A get to know me activity sounded like a great idea at first, but when it turned into "put Ms. Almeida on trial" it got a little out of hand. I could feel the volume in the room increasing. The students' questions were flying at me and I wanted to answer them all, but had to figure out how to do it in a way that still kept the class under control. Here's where the surprising myself came in. I found my teacher voice, or my teacher voice found me. A quick switch in my mind told me that I had to bring the class back and have my voice be the only one heard in that moment. A quick redirection put the class back on track and the chaos ceased.
The students responded extremely well to me taking over the classroom. Once I showed them that I was serious about maintaining a classroom environment where everyones voices were equally important, the rest of the class ran a lot more smoothly. Establishing a persona where I am seen as an authoritative figure in the classroom was tough for me, but I am so glad I id it early on in my time with Mrs. Bachini's classes. Now when my students walk into the room they politely smile and say "Hi Ms. Almeida" and even stay after to ask me questions about the lesson or to check in. It's a great feeling knowing that they see me as something more than an extra person in the classroom. One of my biggest fears of teaching high school students was that I would be too young for them to take me seriously. This fear was put to bed when I found my voice in the classroom.
Megan, I love your line, "Once I showed them that I was serious about maintaining a classroom environment where everyones voices were equally important, the rest of the class ran a lot more smoothly." I think this line is fantastic because gaining control of the class wasn't just about your need to make a point, but to show the students that you care (and that they should care) about what each student has to say. Sounds like a powerful moment.
ReplyDeleteMegan: My favorite part about this post is this: "I found my teacher voice, or my teacher voice found me." There's nothing like an urgent, theres-no-one-here-to-help-or-do-it-for-me experience to help you find your teacher voice! I am so proud of you! It kind of reminds me of the first time that Harry Potter (the real one, you know, in the book, not the one from Providence...haha) uses a spell and IT WORKS! You've found your power--The Voice, a teacher's most valuable tool--and now it's up to you to figure out how you want to use it.
ReplyDeleteI love that you found your teaching voice! I think that it is so important to set the tone in terms of classroom management, because like you said, the students will try to test you to see what they can get away with! I'm sure that now the students are willing to be more open with you (because they know you better) and they respect you more for taking charge of the classroom!
ReplyDeleteI can relate to wanting to find my teacher voice or having it find me. I love that you knew in your gut that it just had to happen. I'm hoping that I will have the same experience and outcome when the time does come. Your relationship with your students can only benefit from this. Will they still try to push your buttons - Absolutely! But you got this!
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