SHARING A BIT OF YOURSELF TO THE LEARNERS

REGINA P. ALDANA

One of the struggles of every teacher is bridging the age difference between the adult teacher and the young learners. In addition to this, Junior and Senior High School teachers seem to have an added baggage because they also have to consider the difficult stage which their students are undergoing which is the puberty stage. Often times, this gap increases when the students feel that the adults seem to always know what to do and that all their actions or decisions are perfect while the young adult on the other hand are still figuring things out.

As the second parents of the learners, we have to let them feel that we care for them by creating a caring and respectful climate in the classroom and by revealing a little bit of ourselves. With proper connection with our clientele, our students will tend to be more actively engaged in the activities we prepare and be more receptive to suggestions and ideas that we share to them.

Showing to our students that we also are vulnerable like them will make them realize that committing mistakes is just normal. By sharing some stories as how a teacher undergoes pressure whenever being observed or how a teacher is stressed out sometimes of the many paper works they encounter as educators will make them feel normal in a sense that they realize that both the adults and the young undergo stress and pressure sometimes. The teacher can take this opportunity to boost the morale of the students and teach them values which will make them stronger in dealing with obstacles in life.

Nobody is perfect. That is one cliché that the teacher must tell the students to make them feel at ease with their own performance level. By acknowledging our own mistakes and weaknesses, the learners will tend to see themselves to be wearing the same shoes as theirs. It does not demean our being a teacher to admit to our learners our loop holes or our waterloos. This situation now is a good avenue for inspiring the learners by sharing to the learners their success stories in overcoming their own weaknesses. This does not only inspire them but makes them realize that their own strengths will be the ones they will have to use to overcome their weaknesses.

Bond with the learners through sharing stories. The best way to connect with the learners is by establishing personal relationship with them. The teacher should share brief stories about his/ her own family which will offer insights into who the teacher is as a person. Sharing a glimpse of the teacher’s life outside the school will develop trust among the students. This will also be a good way to teach students values on relating socially with others. With this

As we open up with our students, students will likewise open up and reveal themselves to us, thus better relationship is established. This relationship with our learners must be built gradually through mutual trust, exchange of ideas and sharing of stories about how we overcome our struggles in life. We as teachers should meet them halfway where they are to assure them that they are never alone. This in the end will not only cultivate relationship but foster deep and meaningful learning for our learners.

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The author is Teacher II at Northville High School