Does the how or why
Even make it worse?
And if I take don’t
And swap it with do not
Will it change the way you feel?
And will this be hurtful
Or will that be the one to seal the deal?
I had a rubbish day yesterday because a student made a comment that just hit the wrong spot. It’s happened before and I’m sure it will happen many times over and over. But the interesting thing is that I’m now finding myself very analytical of what has been said and why it might have had such an impact.
I really can’t remember what the student said – it was one of two very similar things – and I don’t know which is worse, or why I even care so much.
The two options were (as she stormed out of the room) ‘I don’t know why you’re even a teacher?’ or ‘I don’t know how you’re even a teacher?’ I’ve told the story so many times in my own head, I now have no idea.
Would I rather she insults my intelligence, or how genuine I am? It’s really made me think about how I repeat stories to other people and if I screw up on just one word, I could completely skew the way the other person is perceived.
On a lighter note, I have been seriously asking myself why I am a teacher, and I’m sure that most teachers would answer ‘God only knows’!
Much Love
Rachel xx
Margot Kinberg
I’m sorry to hear that student said something that nasty to you, whichever word was used. To me, that’s really out of line. I hope you don’t take it to heart, Rachel. You’re right, though, about how much one single word can mean, or what difference one word can mean. There can be so much nuance in just one way of phrasing something, can’t there.
juliadeniro
I’m the same as you: I tend to brood over what people say to me. It’s one of the main reasons I never liked teaching.