This past Wednesday was the first week at a new school observing. I have intentions of becoming a high school math teacher so have little experience working with younger children. However, the new school and the new students made me feel comfortable teaching. I spoke with all of the students and asked them questions. I treated them with respect (which is sometimes hard to do with children) and they treated me the same way. I even had some children specifically approaching me for help. I even felt bad a few times that the actual session leaders started talking to a student who had asked me for help. Sometimes it seems as if the other leaders do not treat the students like adults. I understand that elementary-school-aged people are not adults but there should be some sort of respect present nonetheless. I found myself getting involved and sometimes a little frustrated but I was that age at one time too and I'm sure I made plenty of adults frustrated at the time.
The new school has nice facilities. Although their computers lack numerous software programs, every student had a functioning computer and the school in general was in good condition. I am not sure what makes that school so much different than the past one but everything was more friendly.
Most importantly, I learned an important lesson. I experienced a split second of panic as I was having a student find his picture off of the memory card of my personal digital camera. I had students previous to him safely pull up their own picture (by following my verbal instructions) so was not worried until he clicked open a picture before I could say which one to open. It was a picture of my roommate and her friend in a bar drinking. I suppose I was lucky it was only that picture open because the cups were just some blue drinks (an AMF for those of you who go out in Bloomington) and the picture did not include things like the underwear hanging from the ceiling or actually ANY alcoholic signs except the bottom half of "Upstairs Pub" which was not noticable. However, if he had clicked the "next" button a few times he quickly would have seen pictures of people taking shots, the walls lined with liquor bottles, and some extremely drunk people (fortunately I was the DD that evening so the drunk pictures were at least not of myself). Well, I quickly closed the folder and then did not allow the students to pull their own pictures off my card anymore. Oops! I guess although I can modify my language and dress to be appropriate for young children I often forget all of the other things that must be considered in the classroom.
1 comment:
Ouch. :) This is always something to be aware of - you would be suprised how often you run into your students outside of class even. Teachers are held to a higher standard than others. You serve as a model to these students in ever aspect, including the way you use technology. I like that you use digital cameras and other technology in your everyday life. :)
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