| You have survived Jimmy's temper tantrum, Stacy's | | | | MAKE REVISIONS. If you do the math and the |
| rolling eyes, and Mary's comment about your "ugly" | | | | percentage of students who "hate your guts" is high, |
| sweater. You have endured your homeroom, where | | | | then consider revising some part of your approach. |
| Juan and Sara called your activity "stupid." And you | | | | Seek advice from other teachers and administrators. |
| have suffered through emails in which Keesha, | | | | Perhaps the way you ask your students to quiet |
| Marcelo, and Tony--each in separate messages--called | | | | down needs modifying. Perhaps the way you grade |
| your grading unfair. | | | | essays or presentations can be tweaked. |
| It is 3:30 PM. The school day is done. You pick up | | | | BE A TEACHER. Set up conferences with students. |
| your dented armor--grade book, coffee mug, laptop, | | | | Be sure to focus on classroom goals. Get information |
| self-worth--and stumble out of the classroom. You | | | | from the student about why the behavior is |
| feel exhausted. Defeated. And you are certain that all | | | | occurring. ("Jimmy, why did you fall to the ground and |
| your students hate your guts. | | | | kick the desk?") Discuss the behavior in relationship |
| This, the third in a series of eight articles about | | | | to class expectations ("Mary, calling a person's |
| classroom management, will help you deal with the | | | | clothing 'ugly' is disrespectful. In our class, we respect |
| all-my-kids-hate-me phenomenon. Use the advice | | | | each other."). Make the situation a teaching moment |
| below to repair your armor and your ego. | | | | for you and your students. |
| DO THE MATH. Count the number of students who | | | | You cannot please all of your students all of the time. |
| you feel "hate your guts." Divide this by the number | | | | In other words, an occasional tantrum or rolling of |
| of students you teach. Is the result less than | | | | the eyes by a few students does not mean your |
| fifty-percent? Twenty-percent? Do the names on | | | | entire class hates your guts. Students are human. As |
| this list change with the passing weeks? This | | | | such, they have emotional responses to their |
| bottom-line approach will help you recognize that you | | | | experiences. Using the tips above can help you |
| have a good rapport with the majority of your | | | | "depersonalize" these responses and thus avoid |
| students. | | | | feeling disliked or defeated. |
| GET CLINICAL. The best surgeon is not the guy with | | | | Look out for upcoming articles in this series, including |
| the most followers on twitter. The best neurologist is | | | | the following |
| not the woman with the most friends on facebook. | | | | - How to Deal with the "Problem" Student |
| Just as other professions, teaching is not a popularity | | | | - Tackling Talkers, Whisperers, and Note Passers |
| contest. It is a job. Some parts of that job--such as | | | | - How to Avoid Loosing Students, and Your Mind, on |
| giving consequences or low scores--may make you | | | | a Field Trip |
| unpopular with some students. Remember: an | | | | - Five Ways to Win Your Students' Trust, and Their |
| effective and responsible teacher does not Ms. | | | | Hearts |
| Congeniality make. | | | | - Stay Sane. |