Search blog.co.uk

Gangsta Trippin'

by studentteacher83 @ Wednesday, 18. Jun, 2008 - 19:21:17

As is my usual style I was bouncing around in front on the blackboard this morning whilst teaching my year nines. I would never blatantly lie to my pupils and say that frequency tables are the most exciting things in the world, when they're plainly not, but I do at least try and make out that I think they come pretty close.

One girl who has the rare capacity for a teenager to have a bit of a joke but not take it too far wondered out loud if I was high, she even said that my pupils looked rather small, which seeing as I haven't done any PSHE lessons on drugs recently I'm only guessing must have some narcotic implication. I responded by saying that I would never smoke anything before school (though could name some teachers who might). I wouldn't smoke anything after either though am concerned that my response may have implied I would.

I'm also concerned by some boys in my form. I overheard one calling another 'motherfucker'. He hadn't really meant it to come out of his mouth and was quite embarrassed when I spoke to him about it. He explained that he'd been watching the Godfather. I suggested that it was an eighteen for a reason and that he ought to remember that he's a year seven, not Al Pacino.


 
 

Trackback address for this post:

authimage

Comments, Trackbacks: Hide subcomments

kendersrulekendersrule pro
2008-06-18 @ 21:01

Um, I don't think I can comment on swearing :ops:

studentteacher83studentteacher83 [Member]
2008-06-21 @ 09:26

That makes about six billion of us then.

Benny [Visitor]

2008-06-18 @ 23:14

You lost me at "blackboard"... You still use those ancient contraptions?!

studentteacher83studentteacher83 [Member]
2008-06-21 @ 08:54

lol. That was just me arguing black was white. We do use whiteboards and pens and stuff but there's always the occasionals lip of the tongue (fingers?)

monkey [Visitor]

2008-06-19 @ 23:25

hi, i just typed teacher blog into google and you were the first to come up so although its off subject i could do with some advice.
i have been in my NQT year this year finishing this summer but things have not gone to plan. i took the job in primary when really i wanted to go into secondary. but the opportunity came up and i was qualified so i took it.
Today i had to resign, to save my career that is. after i fail second term NQT the head was not going to pass me on the third so to save my career and to teach in an area im suited i had to resign. i just dont know what to think is my career in tatters now because of this? am i really made for teaching? my faith in myself is going faster than the contents of the bottle of wine im drinking.
help

Sam [Visitor]
http://34teachingweeks.blogspot.com/
2008-06-20 @ 00:13

Hi Monkey,

Sorry to hear about your problems. I'm about to start training, in September. I'm moving to Spain and doing my distance learning over seas. Have you considered maybe taking a year out to teach TEFL or ESL. Make some money, do some traveling. In the past I've taught ESL and find it a real laugh, and not to much in the way of paper work either. I also have doubts as to if I can teach, but I know my subject really well, if I can get other wound up about it, then I'm sure I'll be okay.

I'm sure studentteacher83 can offer some other advice about teaching on the 'home front.

Take it easy.

studentteacher83studentteacher83 [Member]
2008-06-21 @ 09:22

Things sound really tough for you at the moment. I know this sounds patronising and I apologise for that but the most important thing is to remember that teaching isn't the be all and end all. From personal experience I know how easy it is to get sucked into thinking that it's the most important thing in the world. It's one of those things that gets under your skin and seems to take over your life.

Obviously I don't know what area has caused you problems this year or your circumstances. It may be that you'd be better off doing something else for a bit and coming back to teaching in a year or two, it might not be, you know better than anyone else. I'm sure there are still options open to you and you can find advice on what to do next from a more qualified source, try the TES forums.

Whatever you decide to do make sure you can remember why you went in to teaching. If something can make you upset then it means you must care about it. Even if things haven't worked out this year there must have been positives along the way. Try to build on them. Play to your strengths. Where you have weaknesses don't make excuses. Face up to them and work like hell to put them right. I remember an NQT at our school from last year who had an excuse for everything that went wrong and left teaching at the end of the year.

I had some tough times last year and the only way I got through them was hard work and determination.

