This week and last Friday I have been at Provo High teaching ESL students. I am doing this to fulfill my practicum requirement for my ESL minor. It has been a great experience! I have finally been able to put into practice all of the methods and theories that I have learned. I am also learning just how taxing teaching is. I realize that as good as I may be at teaching, if students don't want to be there, then there's not a ton you can do (Diane, I'm sure you're nodding your head vigorously right now!).
I've been teaching my ESL students how to write a letter. Not too difficult right? Most of them already know the basic steps. I thought this would be a good activity because then they can make a Christmas card for their parents or a friend. Better than doing a worksheet, right? Well, today was difficult. Yesterday I did the same lesson and the kids behaved and did their work. However, today was a day to pull out the mean voice.
I don't consider myself a mean person at all, but today I was. These kids fooled around and I had to be very mean to them. Finally they did their work, although half-heartedly. I usually try to joke around and have fun with the students but not today. Today I was mean. mean. mean. mean.
And it felt good.
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5 comments:
I remember having a mean day when I was student teaching in the 3rd grade. Oooo...sometimes you just want to ground them all for life. But of course you love them all at the same time...right? Well, maybe "love" is too positive.
Go Suz! I'm sure they knew you really meant business because you are normally nice. Good Mommy training!
RAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nodding vigorously!!!
My B4 class (who I love) didn't think I could be mean, so I randomly picked a student (who I knew could handle it) and just railed on her. They were impressed! I never have to use the mean voice in that class, but it's definitely used in my other ones! The trick is to set clear boundaries and consequences and when they do bad things, calmly state that they have earned the punishment.
I am so bad at this, but the less emotional I get when students are bad, the more sane I feel at the end of the day.
Wow, it's hard for me to even imagine what your mean voice would sound like! Good job, though. =)
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