There are movies and books that narrate teachers, especially novice ones, being in tough rooms with “kids” that display their being “kids”. It is like being in a battlefield where spectators wait who will “win the room”. Every teacher has his story of being new in the field of education. Each one has an unforgettable experience to tell. Most stories may be more of how they have had difficulties adjusting in managing their classrooms.
The struggles of being a teacher may be considered as “hazing”. Hazing, when passed successfully, can and should equip teachers with proper mindset and attitude to being effective teachers. The teachers succeed against all odds through compassion and perseverance.
How do teachers survive this stage of “hazing”? Ron Clark, in his book The Essential 55 lists classroom rules he developed to help teachers teach students to be attentive, involved, and respectful. The rules can help teachers develop an action plan that can address remarkable classroom management struggles. Clark’s rules are not the traditional means on which the teacher is tagged as authoritarian. It is worth noting how the rules have encouraged permitting students to create their own classroom rules to have a sense of “ownership” of their “classroom community”. So, there was co-ownership between the teacher and the student.
With this co-ownership, the teacher feels more in control and will be able to teach better. Every teacher should understand that during their first year was the hazing year but that they will eventually get better in time. They have to equip themselves with the proper mindset and skills to make each teaching year better and better. They will make mistakes during the first years. There will be episodes of hit and miss. Yes, there will be periods of adjustments and “charge to experience” learning. Training and mentoring are crucial. Teacher quality is attainable when teachers open their minds and hearts to being teachable and trainable. Then, the period of hazing can be viewed as test of fire purposed to “purify” the gold in each educator.
References:
Clark, R. (2003) The Essential 55:An Award-Winning Educator’s Rules for Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child. Hyperion Books.
Osborne, E.;. Salzberger, I.; Wittenberg, G. W.. 1999. The Emotional Experience of Learning and Teaching. Karnac Books, London.
Patrick, B.C., Hisley, J. & Kempler, T. (2000) “What’s Everybody so Excited about?”: The Effects of Teacher Enthusiasm on Student Intrinsic Motivation and Vitality”, The Journal of Experimental Education, Vol. 68, No. 3, pp. 217-236
By: Heidi N. Gatchula | Teacher III | New Alion Elementary School
