In so many ways, my teaching situation is beautiful and enjoyable and a perfect fit for what I love, what I'm good at and what I want to put my effort into.
However, there are challenges.
And one of the primary challenges I face is the co-teaching relationship.
Sometimes, co-teaching can be the most amazing thing in the world, with two teachers truly using their strengths and talents to serve students in the most effective way possible. Additionally, this successful co-teaching allows the teachers to kind of share the responsibility for planning and expending energy which is quite nice.
Sometimes, however, co-teaching is simply the pairing of two teachers who do not view the world in the same way, who do not hold the same philosophies of education nor view students in the same way. And this is most frequently what leads me to great frustration in my workplace.
Most recently, a co-worker explained to me that one class had bad behavior solely because one student has bad behavior. Now, I don't know the language nor all the cultural norms, but let me just say, I've SEEN bad behavior and I know students that can cause a classroom to be a bit more than distracted...and this student, he's not it - maybe in language or culture it's possible, but in general behavior...not so much.
What I do find generally lacking in class with this particular co-teacher is a healthy enforcement of classroom management. If the teacher is talking, there's a 80% chance that the majority of the students are also talking, not listening and definitely not participating. If the target is to use English to answer something, there's a 50% chance English is not being used but the lesson is continuing forward nonetheless. And, again, maybe it's a difference in cultural expectations, but I don't know. I've had co-workers who command the attention of their students are well respected for it.
The part that really gets under my skin though, the part that turns me from the Foreign Teacher my co-workers talk to the Foreign Teacher their scared of, is when a co-worker explains the problem solely in terms of the students:
"Oh, they're so bad." "They are just following that one bad students example."
"They are 6th graders, you know how 6th graders are." "Oh, these students."
Perhaps, I can see in some cases, there is a bit of truth. But personally, I want co-workers who recognize the students aren't doing so well, they are misbehaving. And rather than just blaming the students, I want co-workers who take some time to consider their teaching style, their teaching materials and the true needs of their students and work toward adjusting what they are presenting. Because we're the adults here. We're the ones who should set the example, the expectation, the level of respect.
In my humble opinion.
(Typed while my students are on a fieldtrip and I'm left to enjoy two days of freedom, writing about what I love and hate and drink coffee mix from Taiwan from a thermos wrapped in a sweet hand-knit cozy ^^)
However, there are challenges.
And one of the primary challenges I face is the co-teaching relationship.
Sometimes, co-teaching can be the most amazing thing in the world, with two teachers truly using their strengths and talents to serve students in the most effective way possible. Additionally, this successful co-teaching allows the teachers to kind of share the responsibility for planning and expending energy which is quite nice.
Sometimes, however, co-teaching is simply the pairing of two teachers who do not view the world in the same way, who do not hold the same philosophies of education nor view students in the same way. And this is most frequently what leads me to great frustration in my workplace.
Most recently, a co-worker explained to me that one class had bad behavior solely because one student has bad behavior. Now, I don't know the language nor all the cultural norms, but let me just say, I've SEEN bad behavior and I know students that can cause a classroom to be a bit more than distracted...and this student, he's not it - maybe in language or culture it's possible, but in general behavior...not so much.
What I do find generally lacking in class with this particular co-teacher is a healthy enforcement of classroom management. If the teacher is talking, there's a 80% chance that the majority of the students are also talking, not listening and definitely not participating. If the target is to use English to answer something, there's a 50% chance English is not being used but the lesson is continuing forward nonetheless. And, again, maybe it's a difference in cultural expectations, but I don't know. I've had co-workers who command the attention of their students are well respected for it.
The part that really gets under my skin though, the part that turns me from the Foreign Teacher my co-workers talk to the Foreign Teacher their scared of, is when a co-worker explains the problem solely in terms of the students:
"Oh, they're so bad." "They are just following that one bad students example."
"They are 6th graders, you know how 6th graders are." "Oh, these students."
Perhaps, I can see in some cases, there is a bit of truth. But personally, I want co-workers who recognize the students aren't doing so well, they are misbehaving. And rather than just blaming the students, I want co-workers who take some time to consider their teaching style, their teaching materials and the true needs of their students and work toward adjusting what they are presenting. Because we're the adults here. We're the ones who should set the example, the expectation, the level of respect.
In my humble opinion.
(Typed while my students are on a fieldtrip and I'm left to enjoy two days of freedom, writing about what I love and hate and drink coffee mix from Taiwan from a thermos wrapped in a sweet hand-knit cozy ^^)
1 comment:
Wow. Were you at work with me today? I felt so many similar things while meeting with a teacher regarding a student's performance. It makes me CRAZY that she can't take the time to see the struggle academically is not because the student doesn't want to try, or because the parents don't care. It's because she is freaking mean and doesn't have a clue about language acquisition...oh and maybe doesn't have compassion and sensitivity to students. ARGH! Sorry for the rant.
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