You really are my favourite class

During one of my PRT One courses I was privileged to learn from  the estimable Margaret Ross. Among the great advice and experience she had to offer, the one point that stuck with me the most was the advice to treat every class as your favourite, including those most difficult.

I went back to school. My year 10 class was without a doubt (and even excluding my first year overwhelmed perspective) the most challenging of the cohort. I was a first year teacher, and part time at that, and there were times when I just couldn't get them to shut up. I hated shouting. I refused to talk over students, but what that meant, practically, was that I could be waiting a very long time before I could say anything. Forget teaching from the front - there was little tolerance for that approach. The class drove me nuts.

So, I after listening to Margaret, I went back to school, took a very deep breath before stepping in the classroom, and went in smiling. They were to be, in my mind, attitude and actions and for that hour, the best class in the school. 

And you know what... they may not have become the best class, but they knew I was a teacher who liked them. I might not have gotten the best behaviour out of them at times, but when it counted most (such as when I was observed by a senior manager) they put their best foot forward.

A change in attitude from me really did equate to a change in attitude from this class. Now, they will always be the class I compare my year 10s to. This is not just in terms of behaviour and ability, but more importantly in terms of mutual learning.

I will always love this class. Issues aside.

And so for this reason, my blog is dedicated to them. You really are my favourite class..

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