My Teaching Experience : Early years in the Academe
Inspired by articles of @Jeanethabout the highlights of her teaching career, I would like to share my teaching experience in my early years in the academe. I started teaching more than 10 years ago, I was 20 back then. A fresh graduate of the same institution. When I graduated I really wanted to have a job right away so that I can have my own income. I applied in offices like National Statistics office and also online through jobstreet.com until our professor told me to apply as faculty of our institution because the program needs a faculty. So there, I applied and got the job. And now, let me take you to the challenges I experienced in my early years if teaching.
**One of the challenges in my first years in teaching is that my students are also my friends way back college days**. They were 3rd year students back then, who used to call me my name or Ate and now they are my students. I fell a little bit awkward. But this situation is really asked during my interview, how am I going to handle the students who are my friends before. So I said, I will emphasize to them that in the classroom I am the faculty and I have the authority in the handling the class. Outside the classroom, we can still be friends as we used to be. But it was not easy. It took me time to build the rapport of faculty and student. There were times that in the class they were noisy, there's to much familiarity that I am at times bothered. But thanks to God, through time I learn to manage the situation. **Another challenge is I that don't have a formal training in teaching.** Since I am an IT graduate, the course did not have trainings on teaching styles, teaching methodologies, assessments. So what I did was practice and read, and learn from the other senior faculty. So I can really say that one can improve through practice and through. Also, my experience in teaching kids in the church help me in my journey. Aside from those, **the age gaps also matters**. I have students who were older than me. Aside from being a young faculty, I was also thin and small, so they could not even believe I am their faculty. But I ask them that I need the respect due for a faculty and I am respecting them as older than me, but in the class, I will be the one to do the classroom management and they should do, what they ought to do. SUMMARY My first years in teaching is really challenging, I experienced crying because of a student attitude that I cannot handle. I experienced not able to answer a student question right away because I have not read it yet or tried it yet. I also experienced having a conflict with a student because of his conduct in my class. But looking back on those days, I can really say that it helped me to what I have become today. Those challenges, are nothing compared to the victories that I see in the success of my first students in my teaching career. What I shared mostly are challenges, because I want you to know that in every job, its not a comfortable feeling right away. You might think a perfect situation, but it will always be an "expectation versus reality". It is a matter of how you handle the situation. It will take time for adjustment, for learning and your attitude, determination matters most. ***Thanks for reading this article. I would really love to know your thoughts and experience. Give a comment below and let's talk about it.*** Lead Image: from Pixabay edited Links https://read.cash/@MizLhaine/tips-on-borrowing-money-to-family-members-and-friends-a1155c59#links If you have a passion in writing you are very much welcome in read.cash 👉**https://read.cash/r/MizLhaine** And if you want shorter messages, see you in Noise 👉**https://noise.cash/u/MizLhaine**
42 comments
Good morning, ma'am. I really did not think of being a teacher as I don't really have the courge to teach nor just speak in front of an audience. So I look up to all these teachers and professors like you. It takes a strong heart and bravery to take on this profession.
Thanks for acknowledging us. It's a calling, a passion for transferring knowledge to others. Keep safe dear.
You, too. Keep safe! :)
Keep safe as well. Chat with you, whenever I can open twitter, I am still thinking of how we can we can do the collab.
I am just always open for your messages po. :) No worries, ate.
Thanks Michelle for being so understanding.
Wala pong anuman. Everyday is a chnce for a collab naman po. ;)
Indeed everyday is a chance for collab.
How was your first day? Haha
Di ko ma explain ang kaba, yong parang kumakabog talaga. hahahaha
Murag ga defend og thesis. Haha
Sobra pa gyud oi. Kanang feeling nimo init kaayo imong nawong. hahaha.
