One Trick for Not Being a Jerk to Students
I admit that I am sometimes a jerk to my students. I try not to be. I really do. I know the damage it causes, both to the kid and the classroom culture. I know that one bad experience with me can ruin twenty previous good ones. I know that being a jerk makes me feel bad about myself. It does no one any good.
And yet.
I could trot out a litany of excuses, but that’s just what they would be. There really is no excuse. Doctors pledge to “first, do no harm.” Teachers should pledge to, “first, don’t be an asshole.”
Although I occasionally fail this basic expectation of human decency, I am better than I used to be. I realize the importance of being consistently nice, and I’ve developed a few mental tricks to use over the years. Today, I’ll share one. You can read about two others in my upcoming book, Happy Teacher, available on Amazon at the end of the month (fingers crossed).
Trick #1: Don’t Say Things to Students I Wouldn’t Want My Principal to Say To Me During a Staff Meeting
When I have a one-on-one meeting with my principal, I don’t worry too much about how I phrase things. If asked for my honest opinion, I give it. If I think my principal is wrong about something, I will say so.
I expect my principal to do the same with me. In a one-on-one meeting, One Trick for Not Being a Jerk to Students - Teacher Habits: