The biggest thing I have learned about my students in this, my first year teaching, is that they truly want to be busy. Aside from the maturity factor, the teacher and the student are not very different. I know that if I am in a situation where I cannot leave, but I have nothing to do, I get anxious. It is only my personal maturity that keeps me in line. As I have gotten older, I have learned to manage my time and control my impulses. I can't say that was the case when I was in high school. I certainly know it's not the case for my students.
However, when kept busy, my students have produced some inspired design work. Of course they are all at different levels, but in their own way, they have excelled. As a result, I have tried to provide enough work to keep them as busy as I can. I have a long way to go, but I think it will get better as time goes on.
Also, I have learned that the most obstinate student can sometimes end up being the most helpful. I am not a yeller (even though I am quite capable), so I tend to pull students to the side and talk to them. As a result, they tend to respond much more favorably, at least for me.
Students can be incredibly complex, as well as extremely simple to figure out. They don't hide things very well, but they are not willing to share. I think that it is going to be a very interesting career.
You really hit the nail on the head on this one Kennis. I have had a couple of days where my plan fell completely apart and I didn't have five or six back-up plans like I am sure our instructors would have liked. They aren't reading this are they? Anyway, I saw immediately that they are at their worst when the leash is long. They grumble at some of the work but they grind to a halt when there is no structure.
ReplyDelete