Book Nook - Teaching with Heart: Lessons Learned in a Classroom

 As a teacher, I was excited to be able to review Teaching with Heart: Lessons Learned in a Classroom. The author, Jennifer Nelson, ived in Morocco (where she learned French as a child – the subject she teaches), served in the Peace Corp in Niger, and as the daughter of an international diplomat experienced more than American schools. Her tenure as a teacher also encompasses private, parochial, and public schools.

I can definitely relate to having had school experience in a wide variety of settings - I've taught everywhere from PK-12, in charter, public, private, homeschool, online public, and online private settings. You definitely do start to pick up on teaching techniques that are universal - and techniques that need to be adapted for different situations.

I enjoyed reading about the author's experiences. There were definitely situations I would have handled differently, but I also could understand why she did what she did. Personal anecdotes and situations are interspersed with commentary in a well-written, well-organized book that both shares memories and provides suggestions for teachers, or for anyone involved in the education system.

I had a chance to learn more in this interview.

Why did you write this book?

 

I started writing this book after a friend encouraged me to record the funny stories I told her about teaching. I had left journalism, and teaching was so very different from interviewing people and writing their stories. I had so much to learn—and I decided to record my experiences in a memoir. My friend would be my audience.

 

Years later, after a pandemic and a teacher shortage crisis, I revised the book. I wanted it to reflect what was really going on in education. Why were so many teachers leaving the profession? What were teachers’ salaries in other states? Why were educators so disgruntled, feeling that they were not respected? So, I rewrote Teaching with Heart: Lessons Learned in a Classroom to make it as much a book about how to succeed as an educator as my personal journey from journalist to teacher.

 

Why is classroom management such an important part of teaching?

 

Without discipline, students cannot learn. They cannot be talking to each other, fooling around, and using their cell phones to grasp knowledge in class. I learned how without effective disciplinary measures, a classroom evolves into one of anarchy, where students take control and the teacher relinguishes power. This happened to me. The result was that I hated teaching, and the district confirmed that I wasn’t a good fit. We parted ways—and I vowed I would never teach again.

 

But then, as fate would have it, I landed a job in another school. I needed to keep control of these kids. I didn’t want to fail again. Certainly, I had picked up some classroom management techniques at my previous school. I needed to succeed. And yes, I managed to control teenagers, making them disciplined enough to earn their respect and for them to learn French.

 

How can new teachers figure out what works best for them with managing a classroom?

 

It’s tough being a new teacher. Teenagers test them that first year, seeing what they are made of, making it challenging for them to earn their respect. But with strategies, first-year teachers can succeed.

 

First off, they must get to know their students. They should find out one thing that makes each student tick. Learn their names quickly.  Establish a report with them. Have fun in class. Show that you care that they learn. Tell them you are there to do a job and no one will prevent you from doing that. So, if one misbehaves, suggest he/she spend that period in the hallway, doing the work. Undoubtedly, that person will get bored and want to return to class where his/her friends are.

 

Every day, create clear objectives for that day’s lesson. Keep students busy with engaging activities. At the end of class, check that each student has learned something.

 

It takes a while to figure out what strategies work best to maintain a classroom conducive to learning. It can involve calling a student’s parents to discuss problems or meeting privately with a student to talk about misbehavior. I’ve implemented behavioral modification plans to stop students from misbehaving. I’ve written students up for violations of the school’s rules. A few have gotten in-school or out-of-school suspension based on their actions in my classroom.

 

Yet, beware. If a teacher has too many classroom management issues, he/she will be viewed as incompetent and won’t be rehired. Try to handle as many of these issues on your own before inundating administrators with discipline referrals. Key is establishing a rapport with students so that they like you and want to make you happy, so won’t misbehave. Likability is key. It took me a while to figure that out. But once that happened, I had it made.