Student Teaching Tid Bits: British Accents and laziness

Welcome to Student Teaching Tid Bits. 

This is where I will do my best to document that which is my experience of being a student while also being a teacher... a bit of a paradox. Want to come along with me through my experience of Student Teaching? Well if you don't then choose not to read.

Well I'm down to my final week of student teaching. Sure I've learned a lot of history. And a lot of kids names. But what I've really learned is why I'm bound to be good in this profession. These kids mean a lot to me. Sure I cannot do much. I only see them a few hours a day. But this past week has shown me how much just showing you care can change a persons behavior

example 1: One student decided to share casually that he loves to drink wine. And that maybe he drinks a bit too much. Well he comes in after school one day to get an assignment to make up because his dad is harping on him to get his work in. He walks in and says "Hello!" In a British accent. I reply "Hi there!" He says "Oh no no no, where is the British accent?" So we continue to speak in a British accent while he's waiting. In this time he shares that his grades have gone from a 3.5 to a 2.5. I ask him if he thinks the wine intake as anything to do with it. His father is from France so it's a custom to drink it with dinner. But he's been drinking it a bit more. I told him to be careful. He then shares with me that he just moved here in July with his dad and the rest of his family is back east. I said "Now, that's the reason you have a 2.5. Not the wine. That's also just a product. He said, "Yeah i know. But my dad just doesn't get it."

He quickly left after that. But the next day in class he was more focused than he'd been all year. I saw an immediate change in him. Because at the base of this job, I really just care about these students progressing. I want them to learn good skills that will help them be successful and progress in the world.

Because Progress= Happiness, right? 

example 2: Another student, very lazy. Getting a low grade because he just doesn't turn in his work. He happened to come to class after school because he forgot something. I took an opportunity to talk to him. We talked about how he's always getting in trouble and distracted. He said it's the same for all his classes. I asked him how I could help him in this class. We decided I should make sure he knows what's expected.

The next class period, sure after he fell asleep. I was walking past and he said "Okay, what do I need to do to accomplish this?" 

There are a few more examples of moments when I show interest in the students and they suddenly light up. They react. They respect me far more. They participate. They do better on the work and their tests. It's awesome to see. 

I'm not trying to boast, saying how great I am. I do a lot of things wrong. Like yell at students in class. But I then feel so awful, so I make it my goal to apologize and explain myself. Again, after doing this, I find the students are more respectful of me and willing to work. And for high school kids, respect is not always the first thing on their mind.

I don't expect to change the world. I don't expect these students to internalize all that I'm teaching them. But my goal has always been to create a safe environment so they can learn, and hopefully leave my class with skills that will help them be more successful. I'm just glad that even though my lessons aren't always brilliant  and I don't always discipline like I should, and I don't always know all the answers, that at least I am doing one thing right. I love these kids. I can't help it. 

I've been told I'm not very good at being sympathetic and nurturing, I know this to be true in some instances. But you know what I am good at? Caring about people and loving them. I can tell when people aren't living up to their potential and all I want to do is encourage them. Once I know they have a desire to change, I will never give up on them. 

So if I never get married and I get to be a full time teacher the rest of my life... well I think I'll be pretty proud and happy with how I spend my time.

I'm so thankful the Lord has lead me here. My paths are always a bit crazy. I experience a lot of road blocks in life. What I want and work so hard for never really comes to fruition, but luckily I find the Lord was preparing me for something much better for me. Maybe not what I wanted, but always what I need.