So I found out something about myself yesterday. I can be rather harsh. Don't hate me- but I made two of my kids cry. I didn't mean to- but am sure nobody really does (other than a sociopath?). So two girls ( did I tell you am teaching an girls' school? yup, ME!) in the class didn't do any of their work in the math period. So I said "you may not go home till you finish your work"- and the fountains ran! Now that, for lack of a better way to put it, was seriously freaky.
I've never been the crying types myself, plus no one really breaks down (much) in an office, so I suppose you become used to passing out indictments and expecting results. But what I learnt yesterday was something more important- that while the WHAT and the HOW are important, the WHY is just as needed. When we were kids, we all hated being told "do it because I told you so". Yet that's an easy trap to fall into. So I've promised myself that from now onwards, I will make sure I tell my kids what I expect them to do and why it is needed.
Update for 5th July: so it definitely works! significantly reduced chaos in class, students motivated to finish work in time and a Fellow who is beginning to sound human again!!! Rolling out my investment strategy- a Dream chart for each kid and my Bee rules!!
I've never been the crying types myself, plus no one really breaks down (much) in an office, so I suppose you become used to passing out indictments and expecting results. But what I learnt yesterday was something more important- that while the WHAT and the HOW are important, the WHY is just as needed. When we were kids, we all hated being told "do it because I told you so". Yet that's an easy trap to fall into. So I've promised myself that from now onwards, I will make sure I tell my kids what I expect them to do and why it is needed.
Update for 5th July: so it definitely works! significantly reduced chaos in class, students motivated to finish work in time and a Fellow who is beginning to sound human again!!! Rolling out my investment strategy- a Dream chart for each kid and my Bee rules!!
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