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How many teachers (general amount, not exact) have you known who were obsessive compulsive in some form or possibly clinical OCD? Something happened recently that reminded me of a former teacher who demanded we fold our papers prior to throwing them away. Another didn't like staples. She wanted us to fold the corner of the paper and make a small tear at the fold.
Teaching tends to attract a decent number of very organized people, and being very disorganized can cost you, in terms of good evaluations, because it's a lot of material, paperwork, stuff that's not yours, etc. to keep track of, and if you don't have a system, stuff WILL get lost, and it will affect your efficiency/ability to do your job. Apart from material organization, teaching effectively requires planning, and those who detest planning typically don't do well with that portion of teaching.
I fall middle of the road. I'm much, much, much less organized than many teachers, but I do have a system that prevents things from erupting into chaos. I plan, but usually end up deviating from my plan, depending on what comes up in discussion, if I get an idea midstream and want to go with it, etc. I see the merit in being organized and having structure, but I also find that if you rigidly adhere to your system no matter what comes up, you can miss out on meaningful teaching opportunities just because they don't fall into your plan for that day. I do know teachers who will NOT deviate from the lesson plan, but that's not me. A big part of teaching, too, is modeling behavior, and there is something to be said for setting an example of organization. I can't really get on a student's case for losing his homework if I can't find their tests.
I do know some teachers (not a ton, but they exist, for sure), who have what I consider to be unreasonable expectations of their students over petty organizational points. I find this to be more common in elementary than secondary (I am secondary, but have worked in K-12 schools), and I understand why, to an extent (teaching organizational skills to kids who come in with severe deficits is necessary to help them set habits that will allow them to succeed from early on), but I still can't imagine being that way. I get the merit in encouraging/requiring colored folder systems for younger students to keep their work from getting lost/misplaced. I don't see the merit in berating students for not having their materials sitting on the left-hand corner of their desks, I don't see the merit in throwing student work away if it comes in having been torn out of a spiral notebook with the "teeth" still on, or if it is written in the wrong color of ink (all of which I have seen/experienced). I'm not completely loosey-goosey...I require that work be done on time and be legible, etc. But I don't get bogged down in the details.
Clinical OCD? Maybe a couple. It's difficult to retain a teaching job with a behavior disorder of that type, because students will invariably set you off with their lack of adherence to order/routines. I've run into more teachers who are highly organized, highly demanding of organization from their students,and, in my opinion, focus on organization more than they do teaching and learning. Setting an organized foundation is important, but if you are pouring all your energy into that, you're giving too much of your time and energy to the process, and not looking enough at the big picture. Just an opinion, from somebody who cares more that the students do the work than whether or not it fits neatly in my inbox with no dog-ears.
How many teachers (general amount, not exact) have you known who were obsessive compulsive in some form or possibly clinical OCD? Something happened recently that reminded me of a former teacher who demanded we fold our papers prior to throwing them away. Another didn't like staples. She wanted us to fold the corner of the paper and make a small tear at the fold.
Neither of these requirements (coming from different individuals, right?) say "OCD." The paper-folder may have been trying to avoid the paper-crumpling that students prefer. Crumpled papers take up more space in the trash can and encourage tossing.
I had a HS teacher who wanted us to fold the corners instead of using staples. I don't remember if she told us the reason, but she was definitely not OCD. When I taught middle-school English, I had students turn in outlines and essays unstapled, because I wanted to lay the pages out and see the whole thing at once.
I never understood the demand of some teachers to use either only blue or only black ink pens. Most teachers I've had wanted either blue or black ink. I was in school when they made erasable ink. I tried it and hated it. Smeared horribly and never used it again. Single line through the word was usually enough.
I never understood the demand of some teachers to use either only blue or only black ink pens. Most teachers I've had wanted either blue or black ink. I was in school when they made erasable ink. I tried it and hated it. Smeared horribly and never used it again. Single line through the word was usually enough.
