A Restless Classroom After Lunch - Genre Reflection #1

A Restless Classroom After Lunch

A different odor fills the hallways every day

As I make my way to class

That room on the second floor

Filled with a cacophony, noisy and crass

It is the students entering after lunch

Who think that school is over

That it is time to throw Cheetos

And to act as ones not sober

The teacher walks in

And the students begin

To relent of their schoolroom sins

But not before some try her more

And act like school is such a bore

“But school is something that makes you great

Makes you intelligent so appreciate

The education you receive and don’t refuse it

Sit down and write no more excuses

School will help you to succeed

In life and I will not have you impede

Your futures because of restlessness from lunch

Start on you work you chatty bunch!”

The teacher added with a humorous touch

The students surrendered

To make themselves better

And began their classroom endeavors.

Teaching Reflection #2 I like a challenge!

During these past few weeks of pre-student teaching , I have learned quite a bit about the classroom that I have been placed in. I have been reminded that teaching middle school students is not the easiest task. Students at this age are in the process of many changes: emotionally, physically, mentally, and socially. I remember like it was yesterday that awkward time in my journey of growing up so I still feel like I can relate in some way. Socially, students at this age are expected to be more independent and take care of themselves. For the first time, they feel like they have to please their friends and peers by acting and dressing a certain way and by doing things that they may not want to do. They desperately, more than anything, do not want to be embarrassed or made fun of so they will do anything they can to prevent this whether this means being the quiet student or the student who constantly makes trouble. Of course, this is not the reason that every student acts out or is quiet, but students this age do feel pressure that may cause them to act the way they do not want to. Mentally, middle school students are undergoing a brain transformation. According to the Society for Neuroscience, this transformation will not be complete until the early twenties!  Most of the changes occur during the adolescent years. On top of that, they experience all of the physical changes that come with growing up. No wonder these students can get emotional and seem irrational; everything around them is changing as well as themselves!

In the classroom I have been placed, some students cause a bit of trouble and distractions during lessons. At first, I became apprehensive about my decision to teach middle school. Then I remembered what it was like to be that age. Of course, this is no excuse to disrupt class, but I did understand the pressures these students may face. I watched the teacher react to these students. Her manner was calm, yet her tone was assertive. She told the student what he or she was doing and calmly stated the consequences for the action. She was mostly effective with this technique. This reassured me, yet these incidences also reminded me why I want to teach.  I asked the teacher why she wanted to teach middle school students.  She smiled and told me that it was their lively spirit and they give her a challenge and a feeling that she is making a difference. I feel the same way!

Do any of you have any challenges in your classrooms? If so, how do you or your CT deal with them, and do you feel those challenges help you to make a difference? Please let me know!



* Article found at http://www.sfn.org/index.aspx?pagename=brainBriefings_Adolescent_brain