Go to the FRONT of the Class Ms. H!

I swear there is something wrong with me. I must suffer from some sort of Paraprofessional disorder!!!! Through my college’s Cooperative Education Program I have been a Para for the past two years at a local high school. I have been used to standing in the back of the classroom or milling around the periphery while the teacher lectures. Only venturing in the mid-sections once he/she is done and it is time to assist the students. It has been a difficult transition to standing in the front of the classroom. My Language Arts CT is great about sharing the front with me, always asking if I have anything to add or having me pass out papers. I have to tell you that the view is quite different up in the front.

In fact, I have to force myself to do it. I end up in the back repeatedly throughout the class. It is like this fight I keep having with myself. “Hey you, get back up there.” “You are back in the back again, good grief.” I really hope I am not the only one suffering from this. And I wrongfully called it a Para disorder. Maybe it is something else like an Observer Syndrome. Or maybe it is some weird new problem that only I suffer from. But it is really tough to stay at the front. And my girls, there are only six, are all so beautiful and attentive. You would think I would want to see their lovely faces and not just the backs of their heads. But no…..not me! I will continue to work on this!

And on a higher note, did you know that the students do actually listen to teachers! Really, I’m serious. I was leading a book talk on Monday. I knew they were learning how to “Interview” books and would be going to the library the next day. So, I just thought it was the perfect time. I picked out 7 books I thought would interest them. I knew one young lady liked soccer and all of them liked mysteries. I made sure there was something for everyone. I modeled how I wanted them to consider each book and then we began. They filled out their sheets and when we were done I had then put them in their binders for library day the next day.

Tuesday arrived and at the end of the hour we were at the library. After the librarian had given his spiel (I looked up how to spell this) on how to “Interview” a book, not near as thorough a job as I did the day before, they were ready to look for themselves.

Two of the six came up to me, yes me, and asked if they could have the books from our list. I told them I had gotten them from the library and to look at their forms. Two girls wanted the same book. Luckily, they did not fight over it. Like I said they are good girls. But three of the six got books that I had chosen for our book talk just the day before.

The one little girl, I will call her Suzie, though that is not her real name, made sure that when the teacher asked how she picked her book she said that Mrs. H had it in the book talk. I felt really good. I guess, I always knew that the students do listen to the teachers but I had never experienced it personally before Tuesday. It made me very aware of the responsibility we teachers have to our students; to be kind with our words, to make good suggestions and be an example to follow, among a whole long list of other responsibilities.

Those are just a couple of the good things that happened this past week!