Teaching Adventures, Part 6

I’m officially done with my first year of teaching. Let’s just say, it’s been real, and a definite learning experience. I hope I can grow from it.

Starting with the negatives, there are a few things that made me seriously question whether teaching was for me, namely:
1) A student stealing my flash drive, the administration not helping me at all retrieve it, and the student “barely” getting punished.
2) The overall lack of discipline at the school, and the “privileges” given to certain minorities despite their constant disruptions – the blindness of the administration to these students despite the morale of all teachers dropping because of it.
3) A student cussing me out in front of the entire class with half the class being entertained. This is, after an entire semester of me being patient with the kid to forgive him time after time despite his constant disruptions.

There were tangible positives that ensured I wouldn’t necessarily stop teaching, most notably:
1) The good students. The good students not necessarily want to learn, and not necessarily like history, but respect you enough to the point where they will behave for you. I had some GREAT students, and was lucky they were a part of my first year of teaching (instead of just the ratchets).
2) The impact I might have had on some of these kids. It’s too soon to know for sure what kind of effect I had – but if I impacted just one in a way that will change their life forever, I have done what I set out to do from day 1.
3) A sense of satisfaction. Teaching is a profession that doesn’t give you instant gratification. The effects are not tangible and easy to be seen like other professions. A doctor can see their effect on a patient. A lawyer can win a court case. How does a teacher assess how well they have done? I’ve gotten some satisfaction by reading some of the various comments students have left in my yearbook, and that has made all the difference.

Some lessons I will keep in mind for next year:
1) Be more strict early on. Establish more rules and consequences so students don’t take advantage of my generosity later.
2) Avoid power struggles. I will refuse to argue with a student and have an emotional reaction (as I did many times this year), but instead calmly get them out of the situation and not let them “win”.
3) Get to know all my students. Cater lesson plans to their likes and dislikes.

I will rate my first year of teaching as a B. As an Asian, I need to step up my game to make it all the more better next year, and get an “A”. Rise Kohyang Middle School, I am coming for you.