My English blog

Always, teachers are said what to do in their classes; but what about what they shouldn't do?Here, is a list of items that you should avoid as a new or veteran teacher. Only the serious items are included and such obvious offenses as having affairs with students are excluded fom this list. However, any of these can create problems for you as a teacher and if you combine two or more, just expect to really have hard time gaining students' respect and finding your profession enjoyable.i

Avoid smiling and being friendly with your students

  While you start each year with a tough stance and the idea that it is easier to let up than to get harder, this does not mean that you shouldn't have students beleive that you aren't happy to be there

Becoming friends with students while they are in class

You should be friendly but not become friends. Friendship implies give and take. This can put you in a tough situation with all the students in the class. Teaching is not a popularity contest and you are not just one of the guys or girls. Always remember that

Stop your lessons and confront students with minor infractions in class

When you confront students over miner infractions in class, there is no possible way to create a win-win situation. The offending student will have no way out and this can lead to even greater probems. It is much better to pull them aside and talk to

Humiliate students to try and get them to behave

Humiliation is a terrible technique to use as a teacher. Students will either be so cowed that they will never feel confident in your classroom, so hurt that they will not trust you ever again, or so upset that they can turn to disruptive methods of retaliation

Yell

Once you've yelled, you've lost the battle. This doesn't mean you won't have to raise your voice every once in awhile but teachers who yell all the time are often those with their worst classes

Give your control over to the students

Any decisions that are made in class should be made by you for good reasons. Just because students are trying to get out of a quiz or test does not mean that you should allow that to happen unless there is a good and viable reason. You can easily become a doormat if you give in to all demands

Treat students differently based on personal likes and dislikes

Face it you are human and there will be kids you will like more than others. However, you must try your hardest never to let this show in class. Call on all students equally. Do not lesson punishment for students you really like

Creat rules that are essentially unfair

Sometimes the rules themselves can put you in bad situations.For example, if a teacher has a rule that allows for no work to be turned in after  the bell rings then this could set up a difficult situation. What if a student has a valid excuse? What makes a valid excuse? These are situations

Gossip and complain about other teachers

There will be days when you hear things from students about other teachers that you just think are terrible. However, you should be noncommottal to the students and take your conerns to the teacher themselves or to administration. What you say to your students is not private and will be shared

Be inconistent with grading and/or accepting late work

Make sure that you have consistent rules on this. Do not allow students to turn in late work for full points at any time because this takes away the incentive to turn in work on time. Further, use rubrics when you are grading assignments that require subjectivity. This helps protect you and explain the reaon for the students' grades