The ninth episode of “Kicking the Copier”—and the first of 2024!—is centered around the value of reflecting on our own past “mistakes” as teachers: practices and mindsets that existed in previous versions of our teaching that we no longer believe are the best for our students.
Sorry to be 6 months late, but I really love this. (I just got a manuscript in that took a year; I can finally come up for air!)
Over the years, I got so tired of realizing how profoundly wrong I had been (especially regarding students' motivations) that I devoted a lot of effort to learning to offer positive presupposition and use tentative language (both concepts/practices I learned in coaching training) and practicing humility (a practice/principle hammered on on 12th step recovery). I have seen an additional benefit. Students see this behavior and hear this language modeled, and they begin to take it up themselves. They receive my sincere amends for being wrong, and they learn (1) I respect them enough to acknowledge I have hurt or misjudged them; and (2) acknowledging mistakes is part of being a decent human being. I really believe that my growth in this area led to a more peaceful, respectful, and effective classroom experience for all of us. - Gwen
Sorry to be 6 months late, but I really love this. (I just got a manuscript in that took a year; I can finally come up for air!)
Over the years, I got so tired of realizing how profoundly wrong I had been (especially regarding students' motivations) that I devoted a lot of effort to learning to offer positive presupposition and use tentative language (both concepts/practices I learned in coaching training) and practicing humility (a practice/principle hammered on on 12th step recovery). I have seen an additional benefit. Students see this behavior and hear this language modeled, and they begin to take it up themselves. They receive my sincere amends for being wrong, and they learn (1) I respect them enough to acknowledge I have hurt or misjudged them; and (2) acknowledging mistakes is part of being a decent human being. I really believe that my growth in this area led to a more peaceful, respectful, and effective classroom experience for all of us. - Gwen