Every year this day roles around. A day to launch out the next batch from the factory institute/school were I work. I realize that you can't relate to each kid and the process of processing them can be a drag. Meaningless rules and layers of bureaucracy. Yet, the advocacy of students and the ability to relate to the students is a criteria that my superiors look at every 5 years when they evaluate us teachers...disconnect.
The only teachers that meant anything to me are the ones that made an effort to relate to me as a person - not some robot marching through the halls that was there to be built and launched from the front doors. Too many teachers forget what it means and meant to be a kid. Which teachers did they like, and thus work hard for and with? I bet they all hated the ones having meeting to think of new ways to keep the kids in line.
I have no desire to antagonize a teenager. I just want to meet some, work with them, help them out, relate to them human-teacher to human-student. There is a distinction, but we, as teachers, should be more positive more often and be the teachers that we would want, need and respect in the teenage version that we once were.
To end this, less than tight, ramble let me say. Props to Dubeau for getting up in front of his colleagues and hammering home the need for positive thinking. To paraphrase: "mention the good things, because other are sure to bring up the bad" - he also has his students mention two things the they liked about the year and one that they didn't. Smart: more positives than negatives. Good on him for sharing this with us.
I head out now to reload, refresh, rethink and prepare to meet more students in September.
Wish me well, and always: send me your wisdom.
The only teachers that meant anything to me are the ones that made an effort to relate to me as a person - not some robot marching through the halls that was there to be built and launched from the front doors. Too many teachers forget what it means and meant to be a kid. Which teachers did they like, and thus work hard for and with? I bet they all hated the ones having meeting to think of new ways to keep the kids in line.
I have no desire to antagonize a teenager. I just want to meet some, work with them, help them out, relate to them human-teacher to human-student. There is a distinction, but we, as teachers, should be more positive more often and be the teachers that we would want, need and respect in the teenage version that we once were.
To end this, less than tight, ramble let me say. Props to Dubeau for getting up in front of his colleagues and hammering home the need for positive thinking. To paraphrase: "mention the good things, because other are sure to bring up the bad" - he also has his students mention two things the they liked about the year and one that they didn't. Smart: more positives than negatives. Good on him for sharing this with us.
I head out now to reload, refresh, rethink and prepare to meet more students in September.
Wish me well, and always: send me your wisdom.
