My CT is great at showing her
emotions. What I mean by that is that she wears her emotions and expresses them
well. For example, if she is excited about something and wants the kids to feel
the excitement she will throw her hands in the air, raise her voice and make it
a very dramatic thing. She’s moving around the classroom and has the student’s
full attention. Likewise, when students are not paying attention and it is
clearly a frustrating thing she will dramatically sigh and make the problem
known. Furthermore, she is very responsive to students; being big and dramatic
and expressive is my CT’s style and it works great for her.
Over the last couple of weeks I have
been reflecting on my style, and thinking “What
is my style?” “Do I even have a style?” “Am I being responsive enough?” “How do
I find my style?” One thing that I
know for sure is that I am not like my CT, and if I tried to act like her it
would all seem artificial. I am very laid back and don’t usually express my
emotions physically. However, after talking to my CT about it I have come to
realize that even though I am not loud and dramatic, I do tend to smile a lot and
laugh along with my students. The students see that I enjoy being with them and
in a sense create a calm environment. Now what I have to do is go out of my comfort
zone and try other things that work well with who I am and my students. Talking
to other teachers in the building has shown me that sometimes a high five when
a students has a great response goes a long way, and other times a smile and
eye contact suffice.
I think that is wonderful that you are finding how you will be as a teacher. I learned right away that I am also not like my CT. We share some of the same ideas but I do differ in how I deal with my students behavior. It amazes me how much I have learned about myself throughout this process. We can always work toward being better teachers but knowing who we are as a person is a great start. Good luck next week!
ReplyDeleteI share a lot in common with my CT so I think that has really helped with the my students being comfortable around. But because of this I really haven't put a whole lot of thought into my personal teaching style so this is something that I will be thinking more about from here on.
ReplyDeleteA smile could really go a long way! I'm happy that you are sticking with staying true to yourself. Everyone has their own unique style, and I'm sure you will continue to develop your teaching style as you spend more time in the classroom. Have you found that talking to other teachers has helped you think of ways to step out your comfort zone?
ReplyDeleteAwesome to hear that you are coming to a point where you are starting to reflect on what your style is or if you have a style! I have been reflecting on that myself and found that it is best at this stage to stay adaptive to what you see from your CT but also where may some weaknesses I have are to hone in on those.
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing that you are reflecting on your teaching style and that your CT is giving you this great advice about finding your style. I agree with you that a smile can go a long way. Something can be said with a smile and it will be perceived much differently by the students than if said without a smile. It is crazy to think how far a smile can actually go. Good luck finding your style! I sure know I'm still trying to find mine.
ReplyDeleteYour post made me really think about my teaching style. I'm sure all of our teaching styles will change and evolve through the years but it's interesting to look at ourselves now and try to pinpoint where we are at. I am the same way-very laid back and not very emotional, but I do find myself laughing and chatting with my students. I sometimes think there isn't enough time to just converse with my students and talk about things outside of school, which I think is a vital piece in developing relationships. Whatever my teaching style is, I want it to be one that students can relate to and engage with! Sounds like you are being very reflective and having good conversations with your CT! Hoping this week is a good one!
ReplyDeleteYour CT gave you great advice this week! Also, our teaching styles change so much! So it is hard to pin-point a specific style. I love that you have realized that its okay to not be exactly like your CT. You have to pave your own road and along the way you will find what works for you and your set of students.
ReplyDelete