The True Experience

The past week couldn't get any closer than an AG teachers normal week. This last weekend I participated in my first ACES conference which was truly an eye-opening experience. However, once we arrived, I noticed my students were not nearly as enthusiastic as I was for the experience. I knew that I had to get them excited and yet build rapport with them since they have only seen the stern Mr. McMillen. It was time that I showed them that FFA is fun and could be fun with Mr. McMillen.

Once we were at the dance, I noticed that all but 2 of my students sat around a table and would refuse to leave it for the dance floor. They seemed too shy to just get up and have fun. My duty, to see that they had fun (CHALLENGE ACCEPTED). I began dancing past their table without acknowledging them to see how they reacted. I got some laughs and continued to prod at their stubbornness. By the end of the night, the table was empty and all of the students were having a great time. From that point on, the students in the classroom were not nervous to talk with me about issues they were having. This experience opened the door for the students to connect with me. Teaching became a little more easier because they seemed more relaxed and confident in sharing their findings with me. As a result, this week was a very productive week, they knew that I could be their for them and that I could help them instead of just teaching them.

My classroom management plan has taken an interesting turn. At the beginning of student teaching, I wanted to be the "Classroom Enforcer", however, I quickly realized that it will only work for some of my classes. One class in particular is unscathed by standard punishments such as detention or in-school suspension. In reality, if I were to give the detention, the students will skip the detention and receive and in-school suspension. With this route, not only does the student get placed in the in-school suspension, but they miss out on a learning episode. This route does not do anyone any favors or benefits. Re-thinking my approach I began to just let them talk more than my other classes and connect with the students more rather than be seen as the "Classroom Enforcer". After a week of this tactic, I noticed that the students respect me more as a teacher and will be dead quiet when I need them to be, but also, their quality of work has gotten better. I have students that you would think did not learn a thing by watching them in class, but when they get an assessment, they blow down the doors on it and rock it out.

Very little circumstances such as this are black and white in the classroom, sometimes you have to improvise and change the things you were taught to do in order to see student success. Besides, we are teachers because we want to see students achieve and grow. The road will most definitely go in different directions, but  the destination remains constant. TOTAL STUDENT SUCCESS