To walk into a classroom every day means accepting whatever challenges it may bring. Even more, courage is required from new teachers to stand their ground and teach despite all difficulties. In our casual conversation, Mrs. Mariam Mohammed a new English teacher shares her early experiences and challenges with a hope of guiding future teachers.
In September 2018, Mrs. Mariam started her journey with teaching in a primary boys' school. She describes her rocky start with struggles of having a grip over classroom management. However, she was able to work past those early obstacles with the help of her senior teacher who helped her with lesson planning and visited her class frequently to help her with tips on classroom management.
As Mrs. Mariam got settled in her job, she developed her own techniques to handle students. She explains, "With the low-level students, I give them support every time in class. As for students with behavioral problems, I have a star chart to reward positive behavior." Nonetheless, occasionally she still runs into rough patches as lately when her principal visited her class she ran into technical difficulties with the smartboard, although she had plan B ready to implement.
Parents are another major concern of new teachers and Mrs. Mariam had no escape. She expressed that at the beginning of her career she avoided parents because of the misconceptions that they hold believing that misbehavior is not of high importance in comparison with grades. However, the current Covid-19 pandemic changed her perception. She found herself in a position where her students’ learning relied heavily on her communicating with their parents. This made Mrs. Mariam understanding that parents are a significant link in the learning chain.
Finally, Mrs. Mariam is a believer in self-motivation, as well as finding motivation in those around her. She found motivation in the company of her mother who is a former teacher, who advised her to always complete her work up to high standards and keep a distance from those trying to bring her down. Mrs. Mariam, in turn, wants to share her words of wisdom too as she advised, "Do not just teach and go because teaching above all is about the relationship with the students."
Every teacher has a story as a beginner, and it is always interesting to hear them out. As a future teacher, I learned from Mrs. Mariam’s experience to always have a plan B in case I run into difficulties executing my lesson. I also learned from her the importance of self-care by treating oneself after a difficult task. Mrs. Mariam's experience is valuable to future teachers, as it demonstrates that even if the road gets rough, we must stay determined and stay motivated.
