Working in the Highline School District has made it possible for me to work in a district that is striving to build an active teaching community. Highline’s goal is to help new hires and teachers new to the profession navigate their way through their first year of instruction. While meeting with my district coach he was stunned by the transformation I had made with my students. Not that long ago I was complaining about my students in both PE and dance not reflecting what I thought “High School Students” should represent. Five minutes or so into our conversation he said, “WOW,” I am so impressed with the growth you have shown, are you sure you don’t have a problem?” “Nope, I replied… No problems but I could use a personal assistant if you know one!” At the end of my meeting, I had one of those moments where I felt lucky to be working as a full-time teacher and student. Attending classes, reading articles, notating books and listening to lectures relevant to what I am doing every day gives a different perspective on my teaching. So many teachers are hitting the wall at this point, and we still have so far to go.
How have I managed not to fall into the trap of teacher burnout? Building genuine relationships with my students, setting high but attainable expectations and transparency about our vision. These three things have been a consistent high point (Proficient) on my teacher evaluation as well as relevant topics in my cohorts Classroom Management class. All of these areas have helped me gain a more resilient outlook for the days I question myself on wanting to get a degree in teaching. The first classroom management skill I have given priority to is building teacher-student relationships. When my principal walked into my class for evaluation, she was delighted at the engagement of my dancers and the unified approach they had on learning choreography. Students were supporting each other, laughing and pushing one another to stay and on task. All of this wouldn’t be possible if I weren't consistent with my vision for the class. Creating an environment of transparency gives students an idea that they can mold into their own attainable goal. A vision that was once mine is now ours as dancers, and across the board school-wide.
Does this mean I’m flying through the week's unphased by drama and concerns that teachers face each day? No. I am constantly adjusting for the course and learning not to take every situation personally. Our Classroom Management class has also taught me that no one thing will work every time and always be prepared to have your consistency challenged. A take away from my principle teacher check- in’s every other Friday is the same, “Stay Consistent.” Dance is my “HAPPY PLACE” and teaching it comes naturally to me. PE, on the other hand, is where I struggle and sticking to my guns and being organized, and consistent has helped improve class productivity, but I have so far to go.
I am appreciative of the thought-out ideas covered in this course and their relevance to my everyday interactions with students. I look forward to expanding on what I have already implemented into my classes and the continued learning that will follow. Through my collaboration groups with staff, teacher-principle observations, and teacher- district coach meetings, I feel that I will be kept accountable to the growth of my classroom management, allowing me to increase student productivity and limit my desire to give in to the negativity that can come from the rigors of being a teacher.
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