There's a programme on in the UK at the moment called Jamie's Dream School. Jamie Oliver has decided to help a group of 20 teenagers who left school without the minimum required 5 GCSEs between A and C. He has managed to persuade some really amazing people to come and teach them. It's on every Wednesday night and at the moment, I am finding it extremely uncomfortable viewing. A little too close to the bone.
My new school is testing me in ways that I don't think I have ever been tested. I know I will be a better teacher (and probably better person) for it, but at the moment it feels extremely hard. My mentor says that every teacher in a school like mine goes through this phase and in three weeks I'll be wondering what all the fuss is about. I hope so. When I watch Jamie's Dream School, it is like an action replay of what I have experienced in the classroom that day (although possibly worse) and to be honest, I'd rather not be reminded.
Undoubtedly, some of the kids I'm teaching have horrible backgrounds and have lives that I can hardly imagine. Some are in care, some come from homes afflicted by drug and alcohol abuse, some kids are fresh off the boat and hardly speak a word of English. So I do need to keep that in mind. But when a troubled minority is preventing the majority from learning, I find it very frustrating. For the first time, I sent a kid out of my class today. I had warned her that it was a possibility if she kept talking. She was angry with me because I think, despite her disruption, she actually enjoyed the lesson. Children like that don't make themselves easy to teach, but often they really want to learn.
2 comments:
Courage, Elle. I know you can do it and those kids will be better off for the education you are trying to give them.
Big hugs,
Pascy xx
Indeed, !animo! In a few years time you'll have so much experience under your belt that teaching kids like this will be so much more manageable.
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