Teacher Voice

It doesn't take long before a teacher develops the "teacher voice." The teacher voice is absolutely a necessary item to have in the teacher tool kit. You can tell who is/has been a teacher just by having a conversation with one. Every now and then in the conversation, you'll hear it come out. It's the voice that means business.

Managing a group of children at any age is challenging. I manage a group of six year olds. Having this voice lets those six year olds know so much about me as an educator. But I want my kids to get the right message about me as an educator. I want them to know I care about their safety, happiness, and learning. My voice does not portray disrespect or a sense of meanness.

When that teacher voice pops out, it's to show my kids that I do mean business, and that my job is here to make sure they are safe, happy, and learning.  The voice is not a yell, it's firm and to the point. The message of my words count, not the octave. I use it when necessary, not all the time. When the kids do hear it, they know something has changed, and it's imperative they listen to my message.

"That is not okay. That is not safe. You need to _____."
"That is not a choice. You may choose this or this."