I am a substitute teacher (many years experience) who is too nice. Some people just have a certain aura about them and command respect whether it's out of fear or whatever. Although the kids really seem to like me they don't listen to me. I come across qas too nice.....they are not afraid of me and don't respect me. I can't change my personality. What can I do? One of the things that is very frustrating is the constant talking. I ask them to stop, I "shush" them constantly but to no avail. It's frustrating, humiliating and maddening! I can't be an Army drill sergeant....what can I do?
Practice making faces in the mirror - no kidding. Practice an angry face - you need to learn to fake anger that you're too nice to feel. With little ones, you need to fake a shocked face - little ones are usually quite easy to scare.
For older ones when I sub - and I'm nice by nature too - I put on a 'briskly pleasant' front. I always hold the teacher's plan in my hands and my smile is a half smile, no more. I'm pleasant but I affect a "I'm too busy to notice unimportant things" stance.
If there are small disruptions, I usually ignore them or begin to give a somewhat disgusted look - I practice the same look that I might naturally have on my face if a drunk throws up on the street in front of me. It's not anger - it's disgust.
Keep things moving - sometimes I look up from the lesson plans and say "She left a great many instructions - this takes too much time to read" and then I go back to reading.
It's not about respect- it's a mistake to see it that way. No one gets automatic respect anymore. Yes, some people they naturally fear but there's no one they naturally respect. Respect is earned over time. You don't want their respect- you want their compliance.
> I am a substitute teacher (many years experience) who is > too nice. Some people just have a certain aura about them > and command respect whether it's out of fear or whatever. > Although the kids really seem to like me they don't listen > to me. I come across qas too nice.....they are not afraid > of me and don't respect me. I can't change my > personality. What can I do? One of the things that is > very frustrating is the constant talking. I ask them to > stop, I "shush" them constantly but to no avail. It's > frustrating, humiliating and maddening! I can't be an Army > drill sergeant....what can I do?
On 11/05/12, Sara wrote: > On 11/05/12, Substitute Teacher wrote: > > Practice making faces in the mirror - no kidding. Practice an > angry face - you need to learn to fake anger that you're too > nice to feel. With little ones, you need to fake a shocked > face - little ones are usually quite easy to scare. > > For older ones when I sub - and I'm nice by nature too - I put > on a 'briskly pleasant' front. I always hold the teacher's > plan in my hands and my smile is a half smile, no more. I'm > pleasant but I affect a "I'm too busy to notice unimportant > things" stance. > > If there are small disruptions, I usually ignore them or begin > to give a somewhat disgusted look - I practice the same look > that I might naturally have on my face if a drunk throws up on > the street in front of me. It's not anger - it's disgust. > > Keep things moving - sometimes I look up from the lesson plans > and say "She left a great many instructions - this takes too > much time to read" and then I go back to reading. > > It's not about respect- it's a mistake to see it that way. No > one gets automatic respect anymore. Yes, some people they > naturally fear but there's no one they naturally respect. > Respect is earned over time. You don't want their respect- you > want their compliance. > > >> I am a substitute teacher (many years experience) who is >> too nice. Some people just have a certain aura about them >> and command respect whether it's out of fear or whatever. >> Although the kids really seem to like me they don't listen >> to me. I come across qas too nice.....they are not afraid >> of me and don't respect me. I can't change my >> personality. What can I do? One of the things that is >> very frustrating is the constant talking. I ask them to >> stop, I "shush" them constantly but to no avail. It's >> frustrating, humiliating and maddening! I can't be an Army >> drill sergeant....what can I do?
Practice making faces in the mirror - no kidding. Practice an angry face - you need to learn to fake anger that you're too nice to feel. With little ones, you need to fake a shocked face - little ones are usually quite easy to scare.
For older ones when I sub - and I'm nice by nature too - I...See More