As I am sitting here while my Algebra 1 students are working on a graphing assignment while watching The Grinch, I am reminded of a thought that I often have.
“I really like these kids as people (most of them), but more often than not, I really don’t like them as students.”
I know this sounds negative, but it’s true.
These students STRUGGLE with behavior in class. I have class sizes of 32, and the students are mostly freshman, with a few sophomores scattered in (those taking Algebra for a third time… you can imagine how much they want to be in class).
This being the case, these classes are extremely difficult to manage. It doesn’t matter where I sit them, they will talk to anyone. It doesn’t matter if we are taking notes, doing homework, working on a project, doing an activity… They still find a way to misbehave.
I try to do activities with them, and it usually backfires because I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to manage behavior, answer questions, and walk them through the directions which are right in front of them.
I leave these two classes every day feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and frustrated. I feel like a really bad teacher after they leave my room. I think to myself, I really don’t like these kids. They make me feel badly about myself, they never do as they’re told, and they can be very disrespectful at times.
But, it’s when I see them outside of the room that things change.
When I’m no longer trying to get them to do their assignment, or take notes, or stay in their seat… All of the sudden, things are different.
I actually like them! They are funny, and kind, and good people.
I laugh A LOT when I am talking with some of them.
I can see their interests and their personalities, and I feel good about our interactions.
So, the question that will remain for the time being… How can I get myself to like them as students, the same way I like them as people?
I always say that teaching is one of the most difficult social roles someone can fill. All at once you have to be a friend, a counselor, a drill sergeant, a marketer (to convince them to do things), etc. It's tough. It has been interesting to me (to reference your previous post), that when I started to move towards a less teacher-directed approach, I suddenly was able to see my students as people more inside my classroom. Even when I was doing it in small doses, I got to see their personality shine through. I think part of it was that they were excited. So often when I'm frustrated it's because they're off task or not turning work in, but when I can find that magic element that lets them be excited, suddenly I don't have to worry as much about the things that frustrate me. Thanks for sharing, and keep on keeping on. Even just from reading your posts, I can tell you are doing great things in your classroom.
ReplyDeleteYou have hit many of my frustrations on the head in this post. What are we supposed to do when we look out at a sea of faces that have NO interest in what we are trying to teach them? It is an eternal struggle for teachers, and I have no idea what the answer is, but I think the fact that you recognize the difference between these beings as people and as students is a great indication of your maturity and perspective. The system has created this dynamic, not the students, and not us. Unfortunately we have to live in it. I try to be funny and weird, just to get their attention. I try to build personal relationships with them and really tell them that I like them. I wrote a bunch of emails home praising kids that I really liked back during conferences, and it had some good effects. But you can only do so much. We are half way to summer. Keep smiling.
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