Jul

13

Just thinking about teaching the first day of the new school year can be very stressful

Filed Under Dealing With Stress, Uncategorized 

There are lots of things about teaching that are stressful. Even thinking about teaching can be very stressful- especially thinking about  teaching that first day of school in September.   It’s the not knowing that used to get  me.  Fortunately, I’ve learned how to deal with that stress so that I don’t ruin my summer worrying about what’s going to happen when school starts again.

One of the things that I used to find very stressful was not knowing what the kids were going to be like  and expecting the worst.  I worried about having kids in my class that would amuse themselves at my expense and  that  every class this year was going to be the class from hell.

Now,  I remind myself that  students  are probably just as worried as I am about the first day of school. They’re  probably wondering if they’re going to get the teacher from hell.   The beginning of school is a very stressful time for everyone.

The other thing I remind myself is that I can establish a positive class environment where I can feel safe and where my students can  feel safe.  So, I don’t need to worry.  One of the first things I do is have the class come up with rules for behaviour, except I don’t call them rules.  I call them agreements.

I don’t use the word rules for a couple of reasons.  First some kids hate rules.  The very word “rules” acts like a red flag and challenges some kids  to see which rules they can break  and how often.  I’ve found the word “agreement” doesn’t elicit the same response.  I know it may seem like it’s just semantics but you know,  the choice of words does make a difference.  A rule is kind of top down while an agreement is more grassroots, if you will.  It’s not me foisting something on them,  but us coming up with something together.

We only have four basic agreements. I believe in the KISS principle. These four agreements  pretty well cover  everything when you think about it.  They are mutual respect/no put downs, appreciation, attentive listening, and the right not to participate on occasion. I’ve discussed the process of how we  develop our agreements  here before so I won’t go into it again. If you click on the link and go to my earlier post in section B , you’ll see that I have laid it out so that you can do the same thing if you wish.  I even made up a short slide presentation illustrating our class agreements that  your welcome to use.

Just thinking that the classroom agreements will be established reduces my stress.  A classroom where mutual respect/no put downs, attentive listening, appreciation and the right not to participate on occasion is the kind of classsroom where I want to be and the students want to be.  There is no hell in a classroom like that.

 
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Comments

3 Responses to “Just thinking about teaching the first day of the new school year can be very stressful”

  1. Mathew on July 13th, 2008 8:31 am

    I like your idea of calling them agreements and think it’s wise to keep the number small. Positive classroom management has helped me worry less about my coming students as well.

  2. Sukhdeep on July 13th, 2008 8:58 pm

    Thanks for this, Elona. I love the slideshow…I was thinking today about something I read a while ago, about a teacher who spends the first couple of weeks doing a lot of community building in class, before getting into school stuff. I am thinking that would be a good idea, and coming up with classroom agreements would be a great part of that. I think you’re right in that establishing this early on helps avoid the potential for “hell” in the classroom. :)

    Sukhdeep

  3. Ann on July 18th, 2008 7:48 pm

    My classes are full of Will Farrell’s and Robin Williams’. If you give them a moment in time for community building you get a complete stand-up act and nothing authentic. I agree in principle with you, but in practice I find it overwhelmingly impossible.

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