Init ang nawng unya panington og bugnaw 😆
Relate ako dyan. It took me about a month para maka adjust ana nga feeling. aside from that, pg kanang iobserve gale ka sa superior, mura nagyud kog makuyapan. hehhe
Juskooo, ang observation sa jud og ang evaluation sa students nimo 😣😆
hahahahaha. mukatawa nalang gyud ko. usahay mamasa man ko sa ilang comment, strikta daw ko. hahaha
Is it hard for you maam also to handle co'z as you said you're a IT grad. It is really hard to manage student , I feel the hardship of my teachers before, when I'm also a student.
Yes, tiyaga at determination talaga ang mga baon ko. May mga subjects pa na medyo new sa akin.
Ganun bah ma'am, keep fighting lng tayo ma'am, maraming umaasa sa enyo na mga studyante para matuto tiyaga talaga ang kailangan😊
yes, for the good of the students.
I am polishing my article for this one, 1st job ko is teaching din, at students ko rin dati mga friends ko hahah! I enjoy it hanggang na burn out... I'll keep you posted if ma post ko na 😅
Yay, marami pala tayo dito na teaching ang career. I would be very excited for you to post it.
It's true ma'am, it's not easy to adjust in the working environment that instant. There are lots of challenges. But at the end of the day, everything will be smooth. All we need to do is to be strong. Everything will be smooth as time goes by. I know, even if you don't have knowledge on teaching because it's not your profession, you're a good teacher. ☺️ God bless ma'am.
Thanks for that and thanks for sharing your thoughts. Adjustments are everywhere, in work, in school, at home. Keep safe.
Aha... our faculty teachers back in college look like students too.. i guess its a norm now... especially in the.IT field
Oh that's interesting, Yes' pansin ko din mga bata nasa IT kahit sa ibang schools.
yes totoo sis... ung mga teachers namin ..colleagues na din nila.hehe
IT grad ka din diba? for now, wala na kaming mga masyadong bata na faculty. halos may experience na
Yes sis. As i heard, meton pdin mga hired n new grads sa department namin...
Ok sis. people come and go kasi din sa IT eh, marami din kasing mga opportunities.
Worth inspiring upon reading your experience. I can now imagine myself in the future since I am not an education graduate but changing my career path to enter teaching profession.
Wow that's good to hear. May God bless you in your new career path. Marami din akong mga students na IT na ngtuturo sa Highschool, ng take sila ng units sa education.
I really thanks God for guiding my way.I am an Office Administration graduate with some units of education.
Wow that's good to here. I hope you can achieve and prosper in that teaching career.
Teaching is the noblest of all profession. As a teacher, you don't start as perfect as though you know everything. You learn through life and teaching experience. And as you already know, teaching goes beyond the four walls of a classroom. A teacher is a role model, a guidance counsellor, a psychologist and a locus-parentis to his or her student. I have been a teacher also from 2004 till date and rose to the office of the principal. Indeed, there is no other career as or as teaching.
Wow, that's great to hear from a teacher who is now in the office of the principal. Teaching is a noblest yet rewarding job and I agree with our work as a teacher goes beyond that for walls of the classroom. Nice to meet you teacher.
It's nice to meet a colleague on read.cash too, hope to always come around.
My pleasure to know you. Yes, when time permits, do come around.
I really have such big admirations for teachers, instructors and professors coz that job is really challenging. thanks for sharing your experience! it's kind of common nowadays, I mean, young teachers, even in the University setting. Fresh graduates are often absorbed by the University to be a faculty staff. we actually have an instructor who's just 3 years older than us. there are also those who almost have the same age as us. and since our church is campus based, most of the professors and instructors in the University are my churchmate and it's really hard to maintain that student-teacher role in the classroom when you are so close to each other on the outside world.
I agree with young fresh graduates are absorbed in the university but most of those who are absorbed are those with capability to teach. I know the feeling of maintaining the teacher/student role. I actually have one student who become so close to me during my teaching career up to now.
Indeed. :) and oh, it's nice that you were able to maintain the closeness. :)
Yes, I am really happy for that. Merong ibang students di ko na matandaan yong mga names pero yong faces, naremember ko pa din namn.