A Matter of Perspective (Part II)

There hasn't been too much action this week. I guess it's typical of the week after break where there's a micro Honeymoon period with the kids. Aside from a near clash of the titans between Chandrella and Woman-Child, this week's been pretty uneventful. Just lots of test prep and getting back into the grind.

Meanwhile I feel myself loosening up a bit. I really think I can attribute a lot of it to the seasons. It's no longer dark when I leave for work and the cold is starting to let up a bit (except for today). Seems like Spring isn't far off and of course that means spring break and then before long it'll be June and... well, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, and I'm trying to turn that into a positive outlook instead of a distraction. Still, overall, a good effect on my attitude.

In spite of the amount of time still being wasted on transitions and talking, I do feel myself finding a rhythm and getting a grasp on things. I've introduced several incentives that have worked amazingly well. Offering computer time for example, for students who read quietly during SSR has cut down drastically on the chatter. It's great to see positive reinforcement work so well whether it's just praise (I like the way so and so is listening right now...) or points or prizes. It's reassuring to know I don't need to resort to yelling and punishments, because ultimately they're not very effective techniques.

In a conversation with my Aussie math mentor she was giving tips on how to relieve stress in the kids going into the math test. One thing she mentioned was asking the kids to think about how much they've learned since September as a way of building confidence going into the exam. Then she suggested trying the same thing ourselves. I know I have so much work to do, and it can be overwhelming at times. But looking at my teaching and how it's developed since September, I've got to admit I feel pretty damn good.

Comments

Zoemonster said…
i love yr blog.. for real

in case you care..seasons (spring, for ex) are never capitalized

the kids get (question) that a lot on standardized tests esp on the eng/reading sections

i am not talking about the name of an event.. like 'Spring Fest'.. but in general

like:

"We are going to NYC this spring for Easter."

NOT meant to be critical

SL
ThatTallGuy said…
Just so you know -- you've got at least one other lurker :)

Enjoying and learning from your blog. I've thought about going into teaching but I don't think I could handle what you are. Kudos.
Ruben Brosbe said…
You'd be surprised what you can handle. If you really want to teach you should pursue it. Just be prepared for hardship and remember to take the good moments when they come and let the bad ones go as quickly as you can.
ThatTallGuy said…
Don't get me wrong, I will probably go into teaching at some point. But it won't be in the inner city, and it will more likely be college than earlier. I don't think I have the patience to be a babysitter as well as an educator.

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