1 This is my
final year of teaching; I’ve been at it too long already!
OK I’ve stopped a few times for
several months and even a whole year once back in the eighties when some of you
weren’t even born yet, but the truth is I’ve been teaching for 35 years and it
is part of my psyche and identity now. When I do stop, I find myself wondering
who I really am and still planning interesting activities in my head for the
students I don’t even have. Maybe I will die in the classroom but it would
still be sweet and fitting!
2. I’m going
to have better time management.
This one is more like a trick than a
promise. I believe that I am going to get more free time when I promise myself
this but what happens is some really great idea comes along and then I get
super organized and manage my time really well to pull it off, only to realize
that I didn’t get more free time, I just managed to give up more time and do
more things because I wanted to do it better!!
3. I’m not
going to have any discipline issues at all this year because every lesson is
going to be so totally inspiring, challenging and fun they are all just going
to want to do it!
Right! Reality check needed right
now! Since when, ever, did 20 to 40 people anywhere at the same time want to do
exactly the same thing just because someone else wanted them to…… Right. Forget
it and come up with some positive discipline ideas that work because those who
don’t want to co-operate will always be there.
4. I’m not
going to shout anymore!
This is the reason, I spend quite a
bit of time standing there quietly waiting for a class full of students to
notice that they aren’t listening, then a few do and start shouting at others
to be quiet and soon there are several kids shouting at their classmates and
another whole group making “Shh” noises that are actually louder than shouting
and what do you know I notice that we have now lost 10 minutes of instruction
time so I shout and silence reigns at last!! Nice try but sometimes shouting is
the best and fastest option.
5. I’m going
to learn all my students’ names in the first week.
I set about this one diligently every
year and except for the few times I have taught the same kids in the previous
year, I fail. Is it really possible to learn 100 plus new names and associate
them with the right faces in five 50 minutes periods in one week? I don’t know
maybe some people can do it, but I usually find that it takes closer to a month.
However that first time you finally stop mixing up Tenzin Karma and Karma
Tenzin or Paul George and George Paul, (yep every culture has them) they both
have smiles so wide it inspires me to try it again next year.
6. I’m not
going to make any spelling errors on the board this whole year.
It’s just never going to happen. Even
for those who spell really well mistakes happen. As for me, I don’t. I have
spent my whole life working on it and it is still a work in progress. OK I
teach English and I do it pretty well, I think, but I can’t spell and under
pressure I make lots of mistakes (just ask Red Dorji). Better to own up and
carry a dictionary, warn every class that this might happen and reward those
students who find the mistakes. Still, I go on believing, that one year, will
miraculously turn out to be the spelling-error-free-year! Maybe that will be
the year I have retired!
7. I’m going
to make a little time for myself at school everyday.
This one usually starts out well. I
go out and chat with colleagues in the mornings and take a break for 10 minutes
at lunchtime to sit outdoors and just tune out for a while. Sometimes I even
call home to Australia and speak to someone at a reasonable time for both of
us, in my lunch break…….. Then before you know it a whole week has elapsed and
I haven’t seen sunshine or breathed fresh air once from 8:30am to 4:10 pm
because I’ve done nothing but make my way from one class to the next and then
back to the office where I have whittled away the books to be corrected so that
there are only a few left at the end of every day. Suddenly I look up and
realize beyond “Good morning” I haven’t even spoken to the people I share an
office with! Oops another broken promise.
8. I am not
going to get stressed or overwhelmed instead I will remain calm and collected
no matter what happens.
Some of the most inspirational
teachers I have ever encountered have this perfect sense of unruffled composure
(think Madam Choden at this point) and I have long wanted to emulate them. It
is just not me. I am a drama queen and I wear my heart on my sleeve. Things get
me; it is written all over my face just before I burst into tears or bite
someone’s head off and regret doing so.
9. I’m going
to keep my mouth shut and my good ideas to myself.
This never lasts more than the first
week. I just can’t resist suggesting why don’t you do …… Then next thing I know
I am saying, “Sure I can help and why don’t we…” and BINGO, I have myself
another pet project. Being passionate about what you do has some serious
drawbacks sometimes. I do often wonder if I am my own worst enemy.
10. I’m
going to work smarter not harder.
Right sounds so easy but every
smarter idea means more hard work and I just tricked myself into working
smarter and harder. Why do I do that?
Well
here’s the reason: “Teachers aren’t in
it for the income but for the outcome!!”
PS There is another whole list of the
things I don’t even promise myself anymore. Like I’m not taking any work home
at the end of the day…. Oh but wait that might be next year’s article. That is
unless I do give it up!
No comments:
Post a Comment