In the head's office at our school there's a poster with a caption 'if you're going through hell keep going'. I get the feeling it's aimed more at the kids but it's a universal thing. If you fight your way through this then you can look back and know you tried, no matter how things turn out.

lorahjolorahjo [Member]
2008-06-20 @ 13:09

Benny- I remember (when I was in secondary school) having blackboards replaced by those marker pen board things. And then there were the overhead projectors that not one of the 50-year-old (plus) teachers could work out how to use.

studentteacher83studentteacher83 [Member]
2008-06-21 @ 09:28

Even those overheads are dated now. Everythings linked to computers and projectors protruding from the ceiling. I ought to invite some friends to school so we can watch DVDs on them!

And on the subject of 50 year old teachers struggling I seem to spend half my time saying "press the start button. No not that one. The one that says 'start' on it."

scienceta [Visitor]

2008-06-20 @ 16:02

FYI - Pupils (in your eyes, not in your classroom) dilate when you've been smoking naughty things, so I don't think your student had been to PSHE (is that what they are calling it now?) recently either. As for the language, you're form are year 7s, yeah? They sound positively angellic compared to the delightful year 7s I have to put with. Glad to hear you're nipping it in the bud before it gets crazy - now, if only the primary schools in my area could try that...

And well done on teaching maths! If you can make it even semi-interesting, thats more than most people could do! :-)

studentteacher83studentteacher83 [Member]
2008-06-21 @ 09:28

Ha, I knew it. My form are very good actually, you're right. The swearing was more random than malicious!

Charlotte [Visitor]

2008-06-21 @ 12:58

studentteacher83, I just happened upon your blog and it's given me lots of laughs after a stressful week :)

I've just completed a maths PGCE and am starting a job as a NQT in September in a 'challenging' school and am having a year 7 form... I'm excited, but also pretty nervous. I'll have to look back at this a few months down the line and see how much I can relate to!

monkey, I'm sorry that your experiences have not been too good. To echo Sam's words I'd seriously suggest TEFL. I taught adults in Greece at a language school and it was a lot more relaxed and informal than a school setting. Great experience. Depending on what was the problem before, perhaps you could also consider private tuition for a while, or even teaching evening/weekend classes for adults? This way you can stay in teaching if it's really what you want to do and develop your skills in a fresh setting?

studentteacher83studentteacher83 [Member]
2008-06-22 @ 16:03

Glad you've enjoyed reading the blog. Your NQT yuear will seem absolutely crazy but it calms down quite quickly after a bit. Good luck with it.

Leave a comment :

Your email address will not be displayed on this site.
Your URL will be displayed.
Allowed XHTML tags: <!, p, ul, ol, li, dl, dt, dd, address, blockquote, ins, del, a, span, bdo, br, em, strong, dfn, code, samp, kdb, var, cite, abbr, acronym, q, sub, sup, tt, i, b, big, small, img>
URLs, email, AIM and ICQs will be converted automatically.
Options:
 
(Line breaks become <br />)
(Set cookies for name, email & url)
Validation code:
Please enter the above code here:
For protection from spambots (case-sensitive).

Recent Posts

  1. Frozen Out
    by studentteacher83 on Monday, 06. Oct, 2008
  2. Teachers want right to bed their pupils
    by studentteacher83 on Sunday, 05. Oct, 2008
  3. Bless
    by studentteacher83 on Saturday, 04. Oct, 2008
  4. Twilight INSET? Oh Crepe!
    by studentteacher83 on Thursday, 02. Oct, 2008
  5. Nominated
    by studentteacher83 on Monday, 29. Sep, 2008
  6. Excuse me?
    by studentteacher83 on Saturday, 27. Sep, 2008
  7. What did I do to deserve that?
    by studentteacher83 on Saturday, 20. Sep, 2008
  8. All I need is the air that I breathe (and to teach you)
    by studentteacher83 on Tuesday, 16. Sep, 2008
  9. Ladies and Gentlemen: My Form
    by studentteacher83 on Saturday, 13. Sep, 2008
  10. Nice to meet you
    by studentteacher83 on Wednesday, 10. Sep, 2008

Footer

The content of this website belongs to a private person, blog.co.uk is not responsible for the content of this website.