I'm after college. I have been teaching in a junior high school since September. I cannot cope with the students. At the beginning of the year, they only referred to me as "professor" for a few days. Everyone says "sir" now. But that's not the worst of it. They don't listen to me at all. I pay attention, I enter it in the journal. I use various pen alties: cards and additional work. I reported bad behavior to my educators. Once I sent a student during the lesson to the headmaster. Nothing works. Even the parents I called to school didn't come. It's still noisy in class. Only a few people are concerned. It is difficult to work in these conditions. I am worried because I cannot teach them as much as I would like. It seems to me that other teachers don't have such problems with disciplining their students. I feel foolish to ask how they do it because I'm new. Besides, I don't want to be ridiculous. It's enough for the kids to play. Sometimes I wonder if I should be looking for another job. I am asking for advice.
Dear Łukasz! If you come to the conclusion that you feel bad among children and it would be better if you were not in contact with them on a daily basis - change your profession. If this is not the case, you need to make friends with the students and get to know them well. You are part of a school community that is largely made up of students. The functioning of children, both at school and in the family, depends to a large extent on how adults function. An adult has an advantage because, having acquired certain knowledge and skills, he can consciously control the child. The teacher's job is not easy. You must be a good educator in order to benefit students and satisfy you. If you succeed in this, work will no longer be a burden. Generally, those who treat them seriously and show interest in their affairs have good contact with the pupils. He sees a child as a person who feels, thinks, has interests, dreams, ambitions, problems etc. A good educator is always focused on helping the child. He looks for advantages and talents in him and tries to use them. When a child does not listen to him, he looks for a fault in himself and his own behavior, not in the child. You write that the pen alties you apply are ineffective. I would advise you to give up pen alties. Rewards are much more effective. Above all, however, students need to feel that you are their ally. They now treat you - at best - as a necessary evil. As a person too distant from their world. Try your besttalk and joke together. Find out about your pupils' passions, what they do during the lessons and try to use it. For example, if someone paints grafitti in a notebook during the lesson, help him organize an exhibition at school. When you start talking to young people, you will quickly find out about their problems. You will learn what you can help her with, what initiatives she has. You will cease to be a stranger and then you will also find out what mistakes you make yourself. Young people are very keen observers and often know what they want, and more often what they don't want. The educator's task is to control it so that it will be of benefit to the children. You say that the students do not listen to you, that they are not letting you work. You have to find out why this is so. To make students interested in a lesson, it is not enough to like each other. Experience teaches that a lesson which bore the teacher is time wasted. You have to ensure a certain uniqueness, at least minimal attractiveness of each lesson. Try to evaluate what the student knows. Don't catch him on what he can't, just help him get the knowledge. Don't act by surprise, because you are unnecessarily nervous about the children. Announce any essay so that students know what to repeat. Let me correct bad grades. Check that the students have understood the lesson. Let us ask questions. After all, the point is that the student should know, not punish him for a lack of knowledge or a mistake. In a word, try to see the school through the prism of the student and his / her well-being. Still remember that school is for him and you are to help him learn and develop in the best way possible. Remember your own student times. You must have watched your teachers. What were they like? How did they behave? Which you liked and which you didn't. To whom you caused a lot of trouble, and which less? What did it depend on? When you answer these questions, choose a teacher you liked and who was your authority as a role model. Everyone who went to school had to meet such a person. If you look at him again closely and look at him from the point of view of an adult who has a variety of knowledge preparing for the profession, you will probably find that he was not only a teacher, but also a good educator. I suppose there must be such a teacher in your current school as well. Watch him do it. Observe whether the students' sympathy and respect for him does indeed coincide with their interest in the subject. Good luck.
Remember that our expert's answer is informative and will not replace a visit to the doctor.
Barbara Śreniowska-SzafranEducator with many years of experience.
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