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I had a Class From Hell this year that did laugh at me, did the Hell Challenge on me, and were absolutely horrible to each other on an ongoing basis. Nothing I did had any lasting interventions, not even the three home visits that I did from that class.
As you noted, a lot of times there are other issues involved that have nothing to do with the teacher who is a convenient target for abuse. One home visit was to the home of a brother and sister in the class. There were major issues at home, and the boy spent the year in and out of residential treatment facilities as he has done for years. Many of the girls spent the last week of school suspended and came back for exams the last day.
I had one other Class From Hell that benefited from the loss of the worst students to transfers and expulsions. My other four classes were delightful. Sometimes it's not the teacher.
If you don't learn to roll with the punches, then you won't make it with difficult students. If you aren't cut out for difficult students but you want to keep teaching, you need to find a place with easier students.
My kids laugh all the time. I'm not afraid to let them know I have a sense of humor. Are they laughing AT me? Maybe? I don't really care that much. Most of the time, my sense of humor is me making fun of myself, like if I make a mistake, drop something, etc.
I teach high school math and get really excited and dramatic (on purpose - works will with freshman) but I really do LOVE math. They laugh at me for liking math, but I laugh with them. And even get them going. "What'd you do this weekend?" My reply: "Factored trinomials, of course!"
I don't buy into the "don't smile until Christmas stuff." I like to smile, love to laugh and have fun. I probably smile within the first 5 minutes of the first class of the year.
Having a sense of humor is super important. Must work for me, as I had multiple kids tell me this year that mine was their favorite class of the day -- and I know it's not because they love Honors Geometry as much as I do. And I had several (more than 5) kids tell me that I was the best math teacher they ever had.
I can never think of a time that the kids were laughing at me where I wasn't also laughing. Things happen, including things you deserved to be laughed at about. It is only when you can't accept that with good grace that it is an issue.
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I can never think of a time that the kids were laughing at me where I wasn't also laughing. Things happen, including things you deserved to be laughed at about. It is only when you can't accept that with good grace that it is an issue.
I can never think of a time that the kids were laughing at me where I wasn't also laughing. Things happen, including things you deserved to be laughed at about. It is only when you can't accept that with good grace that it is an issue.
If only the students were that nice. Teaching would be a perfect job.
To be a good teacher/instructor/trainer you have to have thick skin. That is for sure.
The students are looking for weaknesses and self-doubt so they can exploit it. If they see you sweat, they got you. They will use every trick in the book to get the upper hand in the classroom.
One of the ways the students will try to get the upper hand is they will laugh at you. Not with you, but at you. It may be as simple as a smirk or a forced smile. Or a chuckle. Or in some cases just out and out laughter. Then they will see if it unnerves you. Do you lose your cool and show weakness due to being laughed at? Then you're dead in the students' eyes.
I am convinced the fear of being laughed at in class by the students is one of the main reasons why so many teachers/instructors and trainers are boring. They need to be taken seriously and as a result, they won't let their guard down. They remain serious, formal and keep it to the facts in the textbook. Formality is the best approach in their eye. Because if they try to be interesting and entertaining, they may be laughed at.
What a sad state of affairs!
Head them off at the pass. Laugh at yourself then they have no choice but to laugh with you instead of at you. Just roll your eyes and say unconvincingly "I meant to do that to see if you were on your toes".
I have canned responses for all of my classes when I make mistakes. In first hour it's too early, in second hour I need more coffee, in third hour I'm hungry and ready for lunch, in fourth and fifth hours it's the after lunch food coma, in 6th and 7th it's the end of a long day
I have canned responses for all of my classes when I make mistakes. In first hour it's too early, in second hour I need more coffee, in third hour I'm hungry and ready for lunch, in fourth and fifth hours it's the after lunch food coma, in 6th and 7th it's the end of a long day
If only the students were that nice. Teaching would be a perfect job.
I have taught thousands of students that have spanned every level from kindergarten to post-graduate, with the exception of high school. I have also taught in various settings from Appalachia to rural to urban inner city to military bases. They are that nice.
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I knew of a troubled little boy who had the whole class of little kids laughing at the teacher. He put a thumb tack pointed up under the cover of her chair seat, and when she sat down and jumped up yelling OOOP!!!, well, you can imagine the reaction of little kids.
Head them off at the pass. Laugh at yourself then they have no choice but to laugh with you instead of at you. Just roll your eyes and say unconvincingly "I meant to do that to see if you were on your toes".
I have canned responses for all of my classes when I make mistakes. In first hour it's too early, in second hour I need more coffee, in third hour I'm hungry and ready for lunch, in fourth and fifth hours it's the after lunch food coma, in 6th and 7th it's the end of a long day
I often say "I was just checking to see if you were paying attention!"
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