In the beginning of this blogging journey, I gave myself some advice about starting teaching, which mainly consisted of reducing stress by asking for help and taking time to collect myself. After absorbing vital information about teaching from class and my observations, I think that this basic advice is still key. I have a tendency to snap or catch an attitude when flustered or overwhelmed, and I saw firsthand the need to keep oneself in check when dealing with a room full of teenagers who do not necessarily want to be in your classroom. Certain teenagers know what to say to get a rise out of someone and how to push the right buttons to drive a teacher crazy, and a situation can easily get out of control if the teacher is not able to collect themselves and respond appropriately. So taking a few seconds to take a deep breath before responding to a disrespectful teenager or even a problem with technology or a disruptive phone call will be my biggest challenge as I move into handling groups of students on my own. I also enjoyed the advice of our teacher, Gina, who suggests leaving the classroom for a short time during planning, giving oneself just 15 minutes to unplug from everything going on around you and take a mental break. Encouraging students and helping them to be successful and grow in their talents and abilities is my main goal as a teacher and I believe that the only way that I can achieve this is to take the time to make sure I am collected and prepared to handle tough situations without causing a problem.
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