Gaining respect

[Jennie Nicholas]

Hi, it's me Jennie!

I have a great position as a 2/3 bridge self contained teacher. I love
the school and they have been very supportive of my development as a
teacher. It has been trying as they are trying to figure out how to go
about intertwining the two grades curriculums to better help all of my
students. I love that the literacy coach, Math coach, and my mentor
have been in my class giving mock lessons and showing me the ropes. My
only concern is that when I am in the class without the coaches the
students seem to lose their control. IT is as if they respect these
long time teachers as their authorities but llok as me as nothing.
WHAT CAN I DO???

[meredith...@gmail.com]

You need to act like you know , even when you don't. I think that's
when things start to get derailled- when you don't come across as
confident in your abilities as possible. I feel like this happened to
me in our group this summer. There were topics we covered that I felt
more comfortable with and
knowledgeable about than others. When I didn't know something, I
didn't act confident and it was hard for the other people in the room
to feel confident in me. HAving said that, kids are like adults in
that regard. I think it is great that the literacy and math coach are
conducting mock lessons that you are learning from, but I think you
need to communicate to them that there presence in your class
undermines your authority when they are not there ( You don't need to
say it to them in as tactless a fashion as that, but this should be
the underlying message). You need to ask them how they suggest you
address this problem. Seeing they have actually taight a lesson or two
to your class, they know the dynamics of the group of kids you have as
they have experienced it themselves. Revisit your rules and classroom
managment culture with the students and tell them you feel they need
to be reminded as they are demonstrating that they are forgetting with
their behavior. remember your behavior consequences system and stick
to it rigidly. Stand your ground. Eventually they will get used to the
idea that you are the boss and that they can't do whatever they want.

[Jennie Nicholas]

thank you for the advice. I am pretty frustrated with my confidence
level. I thought i would have this all under control and keep my
nerves in check and figure everything out quickly! I know I somtimes
come across as a person who has no clue what she is doing, but it's
hard to show confidence that I don't have. Anyhow, thanks for the
advice.

[meredith...@gmail.com]

I think that is something we all suffer from at varying degrees.
beleive me, you will become more confident as time marches on and you
have learned from experience and you won'[t have to fake it anymore