Generation Next
What do you mean, I'm not perfect? I'm a teacher!
I’m not (too) afraid to say that teaching
lower elementary this school year
helped me realize that I—queen of the
teaching universe, role-model extraordinaire,
woman who has been charged with
the privilege of educating future leaders—
am not perfect.
Who would’ve guessed?
This self-realization of imperfection isn’t easy to admit. I graduated with honors from the University of Detroit-Mercy and then went on to earn my master’s degree from Marygrove College with almost a 4.0. (I still think the professor who gave me an A- ripped me off!)
I passed the MTCE in both elementary education and English on the same day. I’ve always received positive evaluations. I’ve read Harry Wong and Ron Clark’s books from cover to cover. Not to toot my own horn, but I knew for a fact that teaching second-grade would be a breeze—NOT!
You might ask, “What could be so difficult about teaching a bunch of 7- and 8-year olds?”
Everything. Everything is difficult about teaching a bunch of 7- and 8-year olds (with bunch being the operative word here).
Let’s begin with the endless questions that start at first bell (8:50 a.m.) and continue on at a steady pace until I place them on their buses at 3:30 p.m.
“Mrs. Plummer, would you tell so-andso not to cut in line?”
“Mrs. Plummer, can I go to the lavatory again?”
And, I can’t forget my favorites: “Mrs. Plummer, what time is snack...recess... lunch...computers...music...art...and gym?”
All of which are posted on the board— and have been since September.
Add to the bunches of questions what I’ve dubbed the Three T’s: Tears, Tattle Tales, and Temper Tantrums.
Let’s begin with Tears. At this sensitive age, I’ve learned the true meaning behind the cliché, “it’s not what you say, but how you say it.” Because I taught fifth-grade last year, it took a lot of readjusting my usual firmer tone to a more child-friendly, higher-pitched tone. A happy voice has the ability to instantly soothe a crying child.
Next, we have Tattle Tales. As soon I hear a child in the distance yell, “I’m telling Mrs. Plummer!” I politely remind them to use A Bug and A Wish.
For those of you that are unfamiliar, it goes like this: “It bugs me when you [blank] and I wish you would stop.” Cute I know, but it actually works. The key is to constantly remind students to give other students a chance to correct inappropriate or annoying behavior before they run to you with complete urgency in their voices to report that someone is staring at them.
The last and probably most difficult T is the almighty Temper Tantrum. In my experience, there is nothing that will catch a teacher off guard like trying to redirect or console a screaming, kicking, crying, stomping second-grader in the middle of class.
Talk about a teacher feeling helpless and confused! I’m unsure of the “political correctness” of this, but I find totally ignoring the behavior works best for me. Eventually they tire and simply stop.
I know teaching will never be easy. If it were, everyone would do it.
We encourage our students to find their strengths, admit to weakness and work at developing both. At times, we educators have to take a step outside of ourselves and discover our strengths and admit to our weaknesses, too.
We are human just like everyone else. It’s OK not to be perfect. I’ve tried it—and guess what? It works!