Please! Help! Would a good teacher become out of me?

[katherine]

Hello everybody!
I am a student and have been studying the English Language and Literature for 5 years. It is my last year of study. Before I made plans to teach Eglish to kids and adults. But now I am not sure of my plans.

Please read the problem further.

Recently our literature teacher developed a practice of every student preparing one lesson and teacheing their fellow students.
As my turn was approaching, I have been looking for some interesting materials and invented some activity of role playing and discussion.

But I have to admit my lesson wasn't a succes.
During the disscusion of the lesson, the teacher critisized it toughly!
She said , she noticed that I had prepared interesting activities. But she (with great emphasys) added I will have hard time to work as a teacher because I am too shy, too polite and too self-conscious.

She totaly discouraged me. Now I am not sure I will handle teaching.

If it helps I will add one more thing:
before I had passed a school practice. And the mentor teacher was also at first was discouraaged by my "behavoiur mistakes" but with each new lesson she said" That one was better" and put me a good mark in the end ( 9, higher is only 10)

That is very important for me, because i adore teaching.

Please share your opinion.
Is it possile to become a good teacher for a shy and too self-conscious person?

Thanks a lot.

Katharine

[JeanRezende]

I guess this is a typical beginning!

There are usually things to be overcome while becoming a teacher!

I believe once you perceived yourself as shy, etc, you already kniw what to improve.

It is up to you now to proceed.

Good luck, and always remember that becoming a good professional takes time and effort, just a few have the gift of teaching, the others need to go for it!!!

[joshua2004]

I would tell that teacher to ........(some very bad thoughts crossing my mind). It is fine to be shy or unsure of yourself in the beginning. That is NORMAL. Don´t expect or I should say don´t assume that if you are not teaching a beautifully creative lesson your first time out, that you don´t belong in teaching. You can do it! Don´t give up.

[fluffyhamster]

Shyness probably isn't a totally desirable trait for a teacher to have, but self-consciousness isn't all bad: at least if you are aware of yourself, you will be aware of other people too...which links nicely to your politeness (definitely a plus for any teacher to have)!

I wouldn't take your teacher's criticism too seriously (it is all too easy to criticize, and most of us could make a career out of being critics). What is important is how you feel about your own teaching, and how students generally seem to respond to you.

You say that you "adore teaching", and you seem motivated and responsible (you prepared well), so I find it hard to believe you are as bad as this older teacher is claiming. I am sure that if you can ignore her personal criticism, you can become that good teacher you see yourself capable of being.

[Lorikeet]

If you adore teaching, I think you should follow your dream. Perhaps you can work a little on your shyness. I am somewhat shy by nature, too. That is, in a roomful of people I don't know, I am not the one to go up to someone and say, "Hello, my name is..." I just stand in the corner. My students are always surprised if I tell them this. That's because the classroom is my "stage". No matter how I feel, how tired or upset I am, when I cross the threshhold into the classroom, I am alert, friendly, in charge, and ready for whatever my students throw at me. (figuratively, not literally--I teach adults. ). When the class is over, I let the high energy go, and I become a normal person again. Maybe you can think of teaching like acting, and make your teacher self work hard to be confident and assertive.

Some of the presence and control in the classroom can come from being sure of your preparation. It seems you have taken care of that already. Do you feel sure of yourself while you are teaching? The more confident and relaxed you are, the easier it will become. Remember you have to start somewhere. What's important is if you can recognize when you are having trouble, and not repeat your mistakes.

When I first started teaching, I had some really "bad days." Those I would define as days when I felt the lesson was failing and I didn't know what to do about it. I followed my plan, even though it was clearly not suitable. I watched the clock, which didn't seem to move. Thank goodness with experience and confidence those days are gone forever. I have "good" days, and "mediocre" days, but I don't have total failures any more. Hmm, I seem to have gone off the topic (a common occurrence in these threads!)

I am sorry your teacher felt it necessary to be so discouraging to you.

Lorikeet

[revel]

Hey Katherine, and all the rest of you folk!

I hope you're still out there reading these encouraging, kind and useful words. I'll add, firstly, that I'm on Lorikeet's side of the fence, her comments are right on and could be useful.

I, myself, have a rather arrogant attitude about my class, I am the boss, I know what I am doing, what we will do here will be for your own good, etc....yet I also went through a period at first during which I really did not like the job at all, mostly because I wasn't sure of what I was doing. I could not do what most ESL teachers were doing in class, I wasn't pleased with the material that was offered to me as a basis for my teaching, and though I'm always popular with my students, one must not assume that a student doesn't know what's going on just because that student doesn't speak English!

So, yes, the classroom is a stage and we are its actors/actresses. It's fine to be shy, I could use a bit of shy humility myself sometimes. However, when you are teaching you actually are another person, and you are responsible for creating that other person. You don't have to clown around as I tend to do, you could be like my voice teacher who always wore a skirt and a drab brown sweater and was simple and timid and yet one of the best teachers I've had in my life. I remember the day she went out with the prettiest, sexiest girl in our class and bought herself some designer jeans, and then wore them to class. In the end, she wasn't as drab and timid and simple as she had led us to believe, and we were delighted with her having fooled us!

Don't know if that helps, but do take university professor critiques with a grain of salt, they have to write reports and give grades too, poor things (though barbed-tongued!)

peace,
revel.

