The Day I Froze in My Classroom

The Day I Froze in My Classroom 

I’ll never forget it. Two kids started arguing during playtime. Voices rose. Toys flew. One started crying. And me? I froze.

Just a week prior, I had completed a “behavior management” course. It covered the usual topics: definitions of different behavior types, calm-down strategies, and a few quiz questions at the end. I passed easily. But in that moment, amidst the noise and emotion of a real classroom, all the information vanished. My mind went blank.

That’s when it hit me: reading or watching isn’t learning.

I had learned about managing behavior, but I hadn’t practiced it. The course provided me with steps, but no instincts. Instincts are what you reach for when everything around you starts to unravel.

Why So Many Trainings Miss the Mark

The reality is that most childcare training focuses on what you should know rather than how you will actually use it. You’re given the right phrases, tone, and procedures, but you never get the chance to test them out.

So, when real children test boundaries or emotions spill over, you’re left flipping through mental flashcards instead of responding with confidence.

This isn’t a failure on the teacher’s part; it reflects a flaw in how we train educators.

Adults learn by doing. We retain skills when we apply them, not when we merely watch someone else explain them. Unfortunately, most courses stop at the screen, leaving teachers to navigate the toughest parts on their own.

From Freeze to Flow

The next time a similar situation arose, I approached it differently. I had participated in an interactive training that immersed me in classroom scenarios, not just as an observer, but as a decision-maker.

This time, when conflict ignited, I didn’t panic. My voice remained calm. I remembered what to say because I had practiced it before. That’s when I truly understood what real learning feels like, the kind that doesn’t disappear under pressure.

Every teacher deserves the opportunity to step into their classroom with confidence, not just because they finished a course, but because they have already practiced the learning before it truly matters.