Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
By Meghan Cabral
A
fter 20 years of life as a student,
I realized a difficult part of grad-
uating from college with an
education degree is the transition from
that of learner to that of leader - lead-
ing students by example.
Those new to teaching quickly see
that students absorb and emulate
everything a teacher says and does,
which makes setting an example for
young people an important part of your
job, whether you are just a few years
older than your students or twice their
age. Remembering this will help you in
many aspects of your professional life.
During your first days on the job you
will hear different kinds of suggestions
from your colleagues in the teachers'
lounge. This is where you will hear
complaints and witness negative atti-
tudes. It is also the place where teach-
ers encourage each other and discuss
small problems that may lead to policy
changes throughout a school district.
Abiding by School Policies dents inevitably use poor judgment so." It is never acceptable to break
I firmly believe that teachers have to and send or receive text messages, school policies.
stand up and fight the small battles the even when an instructor is in the mid- Rules about dress code also apply to
crop up in their classroom. These small dle of a lecture. both students and teachers. One ad-
battles often involve such straightfor- A school's policies about using cell ministrator has been known to com-
ward school policies as banning gum phones may be clearly stated, but confu- ment that "we have a dress code for
chewing in class. If your school has sion arises if a teacher uses a cell phone students that teachers should follow"
this policy, it applies to everyone, stu- to send text me ages during class. This when faculty dress too casually. Lead
dents and teachers alike. is simply wrong. If a school policy states by example.
I won the gum battle by making a that no cell phones are allowed in
Students as Friends
game out of the policy, keeping a waste- classrooms, then faculty members have
Some teachers make a big mistake by
basket near the door. Students learned to be responsible for their actions and
trying to become a buddy to their stu-
to enter the rehearsal hall and imme- not bring them to clas .
dents instead of acting like a profes-
diately empty their gum. Of course, I
Rules For Students Only? sional who might one day become a
too follow this policy because students
This may make you laugh, but I coach or mentor to them. When I was
will follow my example.
know of college graduates who accept in high school, I had enough friends
The Distraction of Cell Phones teaching positions believing they are without wanting to be friendly with my
Cell phones initiate another type of exempt from a school's rules; they teachers. Most students think this way.
battle in schools because most students think school policies apply only to stu- A feeling of equality between stu-
would like to be connected to elec- dents. This is nonsense. If a student dents and teachers who respect a
tronic devices 24 hours a day. Cell asks why you are doing something school's policies promotes a healthy
phones are a distraction and should when he can't, never tell him "because environment that is void of distrac-
never be allowed in classrooms. Stu- I am the teacher" or "because I said tions and problems. It is so much easi-