Welcome to Teachers At Risk
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Jun
11
There’s no point in staying hurt or angry if someone seems impolite or uncaring.
Filed Under Dealing With Stress, Teacher Support, The way I see it | 1 Comment
I truly believe there’s no point in staying hurt or angry if someone is disrespectful to me or seems impolite or uncaring. Staying hurt or angry simply gives power to the past and prevents me from moving forward in life. It takes too much of my energy to stay angry at someone, energy I could use in more positive ways to do something that is beneficial to me or someone else. Recently, however I forgot what I believe about forgiveness and simply kept dwelling on the fact that certain people I considered friends treated me disrespectfully. These individuals haven’t offered me any emotional support while I continue to grieve for my brother who recently died suddenly of a massive heart attack. As I try to make sense of my brother’s death, I’ve also been trying to make sense of why these individuals have offered no support. Finally, I came to my senses and realized it doesn’t matter why they said nothing to me about my brother’s death. What matters is that I start forgiving them and move on.Actually what helped remind me about the positive power of forgiveness was Amanda Horne’s article. She writes
Forgiveness is not condoning, nor pretending that a wrong is right. The process of forgiveness benefits us more than the person who has wronged or hurt us. It allows us to see the big picture, and releases us to move into the present moment. It is difficult to look ahead until we begin to forgive and to have a desire to move on. Forgiveness is not easy, nor quick; it happens in small stages. It is a process that transcends the rational mind and calls on our wisdom. It’s not just another way of thinking, it requires a transformed mindset and new patterns of behavior.
For me it’s important to remember that when I forgive someone, I’m not saying what they did was OK. It isn’t, but what is done is done and for my own benefit I need to move on. It also doesn’t mean that I don’t deal with issues but that after issues have been dealt with I move on.
photo of flowers thanks to swami stream
Apr
14
Yesterday I wanted to pack it in. Today I love teaching again.
Filed Under Behaviour Management, Dealing With Stress, The way I see it, positive climate | 6 Comments
Every job has its ups and downs. Sometimes it seems there are more downs than ups. Teaching is no different. This semester thus far has had more than its fair share of downs. Some of my students are extremely needy, and their need is wearing me down.
Yesterday, I actually thought it might be time retire right then and there in the middle of period two. Enough! I won’t bore you with the details, but I was so fed up I actually went on line at lunch time and checked out what my pension would be if I retired right then and there. I was even going to call CBO and ask them to send the retirement information package, but I was too busy at work and after work I didn’t get a chance to make the phone call. I just went home and was very quite- very unlike me. I was so upset, I didn’t even want any dinner. My husband noticed and told me I shouldn’t let my job get to me- easy for him to say.
Later that evening I started to mark a set of tests for my period two class and was pleasantly surprised how well the students did on the test. I’m always concerned that students in my period two class might not do as well they as could because some of the students are so loud and obnoxious in class. I expend so much time and energy calling home to talk to parents and enlisting the support of counseling and administration in an attempt to settle these students down. Drives me crazy.
As I marked more and more of the papers and saw that my students were really doing well, the tension I felt started to lift. I was surprised to see that despite all the noise in the classroom, my students were really learning and doing well. I don’t know how they can learn in all that noise. When I saw how well my students were doing on the test, I started to love teaching again. I know. I’m laughing too. What can I say.
Jan
3
I resolve to live in the moment in 2010
Filed Under Dealing With Stress, The way I see it | 2 Comments
It hardly seems possible. School starts back on Monday. The two weeks of the Christmas holidays have just flown by. I’ve enjoyed not having my week days defined by the ringing of bells every 75 minutes. I got caught up on my reading by listening to ebooks (sneaky eh!), and I finally got to watch all three seasons of The Tudors thanks to my iPod. I took it along with me whenever I anticipated having to spend time waiting. The hour and a half wait at the Doctors office last week just flew by as a watched the downfall of Anne Boleyn. My blood pressure was just where it should be. What a wonderful way to bring history to life. I’m not sure how accurate the TV program is, but it certainly is engaging. Too bad there’s so much adult content. I could never show The Tudors to a class unless they put out a heavily censored version.These last two weeks, I’ve been practicing just living in the moment, not worry about what happened in the past or worrying about what might happen in the future- like Monday morning at school, like exams in three weeks, like the EQAO math test my students will write, like report cards at the end of January , like my next MEd course that starts on Tuesday , like…..As you can see, I still have some work to do about the ” not worry about the future” part of living in the moment. I need some hints. Has anyone found a way that works for them. I think living in the moment would help keep things in perspective and reduce the stress load immensely. I’d really appreciate any advice. Living in the moment is my one and only new year’s resolution.
photo of Peace Tower in Ottawa thanks to jpctalbot
Jun
22
Helping students avoid risky behaviours through character education
Filed Under "At-risk" students, Behaviour Management, Dealing With Stress, Goals, motivating students, underachieving students | Leave a Comment
photo uploaded by The ChristianAlert.orgI’ve spent a lot of time over the years in my role as a special education teacher trying to get students to stop engaging in behaviours that are destructive. This year I had my students read and reflect upon The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens in an effort to show them what choices they can make to get more positive outcomes for the future. I tell them if they don’t like the consequences of their actions, they need to change what they do. But, I’ve found that often they don’t necessarily know what behaviours to change or how to go about changing them. That’s where character education comes in.
I’m always looking for ways to support my students who have behavioural issues, so when I come across a new idea, I’m really interested. Recently, I came across a school wide behavioural program called Positive Action that is being used in Hawaii with 5th graders that shows much promise. The character building program continues through each grade and gives students a framework to guide their behaviour. It focuses on what to do, not just what not to do. Students learn to make better choices for better outcomes. Students who participated in the Positive Action program had fewer behaviour issues in school which resulted in better academic achievement. That’s definitely a win-win situation for teacher and students. I was surprised to learn that so many ten year old children engage in so many risky behaviours. I’m a high school teacher, and I know that teenagers engage in all kinds of risky behaviour, but I had no idea that kids as young a ten did. I wonder how many of you will be surprised as well. I wonder what my district is doing to help 10 year old children make better choices for better outcomes. What is your school district doing?
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