During my first couple of years as a high school teacher I was atrocious. Meaningful, inspiring pedagogy was not included in my beginning teacher's toolkit. Most of the decisions made during my first two years teaching helped me survive but did little for the students.
The more I thought about my situation as a rookie my mind started to dissect it and then organize it in to something that resembles the quadrants above.
Quadrant 4 (Nice/Meh): This is where I spent my time. I wasn't voted off the island during those rookie years because the students actually liked coming to my class. I showed them some respect, got some back, lightened the mood, and a lot of them actually listened. Not because the math part was fun, but because we had a give and take relationship: I gave them fun, and a place to feel at ease, and they took the crappy teaching.
Quadrant 3 (Jerk/Meh): These guys helped me keep my job. I'm not sure why so many teachers like to be angry.
Quadrant 2 (Jerk/Good): These teachers could run circles around me in front of a group of students but they had no sugar, no spice, nothing nice, and respect for students didn't run across their minds. But when a student is confronted with excellent pedagogy wrapped in an angry package, walls go up that prevent them from learning in such an environment. So many of our students are suffering from relationships with angry authority figures at home and are trying to find sanctuary in poisonous, temporary solutions. Why would they be receptive to that treatment in the classroom?
Quadrant 1 (Nice/Good): The Promised Land. The students respect you because you earned it, not because you demand it. They feel comfortable coming to your class and can focus on learning from you because you bring "it" everyday. You've got good ideas oozing from your pore. The students are inspired to learn not because of your brilliant oratory skills but because you catalyzed the question that will make them hunt down the answer themselves.
I spent a lot of time sitting in quadrant 4 trying to keep my job. Now, I'm striving for quadrant 1, trying to earn my job.
I feel strange subscribing to a blog w/out saying hello. I am just now entering this e-world of math teachers and am grateful for any kind of collaboration.
ReplyDeleteFunny post btw! I actually started off in quad. 3 because of someone's terrible advice to "not smile before Christmas." It took me a whole year before realizing I was miserable because of it!! I've loved my job since. =)
I know! I was a jerk my fist week of teaching, but I almost gave myself an ulcer.
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