accessing the boldness within

Had a bit of a stinker yesterday. The kids were wild: misbehaving, chatting, losing concentration... One kid even stood up when I was talking, walked over to his mate and started chatting ??? Trying to teach them was like trying to corral a pack of wild horses. It didn't go well, it was more like fighting rather than teaching. 

I had a chat with my fellow teacher, Alberto (who is so so nice, btw) and he gave me some tips on classroom management. One of the most important things he said to me was: "remember, you're the teacher, you're here to do a job, you came from the UK to do this. Be confident and don't be scared to tell them this". 

Today, I did exactly that. I was a lot more authoritative, staring people down when they misbehaved, asking for silence in the class, going up to those who misbehaved and telling them off. I felt like a bit of a stickler teacher, like the ones I hated in high school, but I was walking the fine line between discipline and rapport, and in doing so the classes were much better. The kids managed to stay on track even through relatively boring grammar lessons, and I managed to convey the lesson focus clearly. 

To do this, I had to access "the boldness within" (a quote from my fave book, The Young Team by Graeme Armstrong). The kids didn't change today. They didn't wake up and say "I'm going to be nice to Mitchell". They were just kids, just the same. What changed was me, my approach and my actions. I reached down to that confidence within myself which was lying dormant, brought it out and used it in the class. The boldness helped me feel in control. 

I have been accessing this boldness quite a lot outside the classroom, too. For example, when I walk down the street in Valencia or get on the metro, evvveerryooone is looking at me. Why? Do I really look that horribly pale and foreign? This also happens when I speak my broken Spanish to people, a few stares and sniggers. I could let it bother me, or I could access the boldness within, stand up straight, be confident and just get on with it. A few stares and laughs are just drops in the ocean, fleeting as soon as they arise. What stays is the feeling inside myself. 

So, anyone else that's feeling a bit out of place or lacking confidence, find the power within yourself and walk on. You can make the choice to be bold. 

Until next time... 

- Mitch