I have a permanent teacher in my classroom!! Hallelujah!
But seriously. I'm really excited about her and the potential for the rest of the year. 2 out of the 3 classes I serve were really engaged in her introductory lesson and were very respectful while she was talking. I was really proud of them.
The class that normally has trouble had trouble again. They have taken on the reputation of "the class that drives away teachers." It has become a badge of feigned honor for some, a bragging point that thinly veils the deep hurt they have from the many transitions they've been put through this year. I look forward to watching them grow the rest of the year as they realize that they can finally trust our leader in the classroom and give her their respect.
I have decided that I can help best in the classroom by encouraging my teacher at all costs and helping her to gain control over these very wobbly students. I am no longer pulling out students to tutor them during ELA class time.
However, I have been working very hard since I had my mid-year evaluation to still gain the prescribed amount of time with my focus list students. I had not been meeting my goals because of the conflict I was feeling about "abandoning" students in class to tutor my students and a lot of other excuses that my brain thought were valid. They weren't.
So I have changed my tack once again. I will take my boss's advice and control what I can control: meeting with my students during electives and Pride Time (homeroom), being extremely enthusiastic about our teacher and ELA and reading and pretty much everything, run an engaging after school program that enriches students' lives, and loving students every chance I get.
For none of this do I receive much instant gratification. I must admit that some students are very appreciative tell me that I'm fun/cool/etc, but most of the work I do will pay off when the advice I gave them finally makes sense in 3 years or more. My goal is that one day my student who can't resist getting pulled into an argument will realize that he really IS only in control of his actions! That my students who think reading is boring will someday realize that they just hadn't found the right book yet. That the only way not to be a part of the problem is to be a part of the solution.
Highlight: a student who three weeks ago flat out refused to attend my behavior-coaching lunch with other students, but has come reluctantly the last two weeks, helped me by picking up something I had dropped on the floor. I said thank you and he asked if that was something that he could tell the group. I asked what group, and he said, "When we eat together!" :)
Lowlight: a student told me her birthday was coming up on Sunday. I asked if she'd eat cake or have a party and she said, "No. My mom told me I was too old to have a party." She'll be getting a mini-party on Friday, believe you me.
But seriously. I'm really excited about her and the potential for the rest of the year. 2 out of the 3 classes I serve were really engaged in her introductory lesson and were very respectful while she was talking. I was really proud of them.
The class that normally has trouble had trouble again. They have taken on the reputation of "the class that drives away teachers." It has become a badge of feigned honor for some, a bragging point that thinly veils the deep hurt they have from the many transitions they've been put through this year. I look forward to watching them grow the rest of the year as they realize that they can finally trust our leader in the classroom and give her their respect.
I have decided that I can help best in the classroom by encouraging my teacher at all costs and helping her to gain control over these very wobbly students. I am no longer pulling out students to tutor them during ELA class time.
However, I have been working very hard since I had my mid-year evaluation to still gain the prescribed amount of time with my focus list students. I had not been meeting my goals because of the conflict I was feeling about "abandoning" students in class to tutor my students and a lot of other excuses that my brain thought were valid. They weren't.
So I have changed my tack once again. I will take my boss's advice and control what I can control: meeting with my students during electives and Pride Time (homeroom), being extremely enthusiastic about our teacher and ELA and reading and pretty much everything, run an engaging after school program that enriches students' lives, and loving students every chance I get.
For none of this do I receive much instant gratification. I must admit that some students are very appreciative tell me that I'm fun/cool/etc, but most of the work I do will pay off when the advice I gave them finally makes sense in 3 years or more. My goal is that one day my student who can't resist getting pulled into an argument will realize that he really IS only in control of his actions! That my students who think reading is boring will someday realize that they just hadn't found the right book yet. That the only way not to be a part of the problem is to be a part of the solution.
Highlight: a student who three weeks ago flat out refused to attend my behavior-coaching lunch with other students, but has come reluctantly the last two weeks, helped me by picking up something I had dropped on the floor. I said thank you and he asked if that was something that he could tell the group. I asked what group, and he said, "When we eat together!" :)
Lowlight: a student told me her birthday was coming up on Sunday. I asked if she'd eat cake or have a party and she said, "No. My mom told me I was too old to have a party." She'll be getting a mini-party on Friday, believe you me.
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