|
Be a model
of what you teach. If you ask the
students not to drink something other than water in class, then
don’t drink coffee or some non water beverage yourself. If you ask
them to treat each other with respect, do the same with them. So
often teens find great gaps between what adults tell them is
appropriate and what behavior they actually see exhibited. Teens
often learn more from what we do than what we say.
Be on time just as the
students must be or be willing to “pay” an amount to the charity
jar. Usually a quarter or an amount slightly higher than the
student amount due works well.
Be optimistic.
Teaching is one of the most challenging and important jobs in
existence. With all the pressures on teachers in this century, it’s
easy to be negative. It’s important to look for the good in any
situation so that a classroom environment is created that is
positive, empowering and healthy to be around.
Be
consistent. Treat all the students and
situations the same whenever possible. Teens don’t miss much and
will immediately notice what they consider ‘unfair’ treatment.
Their legal side immediately emerges if necessary and they are very
respectful of people who treat everyone the same, even if the result
doesn’t always favor them.
Have fun.
When was it decided that school had to be serious all the time?
Children
had
fun in elementary school but often they feel that that fun is over
once high school begins. Many teachers feel that fun and learning
do not go hand in hand. Think of seminars that we attended.
Weren’t the best ones when we learned AND had fun too? We would
never want to sit through 7 hours a day of boring professional
development. Why should our students have to sit through 7 hours of
solemn instruction? When the learning is fun and relevant, students
don’t want to leave class and what they learn stays with them
longer.
Be kind.
There are so many teachers who feel that they have to be dominant
over students in order for them to be respected and for the students
to learn. Most teachers have heard the comment, “Don’t smile until
Christmas” as a tool to set up a serious and harsh classroom
environment. Why?
Our world is very
harsh and unconnected these days. A little kindness goes a
long way both in and out of the classroom. Even when disciple
must be enacted, if it is done kindly and with an explanation, then
usually the student will handle it well.
Use
stories to teach. The stories provided
are the author’s personal experiences which the instructor may feel
free to share with the class. Or let these stories can be used to
help the instructor discover the stories in his or her own life that
relate to the lesson being taught. Stories help us connect with
each other and stories of a more personal nature have the power to
do that with teens very effectively. As the semester progresses,
students begin to share their own stories as they become more
comfortable in the environment and with the class. |
