Twelve months before student teaching begins, and today I ask the question: do I have the mettle? If you're a teacher or studying to become one, you understand why I'm asking. On the outside looking in, teaching sometimes looks easy. Especially if you're watching a teacher that is really, really good at what they do. But for a teacher, every single day is a production, and there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes.
When I think of all the details that need orchestrating for a successful first day, first month, and first year of teaching, it's almost too much to bear. There's a lot of decisions to make, a lot of planning to be done, and a lot of experiences to be had that I won't come across as a student. There are going to be a lot of mistakes in the road ahead.
To ease my mind, I've decided to stick my nose into as many books as possible over the next year. First up is Real Talk for Real Teachers by Rafe Esquith. I needed some practical advice, and the first section of the book for rookie teachers starts off with a chapter titled "Badlands." Mr. Esquith wants new teachers to know one thing: that no matter how hard you try, you will always have bad days. It doesn't get much more practical than that. Beyond this simple truth, there is one thing I will always remember from this book--the word incorrigible.
I love words, but not as much as my sister. I knew the general meaning of incorrigible as I read it--a loose synonym for bad. But my sister often knows a more Webster-y definition, so I asked her and she told me: incapable of being corrected or amended.
Mr. Esquith uses this adjective so many times you realize that it's this word that'll cause many of your bad days.
The incorrigible student: no matter how well you teach, no matter how relevant the curriculum, no matter how much you show you care, this is the student that remains obstinate.
The incorrigible parent: no matter how much you communicate, no matter how much you reach out, no matter how calm you remain when they're yelling at you, this is the parent that remains uncooperative.
The incorrigible administrator: no matter how well your classroom functions, no matter how great your idea, no matter how professional you are, this is the administrator that keeps pushing you down instead of lifting you up.
And then there are the hundreds of mistakes that I am destined to make.
And then there are the hundreds of mistakes that I am destined to make.
So how do you deal? How do you remain positive? How do you turn a bad day back into a good day?
One of the themes that Mr. Esquith writes about is the idea of leaving the door open. He discusses this idea within the context of classroom management. It's hard to discipline students, no matter how loving or logical the model you apply may be. It's hard to watch students make bad choices and go through the discomfort that we all feel as we learn from mistakes. But if you assure the student, as Mr. Esquith suggests, that the door is always open for them try again, you communicate some very important things. First, that their mistake is not the end of the world. And second, that if they work to correct their behavior, they can participate in the classroom with the full rights of citizenship again. And finally--and maybe most importantly--that you won't hold anything against them and that everyone will be able to move on.
I think this idea of an open door is a concept I will try to communicate not only to my students--but also to myself. Let me just say that...
...I will never be a perfect human.
...I will never be a perfect daughter.
...I will never be a perfect sister.
...I will never be a perfect wife.
...I will never be a perfect friend.
...and I will never, ever, be a perfect teacher.
And neither will any of the people--students, parents, administrators--that I ever work with. Perfect, that is.
Mistakes are a part of life. Bad days happen. Sometimes it might be my inexperience that makes a day turn grey, but many bad days will result from things I have zero control over, like the incorrigibility of others. But the door must remain open.
Open for me to walk into my classroom everyday, confident I can be better than the previous.
Open for my students to continue to grow, learn, and discover who they are.
Open for parents to strike up a conversation without my grudge widening the canyon between us.
Open for an administrator to try new things without scorn, or ask for my help without being resented.
The door should be closed to negativity. Closed to a begrudging attitude. Open to new ideas and fresh starts.
So what is mettle? It is a person's ability to cope with difficulties in a spirited and resilient way. Do I have it? Yes, I do. I think the challenge will be keeping it. But I think the key lies in forgoing perfection and remembering that making mistakes does not make me a bad teacher or close the door on becoming a great one. It's just a part of life. And the days won't always be bad, either.
--Catherine
P.S. Next, I'll be reading Everybody Present: Mindfulness in Education by Nikolaj Flor Rotne and Didde Flor Rotne
So what is mettle? It is a person's ability to cope with difficulties in a spirited and resilient way. Do I have it? Yes, I do. I think the challenge will be keeping it. But I think the key lies in forgoing perfection and remembering that making mistakes does not make me a bad teacher or close the door on becoming a great one. It's just a part of life. And the days won't always be bad, either.
--Catherine
P.S. Next, I'll be reading Everybody Present: Mindfulness in Education by Nikolaj Flor Rotne and Didde Flor Rotne
Esquith, R. (2013). Real talk for real teachers. New York: Viking.
No comments:
Post a Comment