I've been meaning to make an entry regarding my job, so I might as well do one.
With tomorrow it will be three weeks since I started my new teaching/tutoring job, with about two or three weeks till its over. How has it been? Its been great, despite some issues expected with the territory.
I think that unlike my own persona I've become the demanding teacher who gives his pupils a lot of work. I have two reasons for this...
1. I've always believed that practice makes perfect and topic exercises work better than me explaining them in front of the classroom. There's the chance that the student will forget what I said, but will keep in mind what he did because of the constant repetition of skills. In other words, the more he/she does the more likely he/she will remember it when its time to do it on a test.
2. It keeps them occupied for two hours straight.
Now, some modern teachers will say that this is barbaric and not truly enjoyable, but think about it for a sec...
You are 10 years old. School ended an hour ago. But you are still there because your parents signed you up to an after school tutoring program. And it lasts for two hours. Sure you still get a snack, but its two more hours in school, especially since you've been there since 7 in the morning.
OF COURSE YOU ARE GOING TO FEEL ANTSY!
You will feel anxious, bored and even angsty. What's a teacher to do? Keep them occupied. I bring them lots of stuff to do so the two hours go flying by. And it works most of the time.
My routine is this...
- I review the past day's topics
- I hand in today's assignment
- They work on it
- When they are done, we review the answers and clear any doubts
- The last few minutes I like to call "Recreational time" in which the kids draw, paint, play a game with me, so on and so forth, but even then I still reinforce the knowledge they have gained during the last hour
And it has worked for me. Of course, I sometimes think that my old College teacher would be upset because not only do I give them work I tend to be a disciplinarian, an old stereotype of the teacher that College is trying to avoid. But her input might have been important when it was all for College. As in, I have to do what she says or else she'll fail me. But she's not anywhere at work, meaning that its MY class and MY time. I do what works for me and the students. I'll only change my routine and teaching methods when I see it fit and if my bosses say it needs to change.
After my practical I realized that half of what College says about education is highly romanticized. Yes, I believe that a teacher can be more than just a guide book, homework and a ruler. But you can't always be an innovator nor be Mr. Rogers. I learned that if you are too nice your students will see you as weak, if you are an asshole they will hate you. Both the old and the new school of teaching fall under either category. I am trying to find a sweet balance in which I can be nice and an innovator but be a strict disciplinarian.
I like to call it "being sweet and sour".
But enough about my rambles...
What I find surprising is that even though this is supposed to be a class for kids who are falling behind in their work half of my students are brilliant. Many of them finish their work ahead of schedule and get their answers right. It leads me to believe the reason why they are here is because their parents wanted peace and quiet for two more hours.
This is another reason why I hand in a lot of work. The smart kids will grow bored if I tell them to wait till everybody else is finished, so they will start talking, find excuses to go outside and lose general interest. If I give them work they will concentrate on it, even if the grumble about it. It keeps them challenged and occupied till the class is over.
I think today, however, I might have gone overboard with the work. But that's because I HAD to keep them working till the last minute. The problem is this...
Technically, class ends at 5:30, but because the school buses arrive at 5, the program sometimes let them go earlier. BUT in the event that we get a visit from someone we want to keep the kids inside working. This leads to a lot of anxiety because they KNOW class ended and can't wait to go home. I've made the mistake three times of letting them go at 5, and then getting reminded of the policy. Its a frustrating system that could be worked with. Its even more frustrating that we being the LAST classroom in the school we get the notice to go home last.
Tomorrow being their last day of the week, I will give them lighter work, and focus on crafts and activities at the last half.
I like to be fair. If they worked hard and did it well, they deserve a reward. I can't always be sour, no? :p
But overall, its been a great experience where I have met lots of new people, and even found old schoolmates working as teachers there!
I've also been working on my Master's registration. I decided to take a course in June, and already reserved classes for August. I think I might be done sooner than expected!
Sorry for my ramblings, but I felt you should have an update on my situation.
Here's a funny video to make up for it...
-pap64