When I went to teacher's college in 1957 we were told to be very strict with students. There was to be no fooling around . If kids were being noisy according to the definition of rowdy in those days they were to be dealt with severely. There was a tremendous change during the 40 years I was involved in education. We tried to make school enjoyable so kids would like to come to school.
There were times when very funny things happened. Two of them involve the term "Shut up"
I did not give much homework. I thought it gave kids a reason to not like school. One day it was close the end of the class and I heard. Shut up. He's telling another story. They were hoping to make the class last to the end and it would be too late to assign home work.
I learned that yelling at kids was the wrong thing to do but it did happen from time to time. So one time I yelled and I heard "We better shut up because he never yells.
Needless to say that there was much more noise in most classrooms. We had much group work. This work was highly organized but there was noise. I taught science for a few years and we used a lab approach. There were four kids at each lab table and they had to do experiments and come up with answers.
These incidents were brought to mind when I met a 43 year old woman who had been at my school. I got the feeling that she really didn't like school.
I like to think that some of my classes were noisy but happy: not when I was teaching but when the kids were working. There was quite a difference between to two uses of class time.
ReplyDeleteYou tell great stories. I usually put my students in groups.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that most people will admit that they preferred school to what came after . . .
ReplyDeleteDiscipline in schools has always been a topic for discussion.
ReplyDeleteFrom your blog, it sounds like some of the students who caught up with you generally liked school. The 43 year old was probably naturally grumpy. The education experiences of those students in your Artic area are unique for sure. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteAfter college, I taught 2nd grade and only lasted for 2 years! I had all of the 2nd graders (40 of them) and just wasn't experienced enough to control the classroom. I wanted to be cool and be their friend - didn't work! You had much more patience than I did, Red!
ReplyDeleteI had one class where you had to be quiet and if the whole class was quiet and attentive we would get the last five minutes of class to talk:)
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling your students liked your class more than most other classes!
ReplyDeleteI seldom yelled either. It's not very effective. Except - I yelled the single word, "STOP"! That got their attention. Then I would lower my voice way down and explain what they needed to stop and to do instead.
ReplyDeleteTeaching can be aggravating and frustrating and exhausting, but it can also be so rewarding.
Great story and memory from your teaching days.
ReplyDeleteTake care, enjoy your day! Have a great new week ahead.
School was freedom, friends, and a social connection. I was not all that thrilled about graduation.
ReplyDeleteAlways enjoy your memories Red, thanks for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteMy school is among most beautiful memories thankfully,I received lots of recognition as poet and helpful student. Liking of few teachers,the principal particularly is most comforting memory. I am grateful for I could go to school and it was because of my brave mother 🥹
ReplyDeleteI had few school mates who didn’t like the school and took it as burden and waste of time sadly
I am the 43-year-old woman you mentioned. When we met, you mentioned that you wrote a blog and I was able to find it and really enjoyed reading it. 😊
ReplyDeleteI wanted to clarify something from our conversation…. If I gave the impression that I didn’t like school, that wasn’t quite what I meant. I was actually a student who enjoyed school and worked hard to achieve. Looking back, it wasn’t strict teachers that I struggled with. In fact, I often appreciated teachers who had clear expectations and maintained a calm, well-managed classroom.
What I found difficult were classrooms where there was a lot of disruption and teachers frequently had to yell at students. As a quieter student… that created an atmosphere that felt stressful and uncomfortable for me. It wasn’t the discipline itself that bothered me… it was the tension that came with classrooms that seemed out of control.
The teachers I remember most positively were often the ones who rarely had to raise their voices because they had earned their students’ respect and maintained a peaceful learning environment - the kind of approach you describe in your post :)
So if I seemed negative about school, it was more a reflection of how certain classroom environments affected me than a dislike of school itself. I valued learning very much and I appreciate hearing your reflections on how education changed throughout your career. I enjoyed your blog.
Well, I'm really surprised to see your comment. I guess I should listen more carefully. Too often teachers teach to only part of the kids. I found that less than 18 kids in a class and you dealt with individuals. More than 18 kids and you only taught to the whole group.
ReplyDelete