Peace in the Midst of the Storm

By Dr. Marcia Davis-Dawkins

As educators have you ever entered a classroom where there is total chaos? I have on several occasions and at times (if I want to be totally honest), I do feel like I want to run, hide and go away from the situation. And I do run if it’s not my room but then if I am the leader of that room, I have to take charge and try to fix the chaos. Calm for me brings a sense of peace and I act and respond differently much like butterflies flying in the atmosphere. Unlike calm, chaos makes my head feel as if it’s going to explode. The classroom can be very chaotic at times and as the educator, I have to have classroom management so that there is a sense of calm in the room at all times. This is not an easy task especially when there are 25 bodies with 25 different personalities in one room. If as the teacher who wears several different hats, I have to know these students and ensure that I am meeting ALL their learning needs so as to prevent chaos for them and for me.

For the students

who enter the classroom with a chaotic mind because their homes are chaotic. They enter the classroom already rebellious and stressed because the tone was set in their homes as they leave or the night before. How do we help them and how do we know that there is chaos/confusion? We might be and could be their source of peace and calm so we have to be able to read them and set an environment of calm and peace as they enter the classroom. Who knows we might be their escape from the unfriendly (warlike) home they left. Our students are depending on us to provide that peace and calm. So we should then be prepared for them. Here are few tips that are recommended to provide that sense of peace for our students.

• Rely on schedules, routines, and procedures it helps to promote order hence peace.
• Maintain a clean, organized classroom that helps and creates peace and calm
• Be the same teacher yesterday, today, and tomorrow so they learn how to trust and want to be around you the teacher. If a teacher is constantly absent and students see different teachers or substitute then this could cause chaos.
• Be kind so you are the role model
• Protect your students from misbehavior so they understand that you care
• Don’t take misbehavior personally as some students are unaware of what good behavior looks like
• Maintain a peaceful learning environment so they want to learn and want to be at school in the special environment.
• A Safe Haven so they feel comfortable and special
• Address students by name so they feel wanted and appreciated
• Use “please” and “thank you” they understand how being polite look and feel like
• Listen to our students and teach them how to listen to others
• Don’t allow bullying/teasing/put downs

I am sure that as educators we feel just as chaotic at times because we are humans but we can and should find time to meditate and reflect, exercise and especially for me do a lot of self-talk and positive affirmation. The world around us can be so unkind so we should definitely find some “me” time so we have solace in our space. This will definitely help us to be prepared for our students.

Simple things like routines help your students know what to expect, which in turn helps them to feel calm, competent, and ready to learn. Even brain breaks can help to break down the monotony of always doing Math or Language Arts. Fun activities so they can as it implies give the brain a break for dreary tasks. We would surprise how unassuming activities can help to move toward building a community of peacemakers and calm in the classroom. Let’s help to create the calm in the midst of our students’ storm!