Wackus I know this isn’t really ML-related but I’m gonna get my first experience teaching kids this week and I’m soooooooooooooo nervous. I used to be really good with kids but it’s been ages since I interacted with one properly and I’ve never taught in a formal setting or anything 😭😭😭 I’m so scared I might accidentally say something too strict and make someone cry or won’t be able to hold back a laugh if someone makes a silly mistake and then hurt their feelings and I’m terrified I’m gonna traumatise them for life okay the PANIC is REAL. Do you have any advice for a first time (mid-qualification) teacher?
i do! i have a LOT!!
for context, i have taught elementary school, ages 5 - 12, grades K - 6 for 5 years. (yes i have taught every grade within that range, long story). however, this advice applies universally:
no matter if you're student teaching, staring a new teaching job, or just working in an after school program, the most important thing to remember is, they're JUST kids. they might have attitude, behavior problems, whatever. bottom line is, a kid just wants to be cared for and kept safe and educated, and that's what they will respect you for!
let's make a list, teachers love lists
set your expectations/ consequences for meeting or not meeting them. this is what we do first thing every school year, every monday, every time we start something new. AND HOLD TO THOSE EXPECTATIONS. practicing routines and procedures will make things run way more smoothly.
rely on your coworkers. those ppl are there bc they love kids and love their job, and are in the same boat as you. comiserate with them. plan with them. ask them for their wisdom. the better relationship you have with the other staff, the more resources you get for support!
strict routines. try not to switch up rules/ schedules too much. you'll find anything sets the kids off. a frikin full moon will set them off. a windy day, a rainy day, a spider. literally anything. keep schedules regular, keep transitions quick, and rules universal. keep them trained well to ensure your days go smoothly.
attention getters. they're all gonna wanna talk to each other and not pay attention to you. i teach in spanish so i say, "hola, hola" and they reply "coca cola." my english colleagues say "class class" and the kids reply "yes, yes." if i want my class to verify their understanding i say "capishe" and they reply "kaposh." if i say "waterfall" they say "shhh." these will save your life dude and there are billions. pick your favorite and roll with it!
rewards/incentives. there are also billions of these. i use class dojo, stickers, tickets, anything i can whip out and give them to the kids for instant reinforcement. think puppy training. they need IMMEDIATE praise or IMMEDIATE castigation. for more severe cases you can say "i am going to think of a consequence for you and tell you at the end of the day." they stay real quiet from then on.
affective statements. "i feel happy because you are showing me respect by keeping your eyes on me." "i feel frustrated because you are choosing not to follow the rules." kids need to know you're a person with feelings too. they're always so shook to find out you are human too, and they respect you more for it.
tattletale box. make them write out their grievances against each other and put it in your mailbox. they get writing practice and they leave you alone OR they just forget about it entirely. it's a win/win.
"I’m so scared I might accidentally say something too strict and make someone cry" <- you will do this, and they will get over it. i make my kids cry every day. those kids i am the strictest with, who i make cry the most often, are the ones giving me hugs at the end of the day and telling me they love me/coming back to see me the next year. do not fear! as long as you are coming from a place of love, they will love you too.
"won’t be able to hold back a laugh if someone makes a silly mistake and then hurt their feelings" <- you will do this too, and they will get over it. i make fun of my kids regularly for their silly mistakes, but all in good fun. it actually models for the kids how to joke with each other in a positive light, and what to NOT get butthurt over. like i said, as long as you are coming from a place of love, they will love you too.
"I’m terrified I’m gonna traumatise them for life" <- you are NOT going to traumatize them! the resilience of a child is one of the most amazing things i've ever seen. i can tell just from this that you're a person who cares about kids and wants the best for them. a person who teaches with that mindset is a person who is fated to positively influence them.
i've made looooots of mistakes. i've gotten angry emails from parents, the principal, bad reviews and low test scores. i've also had kids come back and tell me how much they learned in my class, had parents tell me how much their child loves me and misses me as their teacher, and had kids say they wanna grow up and be just like me.
you are gonna be okay. they are gonna love you because you love them. you're gonna be soooo tired and stressed out. you're gonna laugh your ass off. but one of your students is going to tell you thank you for everything you taught them, and then you'll cry and hug them and realize you're in the right place. pink promise 💕
here's a picture of me as a cat princess to motivate you
