That Teacher Voice | Do Try This at Home: That Teacher Voice

Friday, December 14, 2007

That Teacher Voice

Much to the annoyance of his 4 and 5 year old peers, one of my little boys is suddenly convinced that he is nineteen years old. "My daddy told me that I'm nineteen!"

Later in the day I checked on him in the bathroom as it seemed he had been in there longer than usual. "Do you need help or are you okay?"

He called back, "Everybody needs help sometimes! Mommies and daddies even need help sometimes! Even though I'm nineteen, I need some help!"

This boy's class is known throughout the school for requiring a heaping serving of control, endless patience and a certain tone of voice. My brother and I ended up in a conversation about it that ended along these lines:

David: "Some people never develop that teacher voice. You have the voice, the one that says, 'Do it my way, or you're f*cked!'"

Me: "Yeah...it really does help when you truly believe that your word is the law."

David: "'Your word is the law.' Oh, that's a nicer way to put it."

17 comments:

Christine said...

I have a hard time with the voice. At my house, only my husband has it. I call it "The Voice of God". It pretty much makes the Sons do ANYTHING. Double-time. I am green.

Jill said...

Christine - Oh yeah, that's another good way to put it! Except, though not sure I could get away with calling it that WHILE teaching religious school...

:-) :-) :-0

DJ Kirkby said...

Yet again you convicne me that you are in reality my N3s's teacher...(I mean that was obviously him you were writing about!)you are arent you?!!!!!! No I know you aren't really, wrong country for a start but I think you must be twins...

Unknown said...

Aye aye mam

Lara Neves said...

I love Mr. 19 year old's comments while in the bathroom...put a big smile on my face.

I don't think I could do preschool. I guess I don't have a teacher voice. :)

Anonymous said...

I agree with Lara - that little "19 year old boy" needing help - that sounded so sweet!

"Your word is law." I like that! I think that people have "The Voice Of Power" in different areas of their life. So they have "The Voice" at home but maybe not at work. That kinda thing.

ALF said...

That is a very wise "nineteen year old".

John C said...

:) It's nice to hear war stories...and that's what it amounts to.

Take no prisoners.

Jill said...

DJ Kirkby - Funny! I didn't know I had a twin!

SJ - That's the spirit!

Lara - He's the CUTEST! And I severely lacked a teacher voice my first couple of years. It's an inborn quality for some I think, but can definitely be developed!

Ms.Q - Yeah, I think you're right. Although I use the teacher voice at home sometimes too. I think you can get away with raising kids without a teacher voice, but at school with an entire class full, they absolutely eat you alive without it.

Alf - Yeah, he seems to be sometimes. :-)

John C - Yeah, a lot of teaching stories turn out that way I think. I actually like to watch the other teachers & see how they handle all the various battles that come up each day. But when push comes to shove, I fall back on the teacher voice.

Val Cox said...

great story, i love that! Val

Carey said...

I wish I had that "Voice" but, when I laugh I guess that pretty much blows it. oh well!

RW said...

My voice worked like that till my daughter turned 13 lol!

Beth said...

I know I have heard that teacher voice coming out of you, can't mistake it for anything else!

Unknown said...

I suppose you also have all the stock teacher voice phrases too like, "quiet please" and "take your things and go to the office" and on and on.

And what's up with that kid thinking he's 19. Some help is needed there.

Jill said...

Thanks Val!

Bastet - Yeah, the "or you're f*cked" part doesn't work quite as well if you don't mean business. :-) :-) :-)

Roger - Daughter? 13? Is there something I should know? My daughter will be 13 this summer...

Beth - Ooops! 'Magine you probably have! :-0 :-0 :-0

Ricardo - I dunno, I tend to overuse the "if...then" phrases more than the stock teacher phrases. "It's cold out friends! If you get in a puddle you will be very, very sad! Your mommy will be very, very sad! Raise your hand if you think it's a good idea to stay OUT of the puddle!"...that kind of thing. So y'see...mostly I just lecture them to death & only get the teacher voice out when I really need it! :-) :-) :-)

RW said...

Yes it goes like somthing like this...I tell my daughter somthing & she gives me that look that says...you don't know nothing, I know better than you...look! This is the same thing I use to do when I was a teenager...My dad tells me pay back is a bitch lol :D

Jill said...

Roger - Oh OKAY! I know that look...
:-) :-) :-)

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...