Substitute teaching definately has is benefits, but there are also many things that stink about it. Today I am witness to both, but for some reason the stinky things stand are the ones making the most impact.
I'm teaching at a middle school here in Riverside. I have a seventh grade language arts class. Wednesdays are planning days, so each period only lasts 35 minutes and I am done at 1:05. Despite the fact that it's so short, I am still miserable. I don't know if the classes are bad because they just are or if it is because their teacher isn't a good one. The period that just left was filled with 33 students that seemed like they belong in the zoo. There were only two small assignments for them to complete, but somehow this was still too much. They were so loud that I coudn't even be heard by everyone when yelling. It was hopeless. I finally got half of the class under control and started working with them. After a few minutes the other half quited down just enough so that they could hear. They didn't stop talking by any means, just calmed down a little. I really don't know what I can do in these types of situations. I didn't feel like writing referrals for half of the class. Maybe I should next time.
These are the kinds of days that make me question why I want to teach. Having students like these depress me. They make me realize how much work it takes to be a teacher. I don't know what happened along the road that made each student this way, but I wonder if it can be reversed. I wonder if these students can ever change. The only thing that I can do is pray. I am making it a habit to pray for the students that I come in contact with. I will pray for their attitudes, for their goals and dreams, for their family lives and for their education. I have learned that on my own I can't do anything. Why are these students going to listen to or respect a substitute that will be with them for half an hour? My time will be spent wisely by praying for these students. I will maintain a positive attitude even when I feel like doing or saying something I shouldn't.
It is my prayer that God would use me during this stage of my life to be a witness to those I come in contact with-even if only for half an hour. I want to make an eternal impact, but in order to do that I must die to myself. Please pray that I will be able to do that.
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3 comments:
there is always hope for kids...and it starts on the first day of school. it may seem hopeless as a sub, but once you are a teacher you have the authority and challenge to start the year off right...with expectations and standards that WILL be followed by the students. with that attitude, along with constant reinforcement for the first month or so, you will have a great year. for the first month of school it seems like I stop every 5 minutes to redirect and remind students of the classroom standards. but, it is worth it because then I have a great year with well behaved students who know what to expect from me.
I only have 3 classroom rules/standards: 1. Show Respect 2. Make good decisions 3. Be a problem solver
Everything that might happen in or out of the classroom falls into one of those categories.
When I was in junior high, we made our youth group teacher cry. It was a 6th grade small group of girls and we would NOT shut up and listen to her. it was really sad. i remember her BEGGING us to listen to her and half of the class (surprisingly, not my half) kept talking and she just started crying. It was really sad! but they were nice girls, they didn't know they were being so rude....middle schoolers are just immature and talkative with thousands of crazy new hormones running through their bodies and they don't know what to do with them. sorry to hear about your bad day, though!
Liz
Tim, I totally understand - I am right there with you and I am sure that we will continue to learn how to handle those situations as time passes.
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