Teachers are Gods

Have you ever had a teacher that had no confidence in themselves? Did you like that teacher? I always like to have teachers to have confidence in their subject and that they know they are the best teacher to teach that subject. Teaching is a mind game, the students have to believe their teacher is good at what they are teaching and the teacher has to believe that also. The teacher has to convince the students they are lucky to be in that class. Before they are able to do that they have to convince themselves they are good at what they do.

When I teach new teachers they are always apprehensive about taking command of the classroom. They often ask the question of what gives them the right to be the boss in the classroom. I tell them they are getting a certification I never had and when I teach my students expect me to tell them what to do. They tell me I have so much experience and I know how to command respect of my students. I try to think of a way to get them to understand how to be the boss of their classroom. All of my students will smile when they think of the time I told them when they are in front of the classroom they are the God of the Classroom!

I first tried to say they are the boss of a classroom, but they didn't get the idea of what I was trying to convey. Then I told them to think of themselves as the parent and the students being the children and they tried to convince the students to do things. Students don't want to be convinced, they want to be told what to do. If they are convinced to do something and then they don't want to then you start to loose control of the class and that is a disaster. I then came to the conclusion that if the teacher decides they are God they can be benevolent and kind, but they still can be demanding and forceful.

 I have taught many students giving them this philosophy and it usually works. They start teaching and are very unsure of themselves then when I tell them to become "Gods of they classroom" they start to take charge and gain confidence. I don't know for sure if this is the whole reason, but I know that it is a contributing factor. I joke around with it and if telling people to be like God offends them then I tell them to be more assertive and demanding of their students. They end up asking me if I want them to act as God and I say yes!