Whenever I need to be away from my classes, I feel like I'm writing a babysitter extensive notes on how to care for my children when I'm gone in my lesson plans: who tends to misbehave; who can help with attendance, where the key to the Chromebook cart is.
Unlike a babysitter, I don't get a verbal report when I return, letting me know if my kids were behaving. However, I do enjoy reading the notes the supply teacher leaves. In fact, I've made a practice of reading them back to my class - especially if they caused trouble. It's at this point the age old "he said- she said" argument ensues. Students claim they were by no means disrespectful or lazy and that supply teacher was just too mean/awful/old/picky (insert negative adjective here). Sometimes I don't even get to the point of reading the note aloud- sometimes students cry with relief on seeing me come in the classroom "Oh thank god, you're back!" and are brimming with stories of how they were unjustly treated. I have to admit it is nice to be appreciated. You know that saying about absence...?
Now, I've been a supply teacher, briefly, at the start of my career. It's not fun. It's nerve wracking- especially for a new teacher who hasn't learned any of the tricks of the trade yet. You walk into a room cold, not knowing the students, the climate of the class, what the unwritten rules are or where the line is. You're waiting for the chaos to be unleashed. All you have is instructions, and the realization that if anyone gets into trouble on your watch it reflects badly on you. What's worse, is you are missing what I think is the best part of teaching. Getting to know individual students, and having them know you.
And this, I think is the difference. If I was a supply teacher and showed up to my ENG 2PI class out of the blue, they wouldn't like me either. Because they don't know me. They haven't had a chance to mock my bad jokes or appreciate a good burn that I just couldn't pass up. They haven't heard a million stories about my kids and I haven't had the chance to weigh in on their musical tastes (just how many f- words do you need in a song?)
Teens value relationship. They want to know that you accept them, and like them, even when they're being annoying. They want to be important in your class. To you.
And they are. I get a great deal of joy from building a relationship with the individuals in my classes. A very wise professor I had in first year would always answer the question, "What do you teach?" with, "I teach students." So do I.
Unlike a babysitter, I don't get a verbal report when I return, letting me know if my kids were behaving. However, I do enjoy reading the notes the supply teacher leaves. In fact, I've made a practice of reading them back to my class - especially if they caused trouble. It's at this point the age old "he said- she said" argument ensues. Students claim they were by no means disrespectful or lazy and that supply teacher was just too mean/awful/old/picky (insert negative adjective here). Sometimes I don't even get to the point of reading the note aloud- sometimes students cry with relief on seeing me come in the classroom "Oh thank god, you're back!" and are brimming with stories of how they were unjustly treated. I have to admit it is nice to be appreciated. You know that saying about absence...?
Now, I've been a supply teacher, briefly, at the start of my career. It's not fun. It's nerve wracking- especially for a new teacher who hasn't learned any of the tricks of the trade yet. You walk into a room cold, not knowing the students, the climate of the class, what the unwritten rules are or where the line is. You're waiting for the chaos to be unleashed. All you have is instructions, and the realization that if anyone gets into trouble on your watch it reflects badly on you. What's worse, is you are missing what I think is the best part of teaching. Getting to know individual students, and having them know you.
And this, I think is the difference. If I was a supply teacher and showed up to my ENG 2PI class out of the blue, they wouldn't like me either. Because they don't know me. They haven't had a chance to mock my bad jokes or appreciate a good burn that I just couldn't pass up. They haven't heard a million stories about my kids and I haven't had the chance to weigh in on their musical tastes (just how many f- words do you need in a song?)
Teens value relationship. They want to know that you accept them, and like them, even when they're being annoying. They want to be important in your class. To you.
And they are. I get a great deal of joy from building a relationship with the individuals in my classes. A very wise professor I had in first year would always answer the question, "What do you teach?" with, "I teach students." So do I.