(no subject)
Today, I was working with my first-grade class and they were using the writing prompt "I feel sad when..." in their journals. Expecting depression and dead pets, I was a tad miffed when I had the following conversation with a girl who normally gives me shit and is difficult to deal with. She definitely enjoys attention from me, which is not entirely odd from the students, but is kind of a pain for me. But, here's the conversation:
Me: Well, what makes you feel sad?
Her: I feel sad when my mommy drinks and is mad at me.
Me: ........So, do you want to write "I feel sad when my Mom is mad at me?"
Her: Yes
I talked with her for a few minutes about misplaced anger and her mother's tendencies, without using those terms, and just tried to hammer across the idea that although she feels unhappy about it, she has to keep in mind that it is not her fault that her mother gets mad at her, and her mother knows that and she should know that. It's really quite hard to deal with in person, and I'm not sure of how to deal with such a thing. I've taken classes on approaching the subject, but that's one thing that none of my child development classes at Evergreen prepared me for: how to deal with children who have genuine fucking problems that are not idealized, Pigaetten developmental problems.
I do, however, think that this re-affirmed my desire to be a teacher. I really do enjoy the kids, and enjoy this age group, although they can wear me out pretty quickly, they're quite fun and very nice. And, I think that I can be a very positive influence on the students, and at this early of an age, it is ideal to have someone positive to say about my affect on students. I'm still unsure about the idea of being a first-grade teacher though, as the stigma attached to a male in this society is quite odd.
Me: Well, what makes you feel sad?
Her: I feel sad when my mommy drinks and is mad at me.
Me: ........So, do you want to write "I feel sad when my Mom is mad at me?"
Her: Yes
I talked with her for a few minutes about misplaced anger and her mother's tendencies, without using those terms, and just tried to hammer across the idea that although she feels unhappy about it, she has to keep in mind that it is not her fault that her mother gets mad at her, and her mother knows that and she should know that. It's really quite hard to deal with in person, and I'm not sure of how to deal with such a thing. I've taken classes on approaching the subject, but that's one thing that none of my child development classes at Evergreen prepared me for: how to deal with children who have genuine fucking problems that are not idealized, Pigaetten developmental problems.
I do, however, think that this re-affirmed my desire to be a teacher. I really do enjoy the kids, and enjoy this age group, although they can wear me out pretty quickly, they're quite fun and very nice. And, I think that I can be a very positive influence on the students, and at this early of an age, it is ideal to have someone positive to say about my affect on students. I'm still unsure about the idea of being a first-grade teacher though, as the stigma attached to a male in this society is quite odd.