As preschool teachers, we often hear comments about how patient we are when it comes to handling children. In fact, a lot of people are well aware of how challenging our job is… I mean, I have seen mothers on the brink of losing their sanity, to think that they are only taking care of one or two children… what more for teachers who are tasked to look after a group of at least 10 kids!
But, admittedly, even with the passion and commitment I put into my profession, I am still human- hence, like many, I also lose my temper.
These past few weeks have been particularly difficult for me. Given the entry of the newest addition in my class, a boy with boundless energy and a first-timer, things in the classroom have been pretty chaotic.
I have been appropriately briefed as to what I should be expecting from this child. With enough background knowledge I braced myself for what was to come. And, he did not fail me. Honestly, the kid was really a handful.
The new student was easy. What caught me off guard was the ripple effect of misbehavior that pervaded in my class. My old students, who have been well trained and fully aware of classroom rules and regulations, started to suddenly act like newcomers. Being a teacher of 7 years, I tried to act as composed as I can… laughing it off and regarding it as an isolated case… It would have been easier for me… except that I was in a state of emotional instability, which regularly happens to me prior to my period.
As expected, my children saw the other… and darker… side of their teacher. I was furious! I talked to them like they were like teenagers or something. After that, I felt guilty and embarrassed. I thought, this was not to be expected from an experienced teacher! What the hell was I thinking?
With awareness comes effort to change. Good thing children are easy to forgive and forget. So after a few games, songs, and dancing, they, thankfully got distracted and were again fully attentive… Dang, why didn’t I think of that earlier…
Well, anyways, as a teacher, I plan my lessons carefully and set daily objectives that I want to be attained. But with this thinking, I am only focusing on what I want… which should not be the case. Even with the years that I have had behind me, I still forget to be relaxed sometimes… to be flexible enough to bend the rules and trash my plan in response to what my students’ current conditions are… Well, thankfully, I do not claim to be the best and most patient educator in the world. On the contrary, I am fully aware that like many, I am still in the process of learning and continuous discovery. Children are such wondrous beings that they are virtually unpredictable! And now… minus the PMS… I believe I can start anew…

If there is one word that I can use to describe my first time high school teaching experience, that would be ‘haaay…’  I have been told that among the high school students in my school, the sophomores are the most difficult to handle.  In fact, at the moment, the parents of these sophomores have already entered the picture- bringing out their concerns about the surmounting behavioral concerns of these students.  To add to this, the head teachers of the high school department are now conducting a research to determine the cause, and consequently the solution to this problem.  I do not know why among the four levels, I chose to do my practicum here.  Prior to my first classroom visit, I was so confident that I could handle it. I keep telling myself that I am a good and experienced teacher.  I have had various experiences reporting to older and matured people-my classmates in MA and my co-teachers. Dealing with older children won’t be a problem for me.  But I guess, I cannot really and completely meet all my expectations.  I prepared well, slept late for a week just to finish my powerpoint presentation and materials.  I was to discuss three body systems- Integumentary, Skeletal and Muscular System in 2 and a half hours.  Upon entering the class, I already felt something wrong.  The students were engaged in small chats and jokes.  It was so hard to gain their attention.  And finally, when I did, It had been difficult for me to maintain it.  That is why I could not help calling their attention every now and then.  To think that there were only a few (maybe four students) who were disruptive in class.  Somehow these four children were capable of infecting the whole class…

Then I remembered the three C’s that had allowed me to survive as a teacher- calm, composure, and cool.  Then I relaxed and went along with them.  I modified my lesson right there on the spot, and injected more questions that kept most of them attentive.  I also included a game which the students found interesting. By the time I checked my watch, It was already time.

Somehow, I believe that I was able to teach them something substantial.  This was evident in their outputs during the drill.  I was able to achieve the objectives.  I believe that in time, I can also contribute to modifying their behavior.  Beyond the limitations of my lessons, I enjoyed being in their classroom.  It was a nice, great, and oh so different experience.  I am looking forward to meeting them again tomorrow… Even though I would rather have them do something more meaningful on Tuesday, their curriculum entails that I give them a lecture. So I guess, I will be allotting a few minutes for lecture, then proceed to my Tuesday lesson about the Digestive System. Well, I am set to experiment and determine what teaching model would best apply to them…