Entry #5

I think that ONE of the most important roles (I have observed that there are MANY!) is that of a motivator. I have noticed with the kids in the classroom and also my own children, that they are distracted easily. Many kids seem to lack the motivation to get their assignments in on time or to even get on task. I also think this could fall under the category of one of the hardest roles a teacher plays. In my 5th grade classroom, the teacher was getting the students ready for their D.W.A. test, which is a standardized test that covers essay writing. The students were in varying stages of their practice essays and Mrs. W was trying to motivate those who were behind and to help those that were already finished to excel and improve on they had already accomplished. In Mrs. C's 4th grade classroom, I observed some of the same behaviors. Some students would fly through assignments while others would just doodle on their papers. It would be really difficult to test those students because it is hard to tell if they don't understand the unit or are just lacking the motivation to finish.

One of the hardest roles as a teacher would be that of a mediator. I thankfully have not witnessed much of that in my classrooms but it is something I am fearful about. I am nervous about dealing with angry parents or fighting students. I am a peace maker by nature so I tend to try and smooth things over as quickly as possible. I'm not sure if this will be a positive or a negative personality trait as a teacher! I hope to be able, as time goes by, to get better at dealing with conflict and to be a better mediator.