There are students who drive me crazy. That's not something that teachers are supposed to admit, but it's true. However, I've been mulling this over quite a bit.
I respond differently to those students who annoy me. If they are tapping a pencil I assume they are doing it on purpose. If they are humming I assume they are trying to disrupt those around them.
But, when I stop to think, I don't believe these things are intentional. I teach first graders. They tap fingers, hum, whistle, wiggle, squirm, etc. It's not intentional, at least not the great majority of the time. They are simply being first graders.
When I recognize that students are doing these annoying things subconsciously without an attempt to annoy or disrupt I respond to them in a very different way. I respond with patience and care. Not surprisingly they then react with respect.
My reminder to myself is to respond to students as I would want my daughters' teachers to respond to them. (I think that's my new golden rule of teaching.)
5 comments:
LOVE that teaching rule. Best one I've heard. Thanks.
I always sit in grad school classes and notice how many people are tapping pencils, fidgeting, squirming, or doing something else that we wouldn't "allow" in first grade. In the rest of the world it's human behavior- in school we treat it as though it's as bad as talking back to the teacher.
I think your rule is dead on.
As a new teacher coming late to the profession, this is always on my mind while observing other teachers at work-- several times I have had the thought "Gee, I hope my son's teachers don't respond that way to him..." Of course the trick is to keep this in mind about my own teaching as well-- in the heat of the moment it can be harder to attribute good or neutral intentions to a challenging student...
As a parent, I applaud you for your effort at finding your New Golden Rule. If you treat my children with respect, they will in turn treat you the same. And it will make my job as a parent so much easier, not having to deal each day with a scared and confused kid. Thanks!
I really feel like I'm missing this dimension to being a good teacher since I'm not a parent yet!! But I love the rule anyway!
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