A student in my year 8 Music class asked me the other day where I was last Thursday. The class had a relief teacher as I was home looking after my daughter. All of a sudden the class was asking me about her. How old is she? What’s her name? I couldn’t help but start talking about my daughter. I eventually showed them some photos of her on the smart board as the students wanted to hear about my family. It was at this moment I realised the students had only known me as a ‘teacher’. It got me thinking that I am not a teacher. My job is a teacher. I am a Dad, Son, Brother, and Husband. I love cooking, reading, playing the guitar and the list goes on. I have found students have treated me differently (in a good way) since sharing about my family and this got me thinking. People in society say ‘oh, you’re a teacher’ or students think of you as a teacher. No, I’m not a 'teacher', my job is a teacher. I believe students have been more respectful to me in and out of class since I’ve f...
When I was at school watching a movie at the end of term was a real treat. It was fun watching a movie with the class. I still remember it today. Having said that, students today don’t really watch a movie if you put one on. I will put on a movie, scan the room and see only a few people are actually watching it. It’s not special anymore. They can watch a movie at recess on their phone so it’s not special. Plus they watch movies or series well above the suggested rating for their age. So putting on a PG movie is lame to them as they will be watching MA15+. Students have changed since you went to school. Technology has improved, communication has evolved, parenting is different and students today have seen more about the world than you had by the time you were 25 years old. This doesn’t mean they understand it all, but they have seen it. A few weeks ago I watched a small group of year 7 students mimic teachers and how they talk. It was actually pretty funny. It got me thinking. St...