As I read what I read that board members viewed as obstacles
that MLE’s face, I wonder if these obstacles are listed in specific order (i.e.
number 1 being more frequently considered an obstacle than number 35). I wonder
this because that what I consider will be my most substantial obstacle is
ranked fairly low on the list. I worry about being an effective classroom
manager. On the list provided by the board members, the one that seems to be
the closest tied to what I view an obstacle is number 51: an unruly classroom.
I know I worry about classroom management because I have
been in classrooms where teachers struggle to maintain order. I worry that I
will spend more time managing behavior rather than teaching. The good news is
that I know that classroom management is closely related to student engagement.
Again, from the classrooms that I have worked in, I have seen teachers struggle
to engage their students. Therefore, I can make a more positive classroom
environment that is conducive to learning by incorporating material that is
engaging to students. This doesn’t make the task easier. Designing and
implementing lessons that are engaging requires effort, determination,
follow-through. I hope that I will become more confident and assured of my
teaching ability as I become more experienced. Perhaps my worry should be
viewed in a positive light—it tells me that I want to do right by my students
and make sure they get worthwhile and meaningful learning opportunities.
I worry about the same thing, that teaching will give way to management. I read an article online a month or so ago (I’ll try and find the link) that took an interesting perspective, drawing a parallel between management in a professional setting compared to in a classroom, and pointed out that in both cases people, unlike projects, should not be managed—people should be led. In our case, led to engagement and inquiry and, in a way, offering a better alternative to motivate our students to “behave,” offering something interesting.
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