How do you teach a room filled with students who don't want to be there?
How do you balance structure with creativity?
How do you make someone want to learn something?
How do you asses what skills a group of people need to learn, and tie that into the curriculum you're expected to get through?
How do you foster creativity while censoring appropriateness?
How do you get people to focus rather than make them focus?
How do you explain basic skills without insulting their intelligence?
How do you allow students to grow in a caustic environment?
How do you get them to understand how to create a safe place for each other, when the only safety they grab is the individual safety they need?
How do you teach people who have never been asked to think critically or dream creatively?
How do you explain anything when self-motivation to take charge of their own learning has never been a priority?
How do you throw away outdated methods of discipline and still maintain control?
How do you get them to look each other in the face and be honest to each other?
These are just some questions floating around in my head as I try to write down a plan for the day. It's only an hour long class. I have survived in the past by holding things together with theater games from my back pocket.
I talked to my boss a little bit today about how much I feel like I'm failing my class, and she couldn't offer much enlightenment because I didn't know the right questions to ask. I have more than enough tools and resources, I just don't know how to use them yet. Every time I lesson plan it makes me want to crawl into bed and forget I have any responsibilities. And then I go to class, and some times it's amazing, and some times it's a complete failure, and I try again the next day.
And I try again the next day.
And I try again the next day.
I'm on day 14 of a 20 day program - they want to extend it. They pay would be nice. The weariness is getting to me.
Does that make me a legit teacher?
How do you balance structure with creativity?
How do you make someone want to learn something?
How do you asses what skills a group of people need to learn, and tie that into the curriculum you're expected to get through?
How do you foster creativity while censoring appropriateness?
How do you get people to focus rather than make them focus?
How do you explain basic skills without insulting their intelligence?
How do you allow students to grow in a caustic environment?
How do you get them to understand how to create a safe place for each other, when the only safety they grab is the individual safety they need?
How do you teach people who have never been asked to think critically or dream creatively?
How do you explain anything when self-motivation to take charge of their own learning has never been a priority?
How do you throw away outdated methods of discipline and still maintain control?
How do you get them to look each other in the face and be honest to each other?
These are just some questions floating around in my head as I try to write down a plan for the day. It's only an hour long class. I have survived in the past by holding things together with theater games from my back pocket.
I talked to my boss a little bit today about how much I feel like I'm failing my class, and she couldn't offer much enlightenment because I didn't know the right questions to ask. I have more than enough tools and resources, I just don't know how to use them yet. Every time I lesson plan it makes me want to crawl into bed and forget I have any responsibilities. And then I go to class, and some times it's amazing, and some times it's a complete failure, and I try again the next day.
And I try again the next day.
And I try again the next day.
I'm on day 14 of a 20 day program - they want to extend it. They pay would be nice. The weariness is getting to me.
Does that make me a legit teacher?