Scary

We have some of my ex-pupils in school at the moment on work experience. It has been so good to see them again, and boy they've grown up since they left about 5 years ago. They have been reminiscing about when they were here and one thing that cropped up today was that they thought I was really scary.

I do try to ensure I have a certain presence in the classroom, one that has aspects of respect and authority to keep the classroom management constant without having to actually do anything. Given that these guys were with me in my first two years of teaching, it was clear that maybe I had not quite refined it! Although I get loud and stupid every day wherever possible, usually unpredictably to awaken and amuse them, I do not SHOUT in class with meaning. I do have a short fuse with disrespect and the inability to take blame though, and can be quite sharp.

One comment of, "You were my favourite teacher, but man were you scary!" made me wonder....

I asked my colleagues... and they said that I can be scary.

I asked Mrs H... and she said I have a bark when I want to, so yes.

I asked my class... and my Y6 girls looked at me and laughed and said no. Some of the others were not so sure.

I asked Jnr Jnr... and she jumped on me, said "No!" in an incredulous way and roared in my face. Where does she get this attitude from?

Time to soften up a bit then, so I have been getting in touch with my warmer side, starting with an SP that exudes cuddliness.