Wednesday, October 24, 2012

How many days?

Here's a question I have asked myself a time or two before:  How many bad days should a person let one's self have at work before he / she decides to throw the towel in and look for something else?

"Bad" is maybe the wrong word to use in this situation. Perhaps "useless" would be a better word. How many days of feeling "useless" should one have before reevaluating career choice. It's not that I met with resistance at every turn or was yelled at and scolded by others. It's not that I was swamped or annoyed. It was that I felt simply useless and unclear on how to make a difference, on how to help students when they don't want it. When the student ignores you and says "I get it." But then that same students' parents email you asking for more support for their student.

I have tried the principles in Responsive Teaching. I try giving the student choices. I try being kind. I try to identify with the student. I try to compliment. I try. . .

But sometimes, I think I try too much.
And sometimes, I think the truly successful people are the ones who try less and don't always seem to care so much.


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