The past week and a half has been an interesting experience, and while every class period has not gone according to plan, I have still learned a lot. Through meetings and personal plans I have had the privilege of working with substitutes and experiencing the students in a whole new light. Occasionally the students have delighted me with phrases of, "Does this mean you get to teach us? Yes!!". However, working with students who do not deal with change well has become a heavy and hard transition. Even though the students seem to recognize me as their teacher and come to me when they need help, their attitudes and behaviors do not match up. Part of this, I have been told, may come from the fact that some of these students are labeled with BD or OHI and such rejection to new ways happens with any change rather than only for me.
In order to help ease this transition I have been reviewing some procedures and expectations that the students receive at the beginning of the school year. Even though they roll their eyes and act like they don't care, there has been some improvement in behavior. My CT has also let me begin classes without her presence and come in to check halfway through the period to provide assistance where necessary while also letting the students adjust and see that my position is no different than hers. Everyone seems to be settling nicely into this routine.
Even when there are substitutes, as there were for 1.5 days of class last week, the students appear to recognize no difference. This reaction has been a great motivator and influence for me. Dealing with change can be difficult for everyone, but as I begin teaching my units for two courses (three classes), I have noticed an ease of anxiety as the students work with me instead of against me. Hopefully this positive spark will continue! I'm looking forward to watching the students' interests grow as seniors begin Catching Fire and freshmen start in on The Story of Blima: A Holocaust Survivor.
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