Is teaching for me?

Question

I have been in the childcare field for almost 3 years as a nanny, and then i also have roughly 6 months school experience, now i am a soft spoken person and i battle so much with controlling the kids and getting them to listen. and i am wondering does it take a long time to establish a relationship with the class to get it running smoothly or will i always battle as it seems other people start teaching and within weeks the kids are perfect..just confused.

Answer 1

I am also very soft spoken but that has nothing to do with classroom behavior managment.  I have been working with children for over 15 years and can manage children I have never even met before.  Take a course in behavior management and classroom management and see how you do.  Remember that discipline means to teach  not to punish and you should be fine.  It does not take a long time to establish a relationship with a class at all.  With good predictable routines, high expectations and consistent discipline, you will be fine.

Answer 2

Maybe you can ask one of the people that get along with the kid how they are able to do it. But if the kids is to much for you to handle then it's not for you.

Answer 3

Soft spoken can be very good in the classroom. The children listen closer and they also like it when I change my voice volume, sound low or high etc.

I would say from the first day you set rules and consequences. Enforce them. Maybe take some classes or workshops in discipline and classroom management for a better idea.

Answer 4

This may not be a good field for you.  You will find that you are constantly battling to keep order, and one or two disruptive kids, will always get your attention.  You might try counseling as a field, as you are dealing one on one, with less distractions.

Answer 5

Being soft spoken does not keep you from being in control in your class. The most important thing is consistency. If you tell your students they must  not do something and they do it anyway then you have to have a consequence ready. You must apply the consequence every time so they know you mean what you say. It is actually better to be soft spoken because children disrespect people who resort to yelling at them. Other children in the class will learn by watching how you handle a child who is challenging your authority and will be less likely to break the classroom rules as well. Also don't ignore any behavior thinking it will go away by itself. Correct the child the first time they break a rule so they are not confused as to why it was alright one time but not the next. Take some time before you start teaching thinking about how you want your class run and thinking about some problems that might crop up and consequences that would be appropriate. Children can sense your confidence and will be less likely to challenge you.

Answer 6

Only you can know that for sure. If you love the children and want to teach, then hang in there! It can take time to learn good classroom management skills. Skills required in the classroom can be quite different from those required as a nanny.

Some suggestions:

1) Get some good professional resource books on classroom behaviour management. I remember one I found especially helpful was Practical Guide to Solving Preschool Behavior Problems (Paperback)

by Eva Essa. Another was A Very Practical Guide to Discipline With Young Children by Grace L. Mitchell.

2) Professional Development. Get involved in a professional organization for preschool teachers. Not sure where you are but in the U.S. there's NAEYC and in Canada there's the Canadian Association for Young Children. Subscribe to and read their journals. There's likely a conference in your area for preschool/day care teachers. Talk to other teachers and see what they suggest. One might even be willling to serve as a mentor, observe your class, and offer suggestions.

3) Trust me - it just SEEMS like "other people start teaching and within weeks the kids are perfect". It takes a lot of thought, planning, and experience to have a well-run classroom with well-behaved children. Some years are better than others, too.

4) You can be soft spoken, but you must also be firm and consistent.

5)Think about when and where the misbehaviour is occurring. Think about how to prevent it in the first place rather than dealing with it when it happens.

6) You didn't say what kind of problems you are having, but you might have a discussion at circle time. Tell the children you all have a problem, like toys are left on the floor and not put away. Ask THEM what can be done to solve the problem .You might be amazed at their ideas!

This is one of my areas of special interest, so feel free to contact me if you'd like to chat.