They said.... we teach high school. Parents don't come to parent/teacher conferences.
They said... I get so much done in my room that day.
They said... you might have a couple of parents, but that'll be about it.
Well, they were wrong! I had parents in my room steadily all day. Literally, I was without a break. Some I met for the first time, and others, I have taught their younger children. I smiled and greeted parents, I explained my philosophy, and I listened to parents tell me about their children's strengths and their quirks as well as their needs. At the end of the day, I was exhausted and not prepared for the rest of the week. Not a paper graded or a lesson plan made. Then I went to volleyball games for the rest of the evening and snapped yearbook pictures. Some days, that's how it goes.
I was surprised at how pleased I felt that parents cared enough to come and check out the new English teacher. Just another morsel validating my feelings about my school... things I believed to be true about it... to now, things I know are true about it. I have the support of my students' parents, and they are thankful for me. For me. That's humbling. So many changes in the English classes have been difficult for some of my older students. I am so very different from my predecessor. My strengths are very different and my passions are different. My expectations are different and my temperament is different. I knew it would be an adjustment for everyone, and I knew I would have some stubborn students who would just dig in their heels and resist the change... any change. I also believed that I could win them over in the end. I just keep doing what I do, and slowly and surely, they are falling in line behind me. I don't pretend that every one of them likes me, but I don't care if they like me. I care if they are equipped with the tools they need to be successful in their futures.
The next morning I complained to my colleagues. I told them how popular I was the day before. They whole heartily laughed and told me they had forgotten that I was the new teacher and that parents probably would want to meet me. CBA doesn't have new teachers very often. I can see why they forgot. I'll make a note-to-self to be sure and notify the next new teacher at CBA... whenever that may be.
They said... I get so much done in my room that day.
They said... you might have a couple of parents, but that'll be about it.
Well, they were wrong! I had parents in my room steadily all day. Literally, I was without a break. Some I met for the first time, and others, I have taught their younger children. I smiled and greeted parents, I explained my philosophy, and I listened to parents tell me about their children's strengths and their quirks as well as their needs. At the end of the day, I was exhausted and not prepared for the rest of the week. Not a paper graded or a lesson plan made. Then I went to volleyball games for the rest of the evening and snapped yearbook pictures. Some days, that's how it goes.
I was surprised at how pleased I felt that parents cared enough to come and check out the new English teacher. Just another morsel validating my feelings about my school... things I believed to be true about it... to now, things I know are true about it. I have the support of my students' parents, and they are thankful for me. For me. That's humbling. So many changes in the English classes have been difficult for some of my older students. I am so very different from my predecessor. My strengths are very different and my passions are different. My expectations are different and my temperament is different. I knew it would be an adjustment for everyone, and I knew I would have some stubborn students who would just dig in their heels and resist the change... any change. I also believed that I could win them over in the end. I just keep doing what I do, and slowly and surely, they are falling in line behind me. I don't pretend that every one of them likes me, but I don't care if they like me. I care if they are equipped with the tools they need to be successful in their futures.
The next morning I complained to my colleagues. I told them how popular I was the day before. They whole heartily laughed and told me they had forgotten that I was the new teacher and that parents probably would want to meet me. CBA doesn't have new teachers very often. I can see why they forgot. I'll make a note-to-self to be sure and notify the next new teacher at CBA... whenever that may be.
