When I became a teacher, all those years ago, I was told that it's important to use your natural talents to your advantage in the classroom. This brought to mind a flood of images.
-- The cool, good looking, mid-thirties male teacher, playing his way cool version of School House Rock on his guitar to a group of adoring fifth graders.
-- The artistic English teacher with a room so expertly decorated in such fine detail that you have to wonder if the kids even notice or care that the apples on the tree all contain adjectives and the peaches have prepositions.
-- The former probation officer who can tell the difference between a kid being "sleepy" in class and being "sleeeeepy" in class (knwImsayin?). BTW, that's a good teacher to have next door.
Well I don't play the guitar, I can't draw, and they all look high to me, so I figured I would have to capture them with my charms, my loving nature and my amazing sense of humor. First year teachers know nothing.
I found out very quickly that they didn't get me. They didn't get me when I tried to be funny, they still don't get me even when I'm not trying to be funny, just making fun of them. It would be so much fun if some of these kids could actually pick up what I'm laying down when I have my sarcastic days...which is every day. The blank stares just make me feel old and boring, even though I know that they're mostly just young and stupid. It seems like my subtle jabs and (what I think are) hilarious comments are wasted on these kids.
Maybe this is what I get for being a sarcastic teenager with a bunch of teachers who didn't get me. Full circle, I guess...I just had a realization. Someday, chances are, I am going to have to deal with a sarcastic teenager who is somehow exacting revenge on the behalf of all the adults I tortured in my youth.
" I learned it by watching you, Mom! I learned it by watching you!"
Thursday, February 25, 2010
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Even though I am not a teacher, I can certainly relate. I spend so much of my time at work laughing at myself and how I handled a situation. My coworkers laugh at me as though I completely failed at an attempt to connect with a child but I think that's my style. Whether the kid laughs back or gets annoyed or even knows what you are referring to, I think the humor helps the kiddos feel safe. Like they can make a mistake around you, and know that its okay. "Ms. Rutherford is so weird she won't care." That is a big deal for these type of kids. You have an amazing ability of using humor and sarcasm to make people feel comfortable! Don't sell yourself short...those children love you and are very lucky to have you. I think you have great instincts, even as a beginner at this, and I can't wait to see how that baby of yours develops under your guidance. (But it will be hilarious when Hazel follows your lead and learns to make fun of you!)Thanks for the blogs this week- I love it!
ReplyDeleteI can't think of anything funny or witty to say (that's your job), but I liked your blog today!
ReplyDeleteis that last line hazel speaking to you or you speaking to me? There's always that one kid who gets you and is inspired by you. that's the most you can hope for.
ReplyDeleteProbably both, Mom. I watched Celebrity Rehab last night, and they went to visit a group of kids who stay in a place where drug addicted mothers get to keep their kids with them while they go through treatment. After watching the kids tell their stories it made me want to come to school today and hug all my students, even though I wanted to kill them yesterday. I know a lot of them have similar stories, except without the treatment part.
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