Community Chat

[hennypenny]

I am so happy to hear that there are good and caring teachers out there.

These are hard time for all not just students.

This is an age when good role models are so important. Try to search them out as examples as you lead by doing.

I remember a project that is similar to one mentioned. It was called Utopia. We created a country. How it was run  and why, where it was located, the type of terrain, crops, people,  value systems etc. It was kept light and fun. Not graded, but praised for it's stregnths.( I remember an Island with horses.)

I think were it I, I might start the year stating my expectations of my students--To  be kind to one another, to bolster not tear down, to value the heritage and home  life of everyone. We need to help to shape  and guide our children, giving them love and honor.

I want to thank you for the work you do. It is the best "job" in the world. 

[chrystaltree]

Are you really a teacher?   Because that sounds like an odd question for a teacher to ask on a shopping board.  If you are uncertain about this, you should speak to a peer.  

[nevergivesup]

God bless you house cat. I can tell you are a wonderful teacher who cares for all her students and would never bully or humiliate a child or send out signals to the other students that such behavior was acceptable.

I remember a special grade school teacher who would read to us from the classics as a treat at the end of the morning if we got through our lessons. We put our heads down on our desks and listened as she introduced us to worlds we never dreamed of. There was great peer pressure on one another to behave so Mrs. V. Had time for reading. And after school we made our way to the library to find other books she recommended.

When my son was in grade school, he had a wonderful teacher who stood in the doorway at the end of every class and shook each child’s hand. The child was encouraged to look her in the eye and respond as she sometimes made a small personal comment of encouragement or just wished them a good evening. This was a lesson in manners and appropriateness and made sure each child felt seen.

Finally, I had a friend who was a great teacher like you and she talked about the importance of leadership. She said the best principal she ever worked under had a rule that teachers couldn’t engage in idle talk or complaining about their students in the break room. This prevented a child from getting a negative reputation that might affect them for years and predispose a future teacher against them.

I know your job today is harder than ever and I salute your desire to be a positive force in your students’ lives.

[on the bay]

@hennypenny-

Yes! That sounds exactly it!-

"Utopia"-

Wonderful game and yes it was kept light and fun, not graded.

I loved your beautiful post

[Zhills]

My sixth grade (I realize that is Middle school) teacher didn't believe in working right after eating lunch so she read the Hardy Boys series to us.  Sometimes one of the honor students would read.  When I look back, she was my favorite teacher and I still remember the stories.  Somehow, the fact that she did that for us has stuck with me.

I'm sure you are a great teacher or you would not be asking for suggestions to be a better one.  That fact speaks wonders about you!

[scatcat]

My youngest just graduated from hs in May. So I am looking back on 17 years of being a parent of school aged kids.  Couple thoughts. 

It was always easy to spot a teacher who loved to teach, was actively involved in his/her class, gave 110% versus the ones who needed a job and just showed up and did the minimum.

When my kids would say a teacher just yelled and screamed at a class. Or a teacher is so mean. Really? You’re in the wrong profession 

[151949]

I started school when I was only 4 - kindergarden, because my birthday is Jan 5.So I was about a half year younger than the other kids . Move on to 4th grade - we moved from the farm to a inner city neighborhood and a very crowded inner city school.The subjects were things we had already studied at our other school, so they decided to skip me a year so I could be "challenged". My parents agreed.So the next year I went into 6th grade. I was now a year and a half younger than everyone - and quite a bit smaller. Lucky for me, in this very difficult and challenging time I had a wonderful teacher. He was sensitive to my issues and he helped me and met several times with my Mom & dad to help them help me.I was also lucky that the next year they moved him from teaching 6th to 7th so I had him again that year and the same happened the next year.Same wonderful teacher for 6th,7th & 8th grades.I recall in the 8th grade he spent some part of every day talking to us about high school, how it would be different and what we should expect etc. He even took us on a field trip to the high school one morning so we could see it first hand. He got the school to give us an 8th grade "prom". He taught us girls all about football, basketball,track etc so we would understand the games when we went. He was a great teacher, and a totally cool guy. If someone did not understand something or was sorta falling behind - he would pretty much stop and spend time catching those kids up so no one got left behind.

[GCR18]

My nephew had a hard time going from elementary school to junior high.  He always had top grades until then.  6th grade he was lucky to get one A and got mostly C's and D's.  My sister constantly contacted the teacher/guidance counselor and talked with him.  He blamed everything on the teacher not liking him and his classes were boring. He's in college now and doing fine.

I think the teachers need to engage the quiet kids in class and pull them out of their shell.

[qualitygal]

Is this your first year of teaching this age?  I haven't got a clue with today's kids.  They are pretty darn smart.  Talk to them and with them.  Do not talk down to them.

Teach them how to be responsible, and show them...not everyone wins.  Teach them about being thoughtful, kind and caring.  Be a good example of that.  

Don't try to influence them with your personal beliefs, don't forget they all have mini cameras.

Figure out a way to keep them safe.  Either from bad weather, or intruders.  

Bless you for taking on a Herculon challenge with the future adults in our world and many parents blessed gifts.  

Last of all GOOD LUCK.

[TX-starlight]

Try to get some interaction with the less popular kids. I know my g-son is very shy, & not active in lots of things, because the popular kids intimidate him. He doesn't say that (I pick him up from school), but I can tell from his actions/reactions.

(Same with me when I was in school). Looking back to my school days, the teachers ALWAYS had their "pets". It was usually kids that parents were on the school board, or other teachers kids.