I Need to Stop Reacting

I wrote in a previous post that I wear my heart on my sleeve. My students know how I feel. I still think that is a good thing. However, I need to watch showing my feelings when I am giving feedback, especially when I am upset or disappointed. Yelling at students is not helpful, even if they are not doing what is expected of them.

I was talking to the choir teacher about how to give feedback. Both of us are in our second year of teaching and still trying to figure out how to communicate with our students in a way that motivates them without making them feel that they are doing things perfectly, that lets them see how they can improve without making them feel hopeless. It is a fine line and we're both trying to find the line.

My kids have things they do well and things they need to fix. I get upset when they are goofing off or not doing their best. When I get upset, I yell. Then they feel bad or get upset with me and neither of those things improve what needs to be improved. Students' focus goes to being mad at me, feeling defensive or feeling like they will never be good enough.

I'm too reactionary. I react before I think about what I'm doing. It needs to stop. I don't know how to stop it, but it needs to change. The focus needs to be on what is working or what needs to fix, not on my emotional reaction.