I need to get this off my chest...

there's so much to love about teaching,
but I don't think the conventional 7-3, 8-4, or 9-5 constructed classroom setting with 25 plus kids is a job I could do forever.
I'm too sensitive for that.
I'd be drained of my life energy before I was 30.
I don't think I was made for that type of rigid profession.
Do I think one of the gifts I have is teaching?
YES!
Absolutely, without a doubt.
But I'm sorry to all the future children, I don't think I'll get the incredible privilege of teaching you.
I think after this school-year wraps up, I have one more year left in me to teach.
So,
Here is my confession, my declaration, my intention, my honesty in writing:

I am planning to pursue a PhD!

It's exciting to tell you, internet waves! 

I will study, plan, and do what I have to do to complete applications by the end of this year/start of next year.

Fall 2018- some changes gon' come, God willing!

I can plan my way, but God is the One who will direct my steps.

<3

-Future Prof. JBL ☺

It's OKAY to take what your students do personally

Hello public outlet for my thoughts and feelings.
It has been a long while.
Thankfully it hasn't been like five years which would make me feel super old.
I'm quite young still to be honest, that's a good thing about this!


Anyway,
I am a teacher.
I have been a teacher for almost four years now.
I am in my fourth year teaching in Detroit.

Since I started this blog, I have learned so much about this profession.
One thing I recently realized as I internalized something I watched in one of my master's classes is that:

I DO TAKE MY KIDS' SUCCESS AND ACTIONS PERSONALLY

I feel there is this pressure as a teacher, especially by admin talking to teachers, to pretend that taking things personally is totally wrong.

But this weekend, today actually, I was watching a video in class that really changed the game for me. 

This woman (Mimi Silbert) started a foundation that hires, trains, employs ex-felons. 

Her words were that "I take everything personally."

She invests in these men and women. 

She loves them.

She cares so much about them.

Now, let me ask you,

If you love, care about, and are pouring your heart and soul into very specific human beings every day, will their lack of success bother you?

Do you deeply want control to make decisions for them because you know it would be better for them, that it would make them more successful?

Do you really think you can spending almost your entire day in the productive hours of 7-3 with a group of people and then go home and not care if they remember a thing you said?

Yes of course, we need to be mindful that things are NOT our fault, but, don't you think it is a bit normal then to take things personally?

I am not saying it is okay to beat oneself up, to blame oneself, and to never get over things if someone else makes the wrong decision.

What I am saying is that it is OKAY to be so personally invested in seeing someone's success. I believe inextricably linked to that phenomenon is the possibility (and the high probability) that you will then take their negative AND positive decisions personally. 

If you take the credit for the good, do you think it's okay to dismiss the bad?

If you jump for joy when they succeed do you pretend it doesn't matter when the flop?

No. 

Of course not. 

No. 

The reality is we DO take our students' actions and choices personally. 

To be honest, if you truly love them, with a healthy balance, you need to be.


-Future Professor Little

Lack of Motivation

"At the core of what we teach is the importance of loving kids for who they are…rather than who we want them to be. Yes! The healing process begins when we end the power struggle by saying, "We will love you no matter how well or poorly you do in school. Your grades are your grades…not ours. That's why we are no longer going to fight with you about them. Just let us know how we can help."

*How To Handle Disrespectful Students Who Don’t Know They’re Being Disrespectful*

Defining Disrespect

Disrespect appears to be on the rise—particularly among younger students. It’s important, however, to determine if the disrespect is intentional or a misunderstanding of the definition.

Sadly, as surprising as it may seem, due to poor home and neighborhood influences many students just don’t know any better. And enforcing consequences for behavior your students don’t understand to be wrong will jeopardize your relationship with them.

It will cause friction, distrust, and resentment and increase rather than decrease the chances of it happening again.

The good news is that body language and tone of voice will always tell you whether to enforce a consequence immediately or pull the student aside for a brief lesson.

This underscores the importance of teaching this particular topic thoroughly in the beginning of the school year.

If you model the most likely scenarios—like those above, for example—and define for your students precisely where the line is, then instances of disrespect, intentional or not, will be few and far between.

* Are You Making Your Most Difficult Students Worse? *

You’re going to assume that they will, of their own accord, follow your rules and expectations just like everyone else. And by pretending, by shoving aside any and all negative thoughts you have about them and their previous misdeeds, they’ll respond in wonderful and miraculous ways.

That isn’t to say that they’ll never again misbehave, but they’ll no longer do it to spite you or get under your skin. They’ll no longer do it because they’re fulfilling a prophecy. They’ll no longer do it because it’s expected of them, because it has become part of their identity.

Although improvement can be immediate, in time, and as the rest of your class begins to take up your cue, those ugly labels and beliefs they have about themselves will gently slide off their shoulders.

Their burden will lift. They’ll look you in the eye, unashamed. And for the first time in their school career, they’ll relax into their skin.

They’ll become an integral part of the whole.

A key ingredient in the soufflé.

A certified, accepted, and valued member of your classroom.http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2014/10/25/are-you-making-your-most-difficult-students-worse/

* Use fewer words to be MORE effective *

Run an experiment: see what happens if you simply use fewer words when things are going poorly. The odds are high that you’ll be glad you did.

*** New Year: 2nd Year Teaching !!! ***

Hello all,
So excited for a brand new school year!!!

This year, our dream has come true and I will be looping to second grade with my babies!!! I am so excited, blessed, and challenged by this opportunity. Not only will I have my same class, I will also have a new student added that was retained last year. A new challenge, but deserves to learn and be loved as much as the rest! :)


Please consider funding our classroom here: http://www.gofundme.com/detroitertransformers

We have already reached $100 of our $650 goal.

Grateful for the amazing people in our lives who bless us and expand our opportunities <3

THANK YOU!!! 

:-)

~Miss B. (refreshed in spirit by the grace of God)