Top Five Teaching Myths

TOP FIVE TEACHING MYTHS

1)The best way to succeed with classroom management is to start out mean and then lighten up as you go.

Maybe in the old days when kids cared they got yelled at. These days the best discipline plan is one that is easy to use, organized, and reasonable to students.

2) The the only teachers who can really run a class well are the ones with a natural "gift" for classroom management.

While it is great to have such a gift the simple fact is that most teachers don't have this natural talent. There are many teachers who have a gift for teaching but who lack much ability in classroom management. One of my main ideas is that this skill for great classroom management can be learned!

3) The best reason to get into teaching is for the summer and Christmas vacations and because you get out at three o clock every day.

If you bought this idea then I have some swamp land in Florida to sell to you. Unless you are cut out for teaching then you will spend most of your attention during all of this vacation time dreading the time that you have to go back. And try asking elementary teachers how often they get to go home at three.

4) You should never crack a smile or have fun while teaching.

Of course everyone has different personality styles. But there is nothing wrong with enjoying teaching and showing your students that you do. I have even been known to smile while giving out consequences and punishments (and not in a sadistic kind of way).

5) You should try to avoid your fellow teachers and do your own thing so that you don't help them get a better reputation than you have.

As ridiculous as this sounds, there are many teachers who feel this way. Every school has teachers with a wide variety of knowledge and experiences. Use each other as much as possible to improve yourselves!

*BONUS MYTH...You can count on the parents of your students to help you improve their behavior in class

See the previous post!


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Dealing With Parents

Teachers are always wondering how they should interact with parents. I have a few thoughts on this issue.

*Always try to build a spirit of cooperation with the parents of your students. Get in touch with them at the beginning of the term and be sure that they know how to contact you by phone and email.

*Be sure parents know what your discipline plan is. If you are like me and have a discipline plan that is not like most other ones, parents have a right to know what you are doing.

*Answer parent contacts with you as soon as possible. Prompt answers show respect.

*NEVER expect parents to be able to improve the behavior of their child in your class. Parent contact should be done to notify parents of what their child is doing, not to have hope that they will be able to make a change in behavior. If you are counting on parents to help you with your classroom management, you will be in for a long, stressful term. If parents can help improve the behavior of a student, count that as a bonus. The days of being able to count on parents helping with classroom management are about over.

So if you cannot count on parents to help you solve your classroom management problems, what should you do? Stay tuned for the answers to that question. They will be coming soon...


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