There’s No Need to Call Me “Sir”, Professor.

The last three weeks have been a total whirlwind of getting my feet on the ground as a newbie teacher, trying to keep my bedroom free of sand (an impossible feat), and taking much needed breaks to Tsumeb and Ndiyona on the weekend.

Nothing too crazy has happened teaching-wise, though I did stun the other teachers when I made a “Class Rules” poster. They acted as though it was the most revolutionary idea they’d ever encountered. Actually I do have to say that even though I’m far from earning the prestigious title of “Good Teacher”, I think my upbringing in the American school system puts me at an advantage. There are so many teaching approaches that are natural to me that just are unheard of here… Like the importance of instilling confidence in students, for example. Or bringing color into a classroom. Making flashcards. Arriving on time to class. Learning students’ names. Not yelling. Privacy. Actually that last one has taken a lot of getting used to; at the end of last year, final grades of each student were posted outside the grocery store and then announced on the radio. What?

One teaching hurdle that I’m attempting to overcome is my absence half the week. Having my own class for only two days creates an atmosphere of inconsistency, making it way harder for the kids (and other teachers) to adapt to my foreign teaching style.  And remember to do their homework. Here’s the perfect example.

Last Thursday we were trying to finish up their first speaking assignment; 40 students meant 40 speeches so of course everyone started getting a little impatient (talking while classmates were presenting, reading newspapers, laughing at presenters, the usual). I knew it was a REALLY crucial moment in my teaching career… Every class has to test new teachers to learn their discipline style and determine their breaking point. This was my first test, and I decided to take the most mysterious approach possible. I just walked up to the board and wrote, “I’m disappointed in the disrespect you’re showing to your classmates.” And then I left without saying a word. Fine, I know it was an unorthodox plan, but it kinda worked! They immediately got quiet and several of them came to me later to talk about it.

The bad part came when the other teachers found out that I was disappointed, and took the matter into their own hands. The next day when I wasn’t there they proceeded to “beat” (in this case it was whack with a chalkboard eraser) all of the students that didn’t finish their speeches. …What was supposed to be demonstration of an alternative to corporal punishment ended up being a catalyst for it.  Oops? And on top of that, it made me seem incapable of controlling my own class, choosing instead to run to other teachers to do my dirty work. Double ugh.

So I have quickly learned that I had way less control over my own class than I would have liked. That has to change, obviously – so I formed a plan. I realized I needed a class system that centers around a topic and a predictable homework and discipline pattern. That way the kids know what to expect when I come into class. But first,

Step 1: Discuss matter with the teachers. Check!

Step 2: Talk to the class in a stern-yet-approachable voice. Check!

Step 3: Implement Plan Consistency.  A class theme, perhaps?

Seeing as it’s ME, the obvious choice is Harry Potter. First I’m going to divide each class up into the four houses – Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin and Ravenclaw. I’m thinking about creating a discipline plan centered around the Hogwarts system – aka awarding and deducting points according to overall “house” behavior and giving the winning team a reward at the end of the term. Then of course we’re going to read the first book together, and focus the majority of our grammar, reading, writing and spelling activities on the story. Thoughts? It’s a work in progress but I’ll keep you updated.

 

 

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