Class Fright

You probably wouldn’t believe the number of teachers who suffer from Class Fright… or maybe you are one…

Those teachers always make me think of a tamer walking into a lion’s den… they fear their students so much they become negative and aggressive for no reason… their students don’t understand their attitude and behaviour and ‘hate’ (their word) them instantly… and from there on it’s sink or swim for the teacher while the students have all run aground… their classroom has capsized…

For those who remember teacher Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society and his ‘Captain o my Captain’… now is the time to get hold of the rudder and bar… and work towards a plain sailing…

Those students are not going to skin their teacher and eat you alive… they have only come to learn from him/her…

Very often are those teachers worried they might be asked questions they can’t answer… and forget nobody knows everything… even teachers… and we all experience times when things slip off my mind… that is completely natural… teachers too are only human… if need be all they need to do is tell their students they are making a good note of the question and will tell them more at the beginning of their next lesson… or email them the answer…

I regularly remind my students and colleagues that I was their English plumber… called upon in case of emergency to solve their problem(s)… a doctor coming to cure them and their English…

The best idea in teaching is partnering… while most teachers prefer to lecture… and not see their lecture going to a total waste… but, before they do that, teachers should start every course with a thorough audit of the students levels, needs, objectives and questions…
This will ascertain their teaching is on course and assert their authority and expertise…

Another thing is keeping a constructive attitude and language… too often again do teachers pass negative comments to their students breaking their wings and stealing their wind… making them lose confidence and, in return, they only become more difficult students…

Promote your students self-confidence and appeal to their intelligence rather than castigate them… you’ll get good students and good results ! Holding yields more results than scolding…

This will result in making you popular and your students will want to follow you… show your students you love them as you love teaching and understand them and their problems… because that’s why you’re a teacher… or shouldn’t be one…

Let’s remember that students asking questions are showing their interest and/or sending you the teacher a message… that their message might not have been very clear… and hence the teacher should endeavour to improve his communication skills… teachers should be the best learners and learn all the time…
Be the teacher you would love to have or have had…

A teacher is not born, a teacher is also made… as student are made to study… and maybe become teachers in turn…

Jesse CRAIGNOU (jesse.craignou@yahoo.fr)

PS : I regularly train and coach teachers through workshops and seminars… contact me if you think I can assist you…

All my books, ebooks, audiobooks… for #English #teachers & #students on #Amazon :

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