Teacher Tuesday: Once upon a time. . .

. . .a long time ago, a young woman finished college and ventured into the world of public education with a desire to change the world, one teenager at a time.  Like most college graduates, this young woman, ME, was anxious to secure a teaching job.  I was lucky that the high school who allowed me to student teach offered me a job for the next school year.  I was elated, even though I would be teaching physical science instead of the biology or English I was certified to teach.  No matter, back in 1982, schools were allowed to place teachers in subjects they were not certified in for up to two years before they had to be certified.

I was excited to have my own classroom, though I had very little to bring to it other than my planning and organizational skills. I was given a teacher's edition textbook along with some encouragement and thrown to the wolves--in this case, about thirty 14- and 15-year-olds.  It might as well have been an enemy army.  Only thing is, they didn't have any weapons other than their freshman silliness.

Fortunately, I had two wonderful mentors who modeled classroom discipline and building relationships with students, so it was easy for me to build a proper classroom climate and good rapport with students.  In 1982, in Texas high schools, corporal punishment was not only allowed, it was expected.  So I set my expectations and used the wooden paddle on transgressors.  

At only 5'2" and 110 pounds, I was not very intimidating.  I will never forget the look on one young man's face as I gave him everything I had.  The other teacher who witnessed the paddling said the boy's eyes widened in shock and appreciation.  After that, he became my biggest ally.  Sadly, he passed away this year.  I wish I could have said goodbye.

One thing I have always demanded of my students is good classroom behavior.  I always expected my students to behave themselves and treat me and each other with respect.  These are some things I have learned in my 30-year career:


My first year of teaching yearbook. . .

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