The Mugshot They Took At Entry
Howdy -
I’m a late-twenties, early-career, woodshop-esque teacher in a math/science department at a very progressive therapeutic private school for students with neurological differences. My job involves a little of everything: lesson planning, curriculum building, community outreach, technology literacy (hence this blog), gardening, erecting permanent structures on campus, outdoor environmental education, wearing a tool belt, generally being awesome and so on.
I’m a Texan by way of Virginia (like the hero in the original western, The Virginian by Owen Wister) with die-hard Boston/Maine family connections and a love of the Pats and BoSox. I graduated from Virginia Tech in ’05 with a degree in English and have turned what is essentially a passionate hobby into my career. I have a M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction (and a whole list of minor focuses) from Leslie University in Cambridge, Mass. Check off the wife and two young children box, and yes, I’m living my dream everyday. I am, and have been, extremely blessed.
This blog is my reflection, my celebration and my exultation. Simply put, I love to teach. I hope I have something to teach or show you in these pages, but in fact, you will teach me. Just like my kids.
– Mr. Patrick.
Please, as best you can, in terms of simplicity, pass on to me whatever you know and learn. Often, my day is spent attempting to quell anguish and agitation, stomping on, holding back, cinching in the reigns… When I leave my subbing jobs, I feel that some divine intervention opened the fissure through which my teaching career slipped as i failed to tread student teaching waters. Most days feel like correctional facility officer training sessions. I cherish each incident of sensed accomplishment, whether curricular or social in nature.
Christine -
Subbing and student teaching are tough gigs. While I’ve never had either (I come from an after-school educator background) I can sympathize. I quickly learned in the after-school world that I couldn’t rely on embedded power structures (say, the principal or threat of failing grades) that I had to be the coolest adult in the classroom to be successful – I had to make my time with the students fun, engaging and different. It’s why I turned to woodworking and “making” stuff as a curriculum. No one else did it and the kids always respect a person that can saw a board in half in under fifteen seconds.
I would recognize a few things about your place in a student’s world: you don’t begin with any power in those situations, and therefore the students won’t give away the respect and power of the classroom. You have to earn it through being fair, honest and (truly) happy to be there. Let the students know your ground rules early on, let them know that, yes, you are different than their teacher but you are still the teacher and you’ll get through the hour-and-a-half together. Then, hopefully, the lesson can move onto learning. It’s a strange thing, really – as teachers we have enormous influence over the students behavior and learning, but very little true power. Recognize the contradiction and work with it.
Second, keep plugging away at teaching. If you’re looking at blogs about teaching (and asking me, a guy who follows his gut more than any doctrine) then you care and that’s the most important thing. Care about getting it right, review your successes and ask questions about what goes wrong. My sea legs didn’t get under me until a year or two in any teaching role I’ve had. And since I’ve joined a new school, I’m still learning what to do and when to do it. It’s why I’m blogging about my work.
Third – Subbing and student teaching are great ways to see how other teachers teach. I’m jealous. I’ve never done either and I’m always “stuck” in my classroom and my way of doing the craft of teaching. I relish the moments when another teacher is free enough to show me how they do it. Watch for those moments and keep your ears open.
Good luck and keep savoring the small victories. Some days, it’s all we’ve got.
- Mr. Patrick
I am glad someone who cares has been given the opportunity you have. Just stay informed of basic behavior and learning research and techniques and keep using that magic that comes from your gut! If you are in a situation that allows you to actually ponder and act on what is best for the students, then at least there are a few students out there receiving a legitimate education!
Thanks! Yes, some days feel rewarding. I have had a couple of instances when pausing to reach out on a limb made one of those days. Taking a deep breath and looking directly into the eye of an aggressively posturing student, explaining that we are all required to be here by law and we might as well make the most of it we can and have as much fun as possible, I modeled appropriate discussion for disagreement…and they actually self-corrected and smiled…! It was a truly good feeling that i will never forget. They’ll get those math skills in time, and maybe more effectively if some social interaction improvement creates a more comfortable classroom environment.