One of the things I struggled with in this practicum was classroom management. The issues were hardly behavioral but rather came out of the students’ constant desire to participate and engage. I hesitated in being too strict with them for two reasons: 1) I was so encouraged and excited by their engagement—a reaction I had yet to see in a high school classroom—that I did not want to shut it down and 2) Having knowledge of their past—what they had endured to make it to where they are now—and having a close relationship and rapport with them presently, I found disciplining them to be difficult. The result was that I, at times, was more lenient than I should have been.
The correct response to both of these reactions is very evident, but not one that comes naturally to me. Any parent can tell you that a child needs structure and discipline in order to learn effectively, and while this is a philosophy I was obviously aware of, this class helped drive that point home.
Any classroom teacher can tell you that loud noises and a lack of control is not an effective learning environment—even if those noises are of students eager to share their thoughts. Structure is necessary to help teach the students how to communicate effectively and appropriately. It is also necessary for those students who are quieter and more introverted. Even if their interest is present, their voice will never be heard unless other voices are silenced.
My second reaction had me almost wishing that I did not have as great an understanding of my students’ histories as I did. Due to Morning Pages, Tea Time, and Home Visits I had learned just how hard their lives had been prior to coming to our classroom. It would have been easier to be disciplinary if I did not care for them as much as I did. Of course, wishing to know less about my students is a terrible and ineffective approach. It was important for me to learn that discipline is not mean. Discipline is not unempathetic. Rather, it is the exact opposite. Discipline creates a framework of boundaries that allow the students to be challenged while still being held accountable. Order, structure, and discipline are all essential for a student to properly thrive. This is a simple yet crucial lesson that any young teacher must learn.
The correct response to both of these reactions is very evident, but not one that comes naturally to me. Any parent can tell you that a child needs structure and discipline in order to learn effectively, and while this is a philosophy I was obviously aware of, this class helped drive that point home.
Any classroom teacher can tell you that loud noises and a lack of control is not an effective learning environment—even if those noises are of students eager to share their thoughts. Structure is necessary to help teach the students how to communicate effectively and appropriately. It is also necessary for those students who are quieter and more introverted. Even if their interest is present, their voice will never be heard unless other voices are silenced.
My second reaction had me almost wishing that I did not have as great an understanding of my students’ histories as I did. Due to Morning Pages, Tea Time, and Home Visits I had learned just how hard their lives had been prior to coming to our classroom. It would have been easier to be disciplinary if I did not care for them as much as I did. Of course, wishing to know less about my students is a terrible and ineffective approach. It was important for me to learn that discipline is not mean. Discipline is not unempathetic. Rather, it is the exact opposite. Discipline creates a framework of boundaries that allow the students to be challenged while still being held accountable. Order, structure, and discipline are all essential for a student to properly thrive. This is a simple yet crucial lesson that any young teacher must learn.