Week 3 back in the teaching trenches has just come to an end and the weekend is here! It is always a bit satisfying to wrap up a week and to look back with a smile. Not that it has not been challenging. Those who teach know that every new school year is in a way also picking up where you left and creating brand new chapters but now and then we do face doomsday. The thing is that I have promised myself that I am rather going to focus on the positive things that my job offers me than the ones that cause me nightmares and heart burn. Oh yes, I already had a few moments that I did wonder why I just do not have a magic wand.
The thing is that I have found out a few weeks ago while doing a little quiz that I have got the tendency to be very pessimistic and believe me this was one of those games that for ones was backed up by scientific number and statistics. I cringed at my result because I only scored 0! Not proud of that but it did kind of confirmed but I do have the tendency to be very pessimistic and the moment that I feel joy or wish to jump into the air I will find something that will cause rain on my parade. It is in my genes and that in combination with the media and all the negative news that is spreading like a disease I do have these days that I do wonder if I even should try.
Many teachers I know are very strict with themselves. The ‘best’ teachers I had myself were not the ones that always smiles on their face but they managed to stimulate me to dive into some things that at first sight seemed rather boring but once when you dove in and went along with them you entered a total different world. None of them ever forced me but the ones that made me work hard, giving it an other try, look further, loan an extra book from the library on the subject, gave me some extra time to push the barrier that are the ones that I am now grateful and I am quite sure that they also had those rather gloomy days…we all do! Still there is a lot to be grateful and within those sunny moments there is so much energy to find that you know that that is what can make the difference.
So here we go….Over the last 3 weeks I have been so grateful for
-The enthusiasm and eagerness that students demonstrate when they have a lesson of Dutch. As many of you know is it ‘only’ an one hour subject for the UP students that I teach at my educational hotspot. Still the sincere outburst of joy when they see my coworker U or me walk in that is so heart warming. It still can bewilder me and yes it is an energy boost.
-The smiles and great formal and less formal talks I had with my coworkers on each level. It can still amaze what the impact of good conversation is and how it can influence your work attitude. Inside a classroom you do end up on your own but it are the other teachers who can so much break or make the overall moral where you try to teach. Therefor I am so grateful that I did already felt that I have enough ears and shoulders to turn to in case of melt down or outburst of sheer happiness that I wish to share with fellow teachers.
-Those special moments that you find out that teaching does have an impact and that things are not just for the sake of saying and hoping against all odds. That during one of my students I suddenly witnessed some of my younger students picking up trash without having told to so made me feel so happy. Yes, they had been an assembly about keeping the campus clean and taken care and joined responsibility but that is not a guarantee that the the transfer between the assembly hall and the play ground goes smoothly.
-The very powerful moments that students go beyond that what you hoped for. It is in these first weeks back that you find out how much did ‘stick’ and how much has ‘vanished’. Nothing can make me a happier than a student that just can not hold back by calling out ‘we have covered this last year!’. Yes, the curse of teaching a foreign language for one hour ‘only’ is challenging when when it comes down to getting students to remember words and grammatical structures we one in a long ago past talked and filled in worksheets about. Spontaneous ‘confessions’ of students are sometimes the ultimate icing on the cake.
-The holiday stories students and parents share with you and what they have managed to with their language knowledge. That there are positive outcomes of language learning is not something that is scientifically questioned but still I have my doubts that many of my students find the time and place to put their Dutch into practice. When I am told that they have taken their learning outside the classroom and ended up using at a museum, restaurant or summer camp I am very proud of them.
-The work-family balance that is so fragile but you seem to be able to keep up 3 weeks further down the line. That my time table is very nice mix between loaded and rather light days with enough time to plan and sort out urgent administration and other issues that have landed up in the mailbox is surely something that I am grateful for.
-The interesting books, articles and stories that I have read so far have proven there is still enough out there in the educational world. Despite all the negative press and everlasting debate that teaching is rather something for those who can’t are there enough positive vibes going on in the educational orbit. That I have ‘sacrifice’ some of my ‘free’ time in order to find out more about them is something that I so far have not regretted for a single second. On the contrary it has given me more energy and contentment.
-The presence of online support that comes sometimes in disguise of a good joke or an extra pat on the shoulders. I signed up this year for a buddy support the light version but also plan to try out something new closer to home. So far I can just state that it are those little messages that sometimes can pull me back up.
-The sweet moments and breaks that students or coworker celebrate with you their birthday and bring along treats or that U brings along one of her amazing baking experiments. I have say that the gluten free biscuits surely surprised my taste buds. Also a strawberry dipped in chocolate and chocolates in a box to choose from are only a few of the unexpected delights that have brought some extra happiness into my first three weeks.
-The late summer days that have brightened up some of rather early and painful awakenings and made the transition between facing reality a bit more bearable and smoother. The extra intake of vitamin D is surely a delightful treat. Rain is on the forecast for the days to come but the sunshine we had they can’t take away from me.
….
I know that there are harder days looming around the corner…all it sometimes takes is one less ‘good’ lesson or a mail that sounds almost like a dead threat to make all the above void. But there is always light at the end of the tunnel and I have some extra ticks and tips to rely on in case of an emergency. Plus that I have made some promises that I very much wish to keep because in the long run they will make the school year so much more fun and bearable for myself and the ones around me. In case you do end up with rather the dark sided Stallie than be aware of that one poster that is up on my noticing board, that one can make all trouble go away:’Why yes, a pink cupcake will fix everything! Works miracles for me, every single time…but foremost I also try to keep in mind that in the end ‘nothing lasts forever we have only have what we remember.’ That is how our brains works and teachers are surely specialist in that! My students fully agree with that as well...ask them about the pink cupcake poster... ;-)
PS: I love Anggun her voice. I do prefer her rather in French but this song can make me move around in my kitchen and does also make me focus on what I should remember in order to see the positive side of many things.
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