Remember, students are self-centred. Many believe that because you are correcting their behaviour that 'you are picking on them' and/or 'you hate them'. You might get that impression from them too. Don't take it personally. It's just 'the nature of the beast'. Let what happens in the classroom stay there.
golden teacher growkit Feather your own nest. I have the most wonderful bed linens, I feel like a princess every night when I go to bed. I have 2 feather mattresses and a silk, down comforter. I bought them at a discount store we have called, Tuesday Morning. Scour the town for one of your own. You will sink into luxury and know you are special, each and every night.
growkit golden teacher I had a capacity for falling in love unmatched by anyone else I know and unrestrained by any need for reciprocity. In my last year at primary school I fell irrevocably in love with words AND my gangly English teacher who must have been at least 25 years older than I was.
From the very beginning set the standards for behaviour high. 'Jump' on early problems immediately. (One of the guiding principles of a successful principal I worked with was this: If you are particular to make sure all the simple issues of discipline are concentrated on, e.g. good manners, being on time, correct dress and so on, the students are so concerned about being 'caught' that the more serious offences never seem to develop. It is important to note here that it is much easier to 'loosen up' on discipline later than to tighten up at a later date.
golden teacher growkit Sometimes a famous teacher lectures in Huxley or at times someone plays the congo drum or there is a classically trained musician or teacher demonstrating his technique. One of my favorite classes was with the famous Cellist David Darling and Al Huang. Electricity wildly alive in the environment. Genius at play.
growkit golden teacher I was raised not to call people "out of their name". My grandmother named me David, after the great Hebrew patriarch. She taught me that my name meant 'beloved' and not to let folks shorten or alter it. "Dave did not slay Goliath", she admonished. "Nor was Dave king of Israel." She explained names often carried the weight of expectation. What you called others was as important as anything else you could say to them was her belief. More vital, though, was what we allowed others to call us. Hence, my edict.
This experience in nature is a far cry from my usual surroundings in the City of L.A. Sometimes huge wall length reflective mirrors are exposed by withdrawn curtains. The room seems to double in size and the outside lighting adds a unique dimension. A beam of light shines in stirring the room. There is an old finely tuned antique classy black piano in one corner of the immense space and in the opposite corner a wonderful stereo system -- music is playing softly but will change tempo radically several times in the next 45 minutes. Sometimes a rug, soft mats or pillows cover the entire smooth shiny wooden floor.
What was most remarkable though, was that it wasn't my class. I was their substitute teacher. The transformation they experienced took place in a two week period. For the two years I subbed, this ritual of establishing respect and mutual worth had the same results--regardless of were it was applied. So-called troubled, hyper, or violent kids all rose to the expectation that they too, were worthy of being addressed and treated with respect. Was I a super teacher or psychological genius? Not by any stretch. I simply worked a principle. That's the great thing about principles; they work regardless of who uses them. Later in my career, I saw a memorable illustration of the power of positive expectations. It came from the story of a legendary trader with a comic strip name.
Outstanding teachers share a similar way of thinking about their work. The highest purpose of their work is not to just earn money (clearly!) or get results. The highest purpose of their teaching is to add real value to the lives of their students.
golden teacher
Report this page