Hey there, fellow educators and curious minds! Can you believe it? I’ve just wrapped up the first term of my second year in this thrilling journey called teaching. And let me tell you, teaching these incredible Year 7, 8, and 9 students has been an absolute blast!
Diving into the Older Kids’ Zone
Teaching these older students has been like unlocking a whole new level of teaching wizardry. They’re eager to learn, but they can’t let you know that! They’re also at that stage where they’re exploring their independence and unique personalities. How many times in one day do I need to say the instructions? To prompt them to get started working? How many times do I need to tell them to sit down and stop talking? This makes for an obnoxiously intoxicating mix of laughing along with their jokes and cursing the day you agreed to teach them due to their behaviors.
The Behaviors Bonanza
About behaviors. Picture this: Year 7 kids coming from primary school, all bubbly and curious – desperate to be accepted by their older peers and be looked as the cool older kids on campus. They laugh at ANYTHING the older kids do. They are the ones that need the most help but will never raise their hand to admit it. Year 8 students are brimming with newfound confidence. They are smart, they are established, they think they run the show. The internet has given them an inappropriate sense of humor beyond their years. And my one Year 9? She is gearing up for upper secondary and works so hard to prove to everyone one, maybe to her self, that she is capable. But she’s also the top dog, so she does what ever she wants, takes however long she needs…
Managing their behaviors? It’s all about that perfect mix of structure, empathy, and keeping those communication lines wide open. Creating a classroom vibe where they feel heard, respected, and still focused on learning has been the secret sauce. I consider myself easy going; I have a good sense of humor and high tolerance. However, the incessant noice from this age group can be overwhelming. They never stop talking. Ever. I honestly don’t know what they have to say to each eachother since they see each other everyday, but wow.
My biggest struggle with the talking and clowning around is finding an effective behavior system. Removing the biggest instigators after multiple warnings seems to help. (the choked faces are always great too!) And the good old fashioned name on the board accumulating minutes to speak with the principle or extra homework has worked WONDERS. Hopefully in term 2 I can discover some more effective noise management systems.
High-Five for Computer Literacy!
Speaking of term 2, I can’t wait to integrate more tech into their learning. The best part of lower secondary – these guys are tech literate! Unlike younger kids, they’ve got enough computing skills to collaborate and submit work through Google Classroom. They still need some support; they are creative but not problem solvers. They also look right through documents full of red squiggles and poor formatting.
We have used Classroom a lot this term and I look forward to continue to do more with the platform and digital submissions. However, these guys defines still need handwriting practice and physical tasks – finding balance is key to success.
Wrapping up this term, I’m feeling good! Teaching these older students has been a wild ride – filled with discoveries, aha moments, and a whole lot of ups and downs. Can’t wait to dive into the next term, shaping these kids and getting them ready for the amazing adventures ahead!