Owning My Own Attitudes

Published: 2023-11-14 10:36 AM

Category: Teaching | Tags: mistakes, reflection, attitude, modeling

Yesterday, I did something dumb: I let my own attitude get in the way of modeling appropraite responses to behaviors. It started with a simple seating chart change. They're always a big deal because students like the familiarity of sitting in the same place with the same people. The switch this time was to help groups of students at different levels of achievement on a test talk about their mistakes and do a little peer teaching. The problems are that A) I didn't prep them for that kind of work, and B) I didn't clearly explain the reason for the change.

I let me own annoyance at their annoyance get the better of me. I kind of reamed out once class in particular. Instead of taking a step back and asking them to trust the process I had in place, I threw the same attitude back at them. Which led to a really great rest of class.

I'm more embarrassed about my own response than I am annoyed at the response to new seats. I need to own that I didn't model an age-appropriate response to their own anxieties. That's the next best step - recognize that our responses to frustration compounded one another and we all suffered as a result.

The classroom is a community and we all impact it one way or the other. My own attitude has an outsized effect on that community given the nature of my role. I'm back today with fresh eyes and ready to move on slightly more wise than I was yesterday.