've chosen this job, this life, this pain. I'm not quitting anytime soon. I choose to try harder. I choose to learn more. I choose to not stay stagnant and stay the course. Do I get every student on my side 100% of the time? Nope. Do I get every assignment turned in on time every time? NO! That's not even a thing. I think I would just be at the peak of my profession if that ever happened.
I'm here for students. Yeah, I teach English standards, sure. But more than that, I'm teaching real life students, with real problems, real feelings, real goals, and real aspirations in life. I'm just hoping to be one guide to help them along their way.
SO cheesy, right?
I'll leave with this: I teach The Great Gatsby to my juniors every year. Love that book so dang much. In chapter 3, Nick talks about Gatsby's smile having an "irresistible prejudice in your favor." He goes on and says, "It understood you just as far as you want to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey."
I hope my kids see that I am for them, that I am on their side, and that everything I do at this job is for them.
Ugh. So cheesy.
Will do!
Let's discuss something I am relatively okay at: teaching.
This is currently year 5 in the classroom for me. I've been at my current high school for 3 of those years teaching mostly 11th grade English, (every once in a while they like to throw in a sophomore or a senior group). I love this class. The age, the content, the behavior, the literature- everything. This is my sweet spot.
I honestly have been sitting on this blog post for over 4 weeks now, in this exact spot. I have NO idea how I want to shape this blog or even begin to talk about my love for education.
Management?
Content?
Students?
English?
Parents?
Environment?
Professional Development?
There are literally so many things to talk about with education, that I've had the worst time narrowing down what it is I want to discuss in my first education themed blog. I will probably hit every aspect of the teaching realm, eventually, but for now I'll start with my basic management style.
How would I describe it? Laid back, but not too laid back. Chill, but not too chill. Strict, but not too strict. Yeah. That means nothing.
My management style has changed over the years. When I first started, like many first year teachers, I was super laid back. Too laid back. I ate up the students love for me and gave in to them. By the end of the year they were walking all over me.
As the years have gone on, I've gotten super mean.
Just kidding, mostly
I start off the year not letting them do anything.
No, you can't go to the bathroom.
No, you can't turn this in late.
A drink of water? What? No. You can't.
Don't even think about bringing your phone out in this classroom.
Stop. Talking.
Your eyes need to be up here at all times.
You forgot a pen? Figure it out.
And all of that is just the first week.
Then as soon as they start deciding to hate me, boom! I start to show more of my personality. Turns out I'm a pretty likable teacher once you get passed the first couple weeks. My teacher personality is some mix between Ms. Norbury (Mean Girls), Mr. Feeny (Boy Meets World), and Mr. Keating (Dead Poets Society). At least that's how I see myself, which we all see ourselves differently than how others may perceive us.
Throughout the year, I have to still have some stern talks with kids about their behavior, but now it comes as second nature. My default relationship with every student comes with the same basic foundation of respect. If you're a student in my class, you already have my respect. That means you are heard, you are understood, you are believed, and you are valued.
High school students, more than ever now, need to feel as if they are valued and understood. That's why I have high standards for them. That's why I require them to read outside of my class. That's why they are required to participate in all class discussions. That's why I grade their essays and writing assignments harshly. Because I KNOW they can do it, and I value their education.
I'm currently in a weird place with my juniors and seniors. They need to be adults, but they really aren't close to being adults. I mean, yes, LEGALLY, they are close to being adults, but even my senior students- it will be a couple years before they are really, TRULY responsible adults.
So I have this weird thing now with them. Half of the time I'm like "DO YOUR WORK. BE AN ADULT. COLLEGE AND REAL LIFE IS YOUR NEXT STEP SO ACT LIKE IT." And then half the time I'm like, "But, someone has to TEACH them to be an adult. Some of the students need to be eased into the adult world, not thrown in."
So, for us high school teachers, how can we transition them?
The BIGGEST thing I hear from former students who graduate is that they are not prepared for real life, college, work life, or whatever they go to. So where's the gap? When do we start to get REAL with them? How to transition EVERY STUDENT?
How on earth do we meet every kid where they are? How do we get them to meet every standard before they have to leave for real life? How do we plan for different learners, and get everything done that we need to do in a day?
It seems bleak to end on that note. Teachers have a really rough go right now. We're feeling ignored, put on the back burner, and overall tired. Tired of jumping through hoops, tired of the apathy, tired of thinking about every single aspect of every single standard, and every single student 24/7.
This blog took a weird turn. But I guess I'm glad it did.
I've chosen this job, this life, this pain. I'm not quitting anytime soon. I choose to try harder. I choose to learn more. I choose to not stay stagnant and stay the course. Do I get every student on my side 100% of the time? Nope. Do I get every assignment turned in on time every time? NO! That's not even a thing. I think I would just be at the peak of my profession if that ever happened.
I'm here for students. Yeah, I teach English standards, sure. But more than that, I'm teaching real life students, with real problems, real feelings, real goals, and real aspirations in life. I'm just hoping to be one guide to help them along their way.
SO cheesy, right?
I'll leave with this: I teach The Great Gatsby to my juniors every year. Love that book so dang much. In chapter 3, Nick talks about Gatsby's smile having an "irresistible prejudice in your favor." He goes on and says, "It understood you just as far as you want to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey."
I hope my kids see that I am for them, that I am on their side, and that everything I do at this job is for them.
Ugh. So cheesy.