[bobs12]

I second, third and fourth everything that has already been said here. I used to be terrible at speaking in front of people, but I found that when I first went into a classroom and stood in front of a group of foreigners, I changed completely. I knew that I knew what I was doing, and it sounds like you do too. I knew what I wanted to teach them, as do you. I think that as teachers we all have a classroom alter ego- have you ever tried to be your 'classroom self' when someone you know well is watching? It's a weird sensation for me!

Sometimes our teacher-selves are a lot more attractive than our real personalities- one of my former employers 'fell in love' with me in the classroom, and then realised that I was a totally different character in real life. I think she expected that I spent all my time clowning around and gesticulating wildly, throwing chalk and exclaiming loudly when people make good suggestions. What I'm saying is don't be afraid to 'let go' and put on a show. You'll find it much easier when nobody is looking. Any teacher will tell you that it's difficult to act your normal teacher-self when your DOS is watching.

Don't pay the slightest bit of attention to those other teachers, they deserve salt in their tea and sand in their underpants. A lot of people take a few lessons to get 'on their feet'. Your self-consciousness will probably help you to become a great teacher- I share a little bit of Revel's arrogance at times, especially with awkward classes. Sometimes it's good to be a little self-critical, though it's a bad idea to let it go too far.

Don't fall into the trap of trying to keep everybody happy. As a teacher, you won't be able to adapt your approach to suit everyone in the class. Do your own thing, and I'm sure your students will love you.

[Jane W]

I was definitely "shy, polite and self-conscious" when I started teaching. I don't know if I could claim to be any of those things anymore, either in the classroom or in real life, but even at the beginning I found they didn't hold me back in teaching. It's as everyone else has said, you're almost somebody else when you're up there in front.

When I was first evaluated during my practicum, the teacher (more supportive than yours) told me that all I was lacking were the things that came with experience. Until you have some experience, I think the trick is to be prepared. You already know how to plan interesting activities -- just be sure to plan more than you think you'll need. That way you'll never panic. There's a good book called Zero Prep ( you can get it on Amazon) that tells you how to plan lots of activities without making up materials in advance.

I used to make notes for myself about exactly what to say at crucial moments. I don't have to anymore, but it might help you at the beginning.

Good luck; I think you'll probably do fine.

[katherine]

Hello kind teachers!

I am sorry for a long response.
Thank you really much for you kind words and advises! It gives me a lot courage: soon I will have to teach another lesson, the last of the two. I will try to act ( like in a theater), I imagine that is a great thing to do.
Thank you very much to everyone!!!
Now at least I know what to correct in my teacher role and in myself. I hope shyness can be corrected or lessened at least. I have always thought that it coherent, interesting, purposeful activities are most important and concentrated on them. However now I guess the behavior of a teacher is more important.
I really adore teaching, when the time of my practice passed I could feel how exciting! unusual and pleasant was to be a teacher to my class and I felt myself like I was born to be one. Still I found myself difficult to get accustomed to a new circumstances. It took me 6 lessons to get accustomed to my class, even if they were 14-year old kids and I knew that what I was doing was good for them. To teach a lesson to your fellow students was more difficult for me, because I was aware that they look at me critically, appreciating every word and movement, that is why it was more difficult.
Thank you for advice to write a plan for the lesson. I did wrote it: every word , phrase, even time.
It is an interesting thing “ classroom-self”. But I get so self-aware when somebody is watching me that I get clumsy! So I will try to act: classroom is a theatre and I am plying my role. Thanks God once wanted to be an actress, so the experiment is going to be exciting!

Thank you for your interesting stories also. I have imagined it is only me starting difficult, that other people are doing well at once. When I will teach my lesson I will try to keep that in mind and write if the lesson was good here.

[celinehoran]

Dear Katherine,

What a horrible start to your teaching career!

We all have to start somewhere and with practice I am quite sure you will be a wonderful teacher. It is clear you are not "confident" right now but if you continue to listen to your peers, watch them work the class room, prepare your classes extremely well, I have no doubt your competence will grow and so will your confidence.

What you have to consider when you go into a classroom environment, is that kids can smell fear. They have no time for those who lack confidence or don't put their needs first. You must stamp your authority from the start or you will lose your kids interest and it will take forever to win it.

If you put your kids needs first, you won't have time to think about how you "look" and that's what shyness is. You must put on an act of confidence, even if you don't feel confident.

I would suggest that you join a toastmaster club in your local area or go to some presentation classes. In these classes they will teach you how to present yourself infront of any kind of group, work on your shyness and self confidence and help you come across polished and professional, which is what you will need to become a successful teacher.

Don't forget, in time you may be required to do presentations in front of teachers and parents, so I suggest you really start working on these weaknesses soon.

Here in Switzerland my fellow teachers are constantly making presentations, there is no time for shyness or insecurity.

I actually taught two of my colleages to mind map before their presentations infront of their peers. I taught them how to see themselves going into that environment confident, imagining themselves speaking with confidence, seeing the teachers clap with respect for their well researched presentations, answering with confidence all the questions and mingling in refreshment time with their fellow teachers, their air of confidence and calmness never leaving them.

Both told me later that their presentations were a complete success. Try it yourself!

If it's good enough for top athletes, businessmen and entrepreneurs, it's good enough for us high profressional teachers

Work hard to eliminate your weakness(s), focus on your strengths, give yourself time, be patient and kind to yourself and you will see, in time your classes will be the most fun and exciting to be in and your kids will love and respect you for it!

Best of Luck!!

Regards
Celine Horan
ESL Trainer, Switzerland