"A" is for Authority
As a new teacher I recall hearing advice from veteran teachers; "Don't smile until December," "You have to show them who is in charge right from the beginning," or "If you don't show them who's boss on the first day, you'll be in for a very long year." What an intimidating approach to begin the school year; and this can send the wrong message to our students who come to us with a plethora of backgrounds and situations. A teacher friend of mine, who just passed at 91 years young, provided me (I think) the best advice when I started teaching (The Three F's), "Be Friendly, Firm, and Fair."
If I became a teacher because I like children, then I should greet them with a smile in the morning each and every day (or each and every period) to let them know that they can speak with me, make mistakes with me, and grow with me. As Rita Pierson says, "kids don't learn from people they don't like." Being a friendly teacher does not mean that you are their friend; rather, a leader who cares about them as individuals and has their best interest at heart. Approach each situation with kindness and empathy because our words and actions can change lives; choose to be friendly.
Managing a class is always a challenge because there are so many demands from various sources. Remember, we are human; and, reacting with consistency is not always natural when met with an inappropriate action or phrase because our emotions are guided by our personal experiences. To be fair means we have to think about what our expectations are for our students and their behavior should be within our classroom. Once you have worked these details out (and many authors and practitioners such as Harry Wong suggest creating these with our students), be consistent in maintaining them with your students. It is okay to make a mistake; just apologize and move on. Be fair in how you treat each student (yes, we may have our favorites) and work to be as consistent as possible when reacting to stressful moments.
When my friend provided the "Three F's" I was apprehensive about Firm because I was not an authoritative person nor did I want to develop an authoritative personality. Well let me be honest, my first semester of teacher Middle School was a mess, so I ran out and bought the Harry Wong book and applied many of it's strategies. This is where I learned what my friend meant by "Firm;" mean what you say, do not waver on your expectations, and no means no. It was so simple once I began using it, and I did not become a mean teacher that my students ran from; rather, they learned where I stood and respected me for it. My previous students have now come back after graduating and shared their feelings on how I was honest with them and they knew where the line was drawn because I was their teacher.
At the start of your year as a teacher think about these simple "Three F's" and work to create a caring environment where children are invited to learn and grow. I will end with a quote by Dr. John Maxwell that guides me "People won't care how much you know until they know how much you care" and "kids won't learn from someone they don't like."
If I became a teacher because I like children, then I should greet them with a smile in the morning each and every day (or each and every period) to let them know that they can speak with me, make mistakes with me, and grow with me. As Rita Pierson says, "kids don't learn from people they don't like." Being a friendly teacher does not mean that you are their friend; rather, a leader who cares about them as individuals and has their best interest at heart. Approach each situation with kindness and empathy because our words and actions can change lives; choose to be friendly.
Managing a class is always a challenge because there are so many demands from various sources. Remember, we are human; and, reacting with consistency is not always natural when met with an inappropriate action or phrase because our emotions are guided by our personal experiences. To be fair means we have to think about what our expectations are for our students and their behavior should be within our classroom. Once you have worked these details out (and many authors and practitioners such as Harry Wong suggest creating these with our students), be consistent in maintaining them with your students. It is okay to make a mistake; just apologize and move on. Be fair in how you treat each student (yes, we may have our favorites) and work to be as consistent as possible when reacting to stressful moments.
When my friend provided the "Three F's" I was apprehensive about Firm because I was not an authoritative person nor did I want to develop an authoritative personality. Well let me be honest, my first semester of teacher Middle School was a mess, so I ran out and bought the Harry Wong book and applied many of it's strategies. This is where I learned what my friend meant by "Firm;" mean what you say, do not waver on your expectations, and no means no. It was so simple once I began using it, and I did not become a mean teacher that my students ran from; rather, they learned where I stood and respected me for it. My previous students have now come back after graduating and shared their feelings on how I was honest with them and they knew where the line was drawn because I was their teacher.
At the start of your year as a teacher think about these simple "Three F's" and work to create a caring environment where children are invited to learn and grow. I will end with a quote by Dr. John Maxwell that guides me "People won't care how much you know until they know how much you care" and "kids won't learn from someone they don't like."
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