One reason I felt I would have difficulty working in elementary is seeing the same students all day, every day. The years I was a traditional classroom high school teacher I valued the variety of classes and students.
A student came in to see if he was still welcome to the school. Immediately I switch into skeptic mode. A small voice reminds me to be open and keep a sense of hope. I try to balance the two emotions and invite him into an office.
We have lots of coyotes around. Every other night I can here them calling and yipping. According to some of the neighbors, there is a group of dens in the hills and pastures between us and the highway two miles away. The coyotes will come up to our fence line. Theyre surely checking out the horses and perhaps hoping to catch one of the cats away from the shed. In fresh snow I like to follow the tracks they leave as they chase mice.
The main idea that attracted me to Coyote Mentoring is that teaching and counseling works best at the edge. A person grows when they are approached in his comfort zone and then pushed. It is a subtle and powerful thing that I’ve observed and experienced many times.
Read more on “Stop yellin’ at me and I’ll stop rolling my eyes”…
Most of the students have had very limited academic success. At my school they find hope as they work through their courses and realize that they are capable. Despite this success during the year, I fully expected the students to suffer high anxiety at test time. Yesterday, at the first diploma exam of the year, the anxiety was high but it was of a very different sort.