Although, I'm not a High School teacher I have subbed a great deal at that level. You would be amazed at how many students use brightly colored ink on assignments. Recently, I had a student who started taking a test using yellow ink. When I asked the student to use a darker color ink she said "Mrs. Smith doesn't care what color we use." I politely told the student, "Mrs. Smith isn't correcting the test today, I am and I won't be able to read if you have the correct answers." She quickly got out a black pen to do the test..
Pink and pale purple ink is especially popular among girls. I wouldn't call a teacher OCD if they required black or blue ink.
Teaching tends to attract a decent number of very organized people, and being very disorganized can cost you, in terms of good evaluations, because it's a lot of material, paperwork, stuff that's not yours, etc. to keep track of, and if you don't have a system, stuff WILL get lost, and it will affect your efficiency/ability to do your job. Apart from material organization, teaching effectively requires planning, and those who detest planning typically don't do well with that portion of teaching.
I fall middle of the road. I'm much, much, much less organized than many teachers, but I do have a system that prevents things from erupting into chaos. I plan, but usually end up deviating from my plan, depending on what comes up in discussion, if I get an idea midstream and want to go with it, etc. I see the merit in being organized and having structure, but I also find that if you rigidly adhere to your system no matter what comes up, you can miss out on meaningful teaching opportunities just because they don't fall into your plan for that day. I do know teachers who will NOT deviate from the lesson plan, but that's not me. A big part of teaching, too, is modeling behavior, and there is something to be said for setting an example of organization. I can't really get on a student's case for losing his homework if I can't find their tests.
I do know some teachers (not a ton, but they exist, for sure), who have what I consider to be unreasonable expectations of their students over petty organizational points. I find this to be more common in elementary than secondary (I am secondary, but have worked in K-12 schools), and I understand why, to an extent (teaching organizational skills to kids who come in with severe deficits is necessary to help them set habits that will allow them to succeed from early on), but I still can't imagine being that way. I get the merit in encouraging/requiring colored folder systems for younger students to keep their work from getting lost/misplaced. I don't see the merit in berating students for not having their materials sitting on the left-hand corner of their desks, I don't see the merit in throwing student work away if it comes in having been torn out of a spiral notebook with the "teeth" still on, or if it is written in the wrong color of ink (all of which I have seen/experienced). I'm not completely loosey-goosey...I require that work be done on time and be legible, etc. But I don't get bogged down in the details.
Clinical OCD? Maybe a couple. It's difficult to retain a teaching job with a behavior disorder of that type, because students will invariably set you off with their lack of adherence to order/routines. I've run into more teachers who are highly organized, highly demanding of organization from their students,and, in my opinion, focus on organization more than they do teaching and learning. Setting an organized foundation is important, but if you are pouring all your energy into that, you're giving too much of your time and energy to the process, and not looking enough at the big picture. Just an opinion, from somebody who cares more that the students do the work than whether or not it fits neatly in my inbox with no dog-ears.
In my 30 plus years of teaching I have ran across so very, very, very organized teachers but I'm not sure if I have worked with any teachers who were actual clinical OCD.
FYI..staples in the corner of papers tend to make the pile lopsided. Now take 6 or so classes and try to criss-cross those piles just to keep organized.
Although, I'm not a High School teacher I have subbed a great deal at that level. You would be amazed at how many students use brightly colored ink on assignments. Recently, I had a student who started taking a test using yellow ink. When I asked the student to use a darker color ink she said "Mrs. Smith doesn't care what color we use." I politely told the student, "Mrs. Smith isn't correcting the test today, I am and I won't be able to read if you have the correct answers." She quickly got out a black pen to do the test..
Pink and pale purple ink is especially popular among girls. I wouldn't call a teacher OCD if they required black or blue ink.
Either I didn't make myself clear our you misunderstood. What I meant was those teachers who specifically want blue ink only or black ink only. I understand those who want either blue or black ink.
I think there are several careers that entice very organized, or even OCD people. I work at a library where we all are very fond of rules and specific pen and pencil brands are a not uncommon discussion. My husband, an engineer, will only use black ink and HATES doors left ajar. Any job where details are important will bring out those tendencies, and teachers surely need to organized.
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