Dear teacher, smile at your students

amother

OP ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:09 am

As a therapist who goes into regular ed schools I see how teachers interact with their students. For example, after recess they stand seriously at the door and wait for the students to stand perfectly still. Would it hurt to smile? Why do teachers think that they need to be strict? There is a way students can respect you without having to be serious all the time and I wish you know that!

ShishKabob ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:10 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

YES YES YES!!!

amother

Aquamarine ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:11 am

I do not know what schools you are sending to or working in but thankfully my children and grandchildren's schools are not like this and they do not have this type of experience B"H.

amother

Scarlet

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:14 am

Dear Magenta,

I believe that teachers must be very strict in order to keep a tight hold on the reins BUT there is still plenty of place for smiles.

watergirl ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:15 am

amother [ Magenta ] wrote:

Dear OP, have you ever taught classes of 30+ students?

I have. And I maintain a friendly face. No reason not to.

And re: standing perfectly still - this is antiquated and authoritarian. There is no good reason for this. Standing quietly and orderly, yes. Little solders, no.

Last edited by watergirl on Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:16 am; edited 1 time in total

↑ ShishKabob ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:16 am

amother [ Scarlet ] wrote:

Dear Magenta,

I believe that teachers must be very strict in order to keep a tight hold on the reins BUT there is still plenty of place for smiles.

I agree, a teacher that has a good sense of self and has effective control of the classroom doesn't get scared of throwing in a few smiles a day.

amother

↑ Magenta

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:19 am

Of course I smile at my students. We have a great time together. But it's unfair to complain about seeing a teacher at the door of her classroom and judging her to be too severe!!!
Let's stop this teacher bashing.

↑ ShishKabob ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:20 am

amother [ Magenta ] wrote:

You have a point but op has a point too.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:35 am

amother [ Magenta ] wrote:

This is just one example, there are more. Don't mean to bash teaching is hard, I just mean that it is okay to let loose a little...

amother

Oak

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:41 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

This is just one example, there are more. Don't mean to bash teaching is hard, I just mean that it is okay to let loose a little...

Most people don't naturally smile when standing outside herding kids to come in from recess. Do you think the teachers are forcing back smiling?

honeymoon

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:43 am

amother [ Magenta ] wrote:

Dear OP, have you ever taught classes of 30+ students?

I have and still do. I smile every single day even on the difficult days. My students are human beings, not life sized dummies.

amother

Gold

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:47 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Is this beginning of year? I find teachers stricter first few weeks and once classroom decorum is established they ease up a lot.

↑ watergirl

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:48 am

honeymoon wrote:

I have and still do. I smile every single day even on the difficult days. My students are human beings, not life sized dummies.

And its not their fault that they have over 30 kids in their class.

Obviously not every teacher is the type to smile. But I'm sure if OP felt warmth from the teacher, she would not have felt the need to post this thread.

thunderstorm ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 8:49 am

When I look back, I see that my favorite teachers were the ones that made us stand like soldiers and were intimidating. I’m not sure why that is.
But I do know that my sister hated every single one of those teachers that I loved, because they were strict and expected perfect posture, spotless desks and briefcases aligned just so. Their piercing eyes were sometimes enough to make you want to dig a hole in the floor and go in.
I wonder if certain child personalities click better with certain adult personalities .

amother

Chocolate ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 9:09 am

DD just started 2nd grade and she's complaining bitterly about how strict her teacher is. She doesn't let them move. DD says that every minute she stops to stare at someone else. When she comes into class she stands by the door and says "today we are going to behave because we're big girls"!! What normal teacher says such a thing every day?? Why shouldn't they behave? They're 7 years old, not high schoolers! She's a first year teacher, it seems like she wants to feel in control and full of authority. I feel bad for the girls.

↑ ShishKabob ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 9:11 am

amother [ Chocolate ] wrote:

oy oy oy, I feel bad for them too.

little neshamala

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 9:27 am

amother [ Magenta ] wrote:

Dear OP, have you ever taught classes of 30+ students?

I have. I always smiled and acted friendly, while maintaining an obedient classroom. I had total control, but without resorting to drill sergeant intimidation.

As a student I always felt that the teachers who didnt smile much and stood at the door waiating for perfect attention before marching in, without a smile, and then issuing a crisp "shev na" or "open up to page 63 in your textbooks" while keeping their face totally impassive, keeping all the little kids under their reign.....I always always felt that these teachers were insecure and didnt know how to control a classroom otherwise. I remember being quite young and feeling scorn for one of my teachers for this reason precisely.

Jewishfoodie ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 9:45 am

Um.. I'd change the title to..

Dear humans. Smile! It's catchy! It's easy! It's free! And it multiplies. Smile, people! When you pass someone on the street, in a coffee shop, in a school, in your HOME, SMILE!!!

Who doesn't appreciate a smile?!

Teachers, doctors, therapists, sahm's working moms, principals, mother in laws.. Smile!

What have you got to lose!

(if you want to know if you've ever met me irl, I'm the person who smiled when I passed you.)

↑ ShishKabob

Thu, Sep 19 2019, 9:50 am

Jewishfoodie wrote:

(if you want to know if you've ever met me irl, I'm the person who smiled when I passed you.)

I did meet you and you were SOO shocked that someone smiled at you before you smiled at them! lol