Some nice bits of advice in these chapters. Although the first bit of advice, the quote about erasing the chalkboard vertically to avoid butt wiggling, is intended to illustrate how unprepared most TAs are, it is actually good advice. We tend not to give much thought to the little actions we take in front of a classroom which may undermine our authority. It's a horrible feeling to turn to the class, and see a few faces lit up in amusement, and wonder what the hell they think is so damn funny. You begin to get incredibly self-conscious, you wonder if your fly is undone, or if there is chalk in your hair, and after class you go immediately to the restroom to look yourself in the mirror to solve the mystery of what was causing the students to laugh at you. When you see nothing obvious in the mirror, you think back on the way you were standing, the movements you were making at the time, and then you start to realize that you're being much too self-conscious-- maybe the students were laughing at something else entirely.
You have to learn not to read too much into the expressions on your students' faces. You assume every expression made is in regard to something you are doing or saying, since you are the main focal point in the room. However, in that vast sea of faces, overwhelming the first time you teach, there are people who may look bored but are actually paying close attention, people who look amused but are not laughing at you, and people who look as if they are scrutinizing you but are actually deep in thought. Of course, there are students who are actually bored, laughing at you and scrutinizing you, but sometimes these students are actually good at hiding these feelings, and you may actually believe they like you and love coming to your class.
But there's nothing you can do about this but to get used to it. Tell yourself not to worry so much about what your students think of you. Just do your job, teach them as well as you can, be as prepared as you can be. Some days it will work out, some days it won't.
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6 comments:
I am glad you blogged about this point because I was actually given this advice by a student once who was in a dual credit education course. I was never really sure if she shared the advice because she had found it amusing or because I was erasing the board horizontally and wiggling my butt. It made me a bit self-conscious from then on out.
Okay, the whole butt wiggling thing is hilarious, but also pretty terrifying. This is something that would NEVER, in a million years, cross my mind. Is there a course I can take on this, something like "101 Ways NOT to Make a Complete Ass of Yourself in the Classroom"? Are there any other tricks of the trade we new teachers should know about--come one, Rebecca, Darren, Leta--cough it up. Unless you plan on visiting my class to laugh along with the other students.
Liz,
I'm afraid even if these 101 ways exist, the situation #102 will
happen anyway. Of course, we have to learn as any tricks as possible, and ask any teacher about advice, but
it won't help on 100%. Yes, I'm very optimistic.
In C&D: "I think the day I stop getting nervous before the first day of the class ... may be the day I become a less good teacher" (11). So is it enevitable?
Re the butt wiggling, my boyfriend told me that the only thing he learned in his TA orientation at the Univ. of WI at Madison was how to erase a chalkboard properly without doing a butt-rhumba. I suspect this advice has entered the realm of folklore and teaching with a vengeance.
Liz, I agree with Irina. No matter how prepared you are there is always something else unexpected. I learned the best thing was to laugh with them when I did something stupid. It makes the situation more relaxed. For example, the first day of class during my second year of teaching, I tripped over my bag and nearly fell on my face. They called me trippin' for a few days, but it died when I didn't show any anxiety about it. I moved stuff out of my way and joked with them. Stuff happens. If I don't make a fool of myself once a day, I didn't have a day at all. I told my students that all the time. It made it easier to get through the oops moments.
Actually, I do have one small bit of advice: when supervising an event like prom, don't wear a white shirt or dress with a white bra if there are going to be blacklights.
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