In the Teachers' Lounge

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Having only worked in one school, I have had the fortune of avoiding the stereotypical “teacher’s lounge” in that my colleagues are incredibly respectful of one another. Most of us believe in each other and trust that we are doing everything that is best for the kids. We’re more likely to sing someone’s praises than badmouth them. We have a strong mentor program that helps new teachers forge connections with veterans, and those connections last long after the program ends. I truly believe that everyone I work with would lend a helping hand if I needed it, and I’d be happy to do the same for them.

That’s not to say that I haven’t been witness to a different kind of teacher’s lounge than what Powell mentions in her article. Lunchtime has become a cycle of venting about students, lack of support from parents and administration, and just general frustrations. At times I have found myself participating in the therapeutic voicing of opinion about this initiative or that, or bemoaning yet another student who asked a question I had just answered several times. In the last year or so I’ve begun to wish that I could just eat in peace without having to hear about someone else’s problems. We have regular PLC time where can focus more positive energy on the things that we feel stand in the way of us doing our jobs.

At the same time, some of our lunches have led to productive conversation that is borne out of a valid frustration. Again, since I work with such amazing people, we are able to take the negativity and channel it into a solution. While we might be complainers at times, we’re not inactive. We recognize issues and try to fix them rather than let them simmer. Just the other day I had a great conversation with an inclusion teacher about state testing and how we can remedy unusually low scores. Though we grumbled a bit about the fact that there are numerous factors being ignored and the blame is being placed on us, we also discussed what we can do to help the kids. That’s why we’re all here, after all.

Since being in the ASTL program I have found myself being more forgiving of students. When another teacher dismisses a student as lazy, I try harder to learn why they aren’t turning in their work. I’m much less likely to chalk behavior problems up to willing defiance. I used to along with a lot of the conversation but now I prefer to advocate for students. If I have stress to get out, I can always go to the gym!


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I haven’t asked them, but quite a few of my students have said I’m their favorite teacher. I’ve been compared to a big sister in how I listen to them and give advice. It’s important to me to make time for them to talk about what’s going on in their lives, and I try to be open and honest so they aren’t afraid to tell me things. They think I’m young and cool but there’s also a level of respect. I try to strike a balance between the authoritative nature of a parent and the accepting attitude of a friend. They were amazed one day when I witnessed students play a game on their Chromebook and said nothing. “She didn’t even yell at us!” they exclaimed. As the rest of the class marveled, I explained that study is their time to work and if they wanted to waste it, it would reflect in their grades. I told them that I am there to help but if they don’t ask for it, they can’t expect a high level of success. I think my students appreciate my tough-love approach. I like to be calm while imparting wisdom so they really feel like I am on their side.


My students are overall wonderful people and I love to see how much they grow each year. Seventh grade is rough but they are bursting with personality and potential. Sometimes it pains me to see a lack of interest but I know that most of them will eventually find the thing that makes them tick. It’s especially awesome to hear their conversations about ideas in the text when they are able to connect to their own lives. My students are at a crossroads of identity formation and I get to create opportunities for them to explore within my classroom, which is such a meaningful job.

Comments

  1. Courtney DeSousaFebruary 2, 2020 at 9:07 AM

    “ Though we grumbled a bit about the fact that there are numerous factors being ignored and the blame is being placed on us, we also discussed what we can do to help the kids.” I really can relate to this part of your blog. Some of our conversations begin because we are frustrated with things out of our control. What I love about your story is that you and your colleagues ended with solution based thinking. How can we help the kids is the best question we can ask ourselves when we look at our frustrations, our venting, and our “potential” student or teacher bashing moments!

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  2. Melissa RaffertyFebruary 2, 2020 at 10:49 AM

    Seventh grade was BY FAR my least favorite grade of school. We were put into teams for the first time and I was completely separated from my friend group that I had had since first grade. I had a tough time making new friends since I was right in the midst of the awkward phase. I don't remember any teachers being there for me like you are for your students. You are providing such a crucial role for some of your students by being willing to talk to them about life, give advice, and assure them that middle school does pass and it gets better!

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