I got to page 5 of my manual and was already stewing about the content.
Students behave or misbehave due to what it happening in the classroom more than the influence of outside factors. If the teacher changes the environment in the classroom, the behavior of the students will change. ~ "Substitute Teacher" manual page 2
So - no students misbehave because they have not been taught to behave? I know it says "more than", but as I read on I found more evidence of behaviorism and less about teaching children what is "right" and what is "wrong." In fact, you cannot categorize any behaviors as "good" or bad".
Do not allow yourself to be led off task by students protests and long, useless discussions. ~ "Substitute Teacher" manual page 5
I guess students must conform...no protesting allowed..."resistance is futile." I'm not saying students should be allowed to do whatever they want. What I am saying is that shouldn't students know why they need to know these things and why they need to participate in class. Discussing these things is useless?
I think I'm going to have a harder time with this than I thought. I hope that I can still take what I know about how people learn and be useful in the classroom without snuffing all forms of discussions. Hopefully I can somehow inspire the students I come in contact with and still perform to a level as to not get fired. LOL!
I always go back to my favorite school adage: You simply can't plan for every contingency.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the emotional and behavioral disorders that don't begin to manifest quite so obviously until considered in comparision to others (ages 5-7)?
Clearly, that can in no way be "blamed" on the teacher. Yet, I've seen it happen - more than once, over seven years working in schools. And unless a teacher is adept at documenting every aspect of a child's unusual behavior, it is entirely possible that the child could go without intervention for nine months (or more).
On the other hand. Some teachers (and some subs) are absolutely fabulous and I've loved having my child be "second parented" by them.
Yuck! Good luck with that! At least we can be reminded why are kids aren't public school.
ReplyDeleteOh man! Don't even get me started on this! :0) This is part of the great "chasm" of reasons why we have chosen to home school! Where is the responsibility of the parent, here??? And where is the "environment for inspiriation"? This "training", takes the wind out of the sails of both the student and the teacher!" In fact, that is one reason why I hated junior high and high school...because I didn't just want to know which formula to apply, or how to perform a science experiment. I wanted to know WHY I was using a formula or WHY you had to apply A and B to get C. I wasn't a bad kid...I was just struggling to understand the "equation!" Good luck to you, Celeste! I feel so sad for kids these days, who are in "no inspiration situations!" Give em' inspiration, Celeste! And give them the power of knowing they are in control of themselves and their own behavior! (A task that's hard to do, as a substitute teacher!) You never know...you just may say something that could change the way a child thinks about their education and behavior!
ReplyDelete