What Every Teacher Should Know, or, "Feel Free."

Over the course of my first six weeks as a missionary/teacher/resident of Malawi/member of this particular community/mostly teacher, I have compiled a list of rules every teacher should know, called "What Every Teacher Should Know." It looks like this:

1. Always erase the white board before leaving the classroom you were teaching in. (Teachers, please read that three more times to yourself.)
2. Keep cool; don't freeze. (If white boards did not exist, this would be item 1.)
3. Learn how to skillfully throw the lesson plan out of the window.
4. Don't ever forget anything, ever.
5. Bring coffee, water, and gum to school every day.
6. Wear the matching shirt on Friday.
7. Use your prep to get your work done.
8. Pretend you know more than your students. Don't be arrogant about it, just play like you know more.
9. Don't get nervous when other adults are within earshot of your classroom, no matter how intimidating they may be. See item 2.
10. Give essay tests.
11. Don't play music for students unless you really love the music or the music in question was composed by Mozart.
12. Talk about God every day. (This would be item 1 if I didn't know that the last thing people read is what stays with them the most strongly.)

Some of this is minor and silly. Some are very serious, because following these rules contributes to smooth, happy days.
You see, it's not all sunshine and rainbows.

Once I found myself with a fake smile on my face asking a student why s/he thought it was ok to ask to go to the restroom, leave my class, and return changed into her/his P.E. clothes. I asked and waited for an answer. I'm a fan of having the student speak, especially when I am about to blow my top.

There are a few F's in my grade book.

Most of my Expo markers are quite dry.

The eighth seventh grader asks me for the sixth time in five minutes, "Miss V, what page?"

The power goes out just as my Journalism students are finalizing the draft of the student newspaper.

Little hang-ups. They should shrink when I put them in perspective. They grow if I look at them too closely. Guess which one happens more often.

When I fail to take a step back, my attitude sours. I start to wonder if someone wrote on the white board behind me, "Feel free to think class is a joke. Feel free to ignore Miss V. the first four times she says something. Feel free to leave all your textbooks in your homeroom class. Feel free to leave your homework at home."

But doesn't the teacher have to move on, take in her troubles, without studying them too closely? And should she not strive to change the vibe of the classroom to instead reflect other invitations: "Feel free to ask what an unfamiliar word means. Feel free to offer a different opinion. Feel free to come by at lunch for extra help or a chat. Feel free to make your essay one paragraph longer than the minimum"?

These students say, "Thank you, Miss V" at the end of each class. These students want to know if I like living in Malawi or not. These students enjoy my Jersey accent. These students are lovely. I just have to remember that fact when I say, "Number 4, page 120" yet again.

I have to remember that I too need grace in abundant quantities, from the same Lord that governs each life affected by my classroom. I have to remember that what I deserve and what I receive are greatly discrepant.

And so I resolve to talk about God every day.