Yes I have made students cry before, but to be fair, they were preschoolers who cry because they can't have their dolly. I have yet to make a big kid cry. However, this last week, I have seen my cooperating teacher make 4 students cry. Remember, they are 4/5th graders.
I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to overstep my boundaries and undermine my teacher. At the same time, I wanted to comfort and help the students. In the end, I offered one of the students a box of tissues and I redirected the others back to my mentor teacher.
What I realized was that even though she was hard on the students, she was always encouraging. She made sure to check in with the students again later in the day or the next day. It amazed me how easily the students got over their emotions. They were always happy and smiling by the time she checked in with them again.
What this shows me is that its ok to be tough on your students. I don't necessarily want to make students cry. But I do want them to know that my expectations and firmness comes from a place of love.
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