A turning point for me

Anyone who knows me knows that I rarely ever yell at people. Ever. Now I know what you are thinking, but this post is not to say that today I snapped and yelled at my class. No, I've had a recent realization of when I can become firm. Because believe it or not, I CAN be firm. I know a lot of people who know me have never, ever seen me mad. There have been a select few, but overall, I am not an outwardly aggressive person when I get mad.

Starting this past Monday, I took over the 6th grade class that I have spent the past 3 weeks with. There was a substitute in the class on Monday because my cooperating teacher wasn't at the school because of personal matters, but I had a reality check that day when it was just me and the sub- I needed to crack down on discipline or I was going to die (or at least my future as a good teacher would die).

Well, over the course of the past couple days on my own, I have discovered that I CAN be firm. I CAN be strict. My students are progressively learning that yes, I can be fun and we can have enjoyable lessons, but if they continue to do something that I tell them not to do, there are consequences to those actions. And honestly, I'm kind of glad they're pushing the limits because it's proving to not only them but to me that it is possible for me to enforce the law in the classroom.

I'm just so happy with myself! I think it's true when some teachers say that becoming a teacher helps you become feared (as a law-enforcer). Hopefully this really is a turning point for people to see me as more than just a nice person. I mean, it's not a bad thing to be seen as a nice person, but when people don't take you seriously because they don't they you have it in you to be firm, it's kind of insulting.

Here's hoping for a turnaround!