Back to school tomorrow

The end of this wonderful break is drawing closer. The past few days I've done a lot of reading, because I know that I won't get much reading done during the school year, at least nothing that is not school related. I finished Lena Gorelik's 'Wedding in Jerusalem' which I really enjoyed, and two thirds of the first book of 'Rashi's daugthers'. So far I really like the book. It's actually the first historical novel I ever read, and I like it.

I also decided to study some classroom management theory, because I feel I need a boost before getting back to school (and thus my class from hell). I read the first two chapters of Robert J. Mackenzie's 'Setting limits in the classroom'. Before offering solutions and strategies, chapter one to five make you look at your own teaching strategies, and at the things that go wrong.

I must admit that it was kind of confronting to read about mistakes other teachers make and think 'that's me'.

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A real eye-opener was what MacKenzie calls 'the classroom dance'. Effective teachers know exactly what they expect of their students, and make their expectations clear in a very simple way. "If you don't know how to participate in the circle, you will have to sit by yourself" or "If you don't know how to behave during recess, you will have to sit with me and watch the others play". Many teachers (again, this is me) are either permissive or punitive in dealing with their students. They either let disruptive behaviour happen, or they come up with a sanction that is not really fair, thus making the student want to rebel even more. Many teachers end up discussing and fighting with their students, taking up a lot of time without reaching the desired result.

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Something else that struck me was a list of ten common misconceptions that cause teachers to have problems with managing their classes. I decided to copy these ten misconceptions to hear how many of these you have been holding for true. I can tell you that I believed all these to be true when I started student teaching, and I am slowly giving up each and every one of them.

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1) Teaching rules is the parents' job

2) Children should know what I expect (oh, this was my favorite one)

3) I can't afford to take precious time away from instruction

4) If I cover my rules thoroughly in the beginning of the year, I shouldn't need to do it again

5) Explaining my rules to children should be enough

6) Children won't take me seriously unless I am strict

7) If children hear my rules often enough, the message will begin to sink in

8) Students resent firm rules and teachers who make them

9) When my students sense that I care, they will cooperate (this was, and still is, my main pitfall)

10) Male teachers make the best disciplinarians (I know this is not true, but the male vocal chords do help, I think)

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What I like about the book is that is has a huge lists of questions in the back to discuss with a teachers study group. We should really stick together online and talk about these questions, don't you think?

As for tomorrow, may we all have a smooth transition back to the working life, and may the inspiration and relaxation of the holiday season carry us through the next semester!