Silence Isn't Always Golden

As I sit here at my desk listening to my student teacher teach a math lesson, it is hard to bite my tongue and let things slide while she teaches. In our classroom, Pak Budi and I demand silence while we speak (although we do have occasional slip ups with our students). As Ibu Jessica teaches, the students blurt out answers and raise their voice about 100 decibels louder than usual.

As loud as I am, I really enjoy a quiet classroom. Sure, I don't mind when students talk amongst themselves when they are working or discussing, but when I am teaching, I want their undivided attention. It is so difficult to watch them fall out of habit.

However, with each minute more Ibu Jessica teaches, the more comfortable she gets with the kids. She is normally quite quiet, but she has a surprisingly loud voice. Sometimes it catches me off guard and I think "who's in my classroom."

Just now she surprised me with her voice when she reprimanded a student for continuously doing pelvic thrusts and dancing (rather than listening). Actually it was quite comical. Who would have thought a Grade 3 student was capable of (realistically) pulling off a pelvic thrust that didn't make you want to purge.

I wonder how my supporting teachers felt when I was teaching. Maybe they felt like I do. Giving up control in my classroom is very difficult. More challenging than I originally thought. Perhaps gradually it will get better.