Thank you for sharing your experiences, both positive and negative. e Your first
(negative) example is quite shocking. It is interesting how such negative and public
experiences in the classroom can affect one's enthusiasm and willingness to engage in
collaborative and public learning activities. e We are so vulnerable at such a young age,
and effective teaching principles and methods are very important during our formative
years. e Reyneke (2020) conducted an interesting study that explored courage and
resiliency for young children in the classroom. e He suggests, "Teachers could play a
vital role in the development of resilience, primarily through creating a caring
educational environment and providing support to learners, especially when they
establish good respectful relationships with them ". I completely concur with your
retrospection that your negative experience entailed a lack of respect, as defined by
Berstein et al. (2020). e I am sure this probably violated your sense of trust and may
have even created some unconscious hesitancy later in terms of volunteering in the
classroom. e This type of shaming of a child could also have disastrous effects beyond
the immediate classroom. e Reyneke (2020) also points out this potential danger or
societal ripple effect, "Children who do not experience belonging feel rejected and look
for artificial methods to compensate. e Gang affiliation, attention-seeking, hypervigilance,
being unattached, loneliness, and distrustfulness are all ways in which children attempt
to fill the need for belonging" (p. 147). e This thought also adds weight and emphasis to
what Dr. Ramirez mentioned in her post about how teaching is a big responsibility that
should not be taken lightly.
e e e e e e Your positive example is a great illustration of making others feel valued and its
positive ripple effects. e I agree that this is very important in the classroom and for all of
life. e Students need to be encouraged to contribute and discuss their ideas. e During this
process, we need to make them feel safe to do so and communicate that their
contributions add value to the discussion at hand. I am so sorry to hear that teacher
made such a negative impact and at such a young age, she could have easily made you
dislike school and be unsuccessful through the years. e I am glad at least you were able
to persevere and keep doing well in school in spite of her teaching style. e I can relate
in regard to strict elementary school teacher, I have some memories of a few, e I went to
elementary school in Puerto Rico where corporal punishment in school was allowed so I
hated going to school a young kid. According to Bernstein et al., (2020) mutual respect
and respecting diverse talents and ways of learning is important to effective teaching
and your 1st grade teacher as many of my elementary school teachers failed in that
aspect of teaching. e I’m glad to see you did find a much better college professor that
helped you with the positive side of teaching by being a respectful educator who sounds
like thrives off the rapport he builds with his students. e
References
Bernstein, D. A., Frantz, S., & Chew, S. (2020). Teaching psychology: A step-by-step
guide (Third ed.). e Routledge.
Reyneke, R. P. (2020). e Increasing resilience, lowering risk: Teachers' use of the circle
of courage in the classroom. e Perspectives in Education, 38(1), 144-162. e
https://doi.org/10.18820/2519593X/pie.v38i1.11
