Student Teaching

Littlek--

You can also throw in stand-beside-your-desk stretch exercises, followed by a teacher-led minute of concentrated breathing.

They don't want to listen? Then you choose to have them write. Or stretch. Or breath.

You choose.

Noddy24 wrote:

Littlek--

You can also throw in stand-beside-your-desk stretch exercises, followed by a teacher-led minute of concentrated breathing.

They don't want to listen? Then you choose to have them write. Or stretch. Or breath.

You choose.

When we stretch at the desks, the kids tend to get a little out of control. One will throw himself on the ground. Two will start to throw pretend punches. Not really achieving the desired effect. But not so bad, should do more of this. When we try to do focused breathing several kids pant and hyperventilate. End up breaking in to classroom laughter. The heads-down seemed to work - she just did that this week. Well, it seemed to work once The One was removed from the room......

I talked with my bro on the way down here about the dynamic between me and MsD and that between us and the kids. I began to realize that to some extent this is a repeat of sticky situations I saw as a nanny. The parents would disregard something I'd asked the child to do and then the child would see me as having less and less authority. In this class a couple things have had this effect. Once at the beginning of the year when the teacher was going to be out of school for the day, she told the kids not to worry. She said that I would be there and that a REAL TEACHER would be coming in during the afternoon. She said this REAL TEACHER thing several times. I don't think that she meant to infer that I wasn't a real teacher so much as she meant to say that the sub wouldn't be the usual random adult. But, what I heard and what I think the kids heard was that I wasn't a real teacher. I believe that set the stage.

Another issue is the inconsistent responses they get from me and her to their requests. When a kid asks me if they can use the bathroom and I say no, they will then ask her and she'll say yes. The reason I say no is that she had clear rules about when it was ok to use the bathroom and when it was not. I was following her rules and she was breaking them. Which is her perogative, but the kids are learning to play it. I resolved this by not saying yes or no, but telling the kids to ask MsD. But it happens in other ways. Her clear rule about reading centers was that they be done in allotted areas, so I keep the kids in the specified area and after arguing with me, they ask her and she says it's ok to move. She knows when she wants to give lee-way, but I don't.

Do I just cease to direct kids? Can I teach that way? Do I talk to the teach about it? How do I do so without being annoying? I KNOW that the classroom will run more smoothly if we are on the same page. I know this from childcare. I know it'll be easier for me, but also her and the kids.

I did mention talking with her about it. The problems are that I am agitated about it and need to think it through before I speak and that she does have to pass me (recommend my licensure).

Thomas wrote:

But what works for other teachers won't work for you if it's not your style. And I'm getting the impression that meanness, unfortunately, is not your style at all.

I didn't see it as mean - rather firm and clear and consistent - which is what parents who post on A2K seem to want from their children's teachers. Teaching is a different thing from parenting or babysitting - it's a profession - with goals to be achieved every day.