Posted by queenbean
Posted by Michelleypie
Hey!!
If it's any consollation, the first year is the same exact way for MANY people!! You have such set expectations on things and then the real world kicks you when you're not ready for it.
Teaching is, in so many ways, airbrushed in the photography of the world. It looks so pretty and simple and sweet, and people don't realize how much stress, energy, sweat and tears go into a day to day routine with children, many of whom are not always the most 'conventionally' lovable at the onset; it takes warming up. The thing is, once you get over the culture shock, you DO start to love it, because the bigger the challenge, the more the sense of accomplishment when it hits you that - under your nose - they got it. You've made an impact - big, minimal, it doesn't matter. You did what you set out to do, and that was to help children become better, more learned citizens, if only for a short while and a few moments in the day.
The best thing to do is to try to think of the most positive thing that happened in the day, even if it was just a few seconds of a child sitting nicely and looking at you intently - even if the day was crazed and filled with nonsense. If there were even a few seconds of positivity, then you did your job and you have something to be proud of. Not any person could be in your position and be the teacher of those children. YOU are their teacher. They may misbehave in school but I bet they go home to their parents and they talk about how much they like YOU.
Also remember that,as someone that takes your job seriously, you are your own worst critic. I'm sure that if you were to step back and look at the situation from another perspective, you'd be proud of what you were doing.
Hang in there! You're going to make yourself SOOO proud this year! And after that, it'll get smoother with each passing year!
Thanks for all the support!
I just am in total shock from these new kids because last week, I was really proud of who I was as a teacher. I genuinely cared about my students and I grew to like them a lot over the last two weeks.
Now they completely changed my class around and all of the new kids don't speak fluent English. I am having a very hard time connecting with them because they don't understand the things I say. During a lesson that I put a lot of time into preparing, they get bored and play with things in their desk, etc because they have no clue what I'm saying. -- though....... on the other hand I have the other half of my class who native English speakers and follow me just fine.......
I am having such a hard time connecting with these new kids also because I base a lot of my behavior management on humor. I try not to yell and I get through my own methods. In the meantime, these new kids don't get my humor because they don't understand what I am saying.
Ever since I got those new students I haven't enjoyed planning or teaching and I feel like I'm wasting my time. And... that's the worst feeling ever.
Sorry to hear you're having such a hard time!!!! I truly sympathize, and like other posters have said, those who don't have this job have NO IDEA what's it's really like.
Sounds like your new students are ELLs (English Language Learners). You can't beat yourself up that they don't understand what you're saying....... what I've found that works is to sit them next to children who speak the same native language. In other words, if a new ELL student speaks Spanish, sit him with 2 kids who speak Spanish. If he speaks Bengali, do the same w/ 2 Bengali speaking children. It's much easier if you actually have students (fluent English) who also speak the new child's language. I once had a new child who only spoke Nepali and had to 'borrow' another student from another class to help out here and there, which was approved by my administration.
What also helps is to label everyday things around the classroom with both words and pictures. Put a post-it or index card with the word 'closet' on the closet door, 'window' on a windowpane, 'clock' near the clock, 'desk' on his own desk. Have him draw the pic and write the word and then say the word to derive meaning, that this thing that he's sitting at that's flat has a name and its name is 'D-E-S-K' There are flash cards you can get that are for much younger kids but serve the same purpose in ELLs. Does your school have an ESL program or teachers? They'll be a HUGE help and resource if you can ask for their help.
Get the parents involved as soon as possible and as much as possible, esp if they speak a little or some English themselves. Explain to them (with a translator if you need it) that they need to talk English to their child as much as possible at home to help integrate their child into their new community and language, that it will only serve to help their child acclimate to their new school environment.
And some kids will pick up the language by making friends with their classmates. It won't happen overnight, but I've noticed that most of my ELLs over the years have a very outgoing personality, become friendly with the other kids in class, and follow their example most of the time.
An ESL teacher once said to me that a 'normal' ELL child will have some behavior issues (chattering, laughing out of context, and fooling around) and that's considered normal b/c they're thrown into a world they don't quite understand b/c of the language barrier and customs that may not be the same as they're used to. If your school has a parent coordinator, speak to her and see what she can do to help the parents help their child. Maybe there are ESL classes for the parents to learn English that will help them to help their children. My school does that..... every so often, parents who want to learn English gather in the cafeteria and practice with ESL workbooks and real-world topics (going to the doctor, helping with homework, cooking, banking). The Parents Association also may be able to help. Last year one of my students was making little progress in all areas, and one parent on the PA volunteered to help teach him English and tutor him outside of school.
Also, I agree with the other posters about starting all over again with the class rules, routines, etc. Explain to the whole class that since the people have changed in class (I'm not wording this correctly right now) you're going to start the first day of school all over again and those who were there from the beginning can become your 'special helpers' or 'monitors' since they already know the routines and can help the others to learn them. Do some type of lesson that all the kids can participate in to make it 'their' room or 'their' class..... create a class puzzle with posterboard puzzle parts where each kid decorates their own with their name and favorite things, and the ELL students can get some practice writing their name and labeling the pictures they draw with the English words to match. It will help harmonize the class again to somewhat what it was before. They can then each add a piece to the puzzle to make their new class complete.
For the playing with items in their desks, for ELL students, I've gently removed the item, put it on my desk where they can still see it (so they know I'm not throwing it out) and talk to the child using a child who speaks their language play translator for you to explain that they will get it back at the end of the day and to leave it home from now on. Or, you can have them put it directly back into their bookbag right away and explain why as above. Have students keep only the bare necessities inside their desks, which will minimize the urge to play with all their 'fun' new school supplies.
Sorry I wrote a book...... hope you feel better soon!!!!!!
