Okay, first let me warn you this will be a long blog. Please feel free to skip it. Also be aware I would really appreciate the input of my blogger friends on how I am/should handle this teaching dilemma.
I had quite the showdown with one of my classes on Friday. Kids love to talk, some of them will talk continually. This makes it difficult for me to do my job and for other kids to learn. Also I find it VERY irritating that some kids have absolutely NO respect for me and think they can do what ever they please and ignore the rules of my classroom. After telling the kids at least 5 times "NO talking" it continued to be a problem. Also half the time I would address a student's talking I would get "I wasn't talking ___was talking to me" Okay, when it is one or two students talking, it's very easy to deal with them individually. When it is 5 or more students spread over the classroom, it's almost impossible (and time consuming) to figure out exactly who the culprits are.
Eventually I said "the entire class is spending 10 minutes of your lunch time with me" (lots of moaning here..But what the hell...Do you think I like spending my lunch with my students?) Okay fast forward end of the period. I tell the class to pack up and wait at the back of the classroom to be dismissed.
One minute later suddenly everyone is leaving, I say "STOP!" very loudly.
They stop, one kid says "the next class is coming in" and they proceed to leave. I am PISSED, what the hell? Did the ENTIRE class just ignore me?
I follow them down the hall to their next class and ask "What was that? I told you to wait and you just leave?"
Some kids reply "but you said..The other kids were coming in"
I reply "Okay, perhaps there was a misunderstanding, but THEN I yell "STOP", you all stop and look at me, one students explains why you are leaving and you just leave? The bottom line is you completely ignored the last thing I said which was "STOP! Lunch detention is now 15 minutes. Anyone who doesn't show will receive TWO days of full lunch detention next week" (I hear moaning as I leave)
Fast forward to Lunch all but 6 kids show. 3 of the 6 were 80% of my problem, I'm not really that irritated because now they have just quadrupled their punishment and will spend their next two 30 minute lunches in detention. I try to turn the situation into a team building experience I ask the class "How do you think I should handle the talking in class" I let the kids give me their ideas, I thank them for showing up and for their input and dismiss them after only 5 minutes.
This apparently worked, because at the end of the day one student returns and says "You were asking for our opinion, and Jane and I were talking and we thought you should know- the reason those girls didn't show up is that they're all friends and they think it will be more fun to have two days of lunch detention together than with our class, and they can also let you know they're angry. Our class is mad because we got detention because of them and now they get to spend it together"
I say "Thanks for the info, I appreciate that, I'll take care of it." So, I find out "Lunch Detention" at our school means you spend your lunch time at one table in the cafeteria and you can't go through the "Snack" line. So basically these girls will get to hang out together, have lunch, enjoy some good conversation which will no doubt include "Our student teacher is such a bitch!".
I said this was going to be a long blog didn't I?
So, my plan is to assign them each two days detention and have only 3 of them in detention at a time with ME in my room, not in the cafeteria.
If I have them all at once, I know they'll try and gang up on me and tell me how they believe theyare being wrongly punished, and why I'm not being fair (I've already had extensive contact with two of the girls in the last two weeks) The problem with many kids "these days" is that they seem to have no real consequences for their actions. I've seen a lot of parenting where there is a lot of threat of punishment, but rarely any actual punishment. (5 year old picks up a ball and throws it in the house Mom says "if you throw that ball again..." 2 minutes later kid throws ball, Mom says "if you throw that ball again..." 2 minutes later kid throws ball, Mom says "if you throw that ball again..." Substitute some other activity for BALL, I'm sure you know what I mean. Bottom line is ....(undefined punishment) RARELY happens.
When I say "No talking", I mean it. When I say "No putdowns" I mean it. If the only consequence for talking was hearing the teacher repeatedly say "No Talking" why wouldn't they keep talking?
So, here is the other part of my plan...I have this little activity planned for their detention:
Lunch Detention Essay
I had quite the showdown with one of my classes on Friday. Kids love to talk, some of them will talk continually. This makes it difficult for me to do my job and for other kids to learn. Also I find it VERY irritating that some kids have absolutely NO respect for me and think they can do what ever they please and ignore the rules of my classroom. After telling the kids at least 5 times "NO talking" it continued to be a problem. Also half the time I would address a student's talking I would get "I wasn't talking ___was talking to me" Okay, when it is one or two students talking, it's very easy to deal with them individually. When it is 5 or more students spread over the classroom, it's almost impossible (and time consuming) to figure out exactly who the culprits are.
Eventually I said "the entire class is spending 10 minutes of your lunch time with me" (lots of moaning here..But what the hell...Do you think I like spending my lunch with my students?) Okay fast forward end of the period. I tell the class to pack up and wait at the back of the classroom to be dismissed.
One minute later suddenly everyone is leaving, I say "STOP!" very loudly.
They stop, one kid says "the next class is coming in" and they proceed to leave. I am PISSED, what the hell? Did the ENTIRE class just ignore me?
I follow them down the hall to their next class and ask "What was that? I told you to wait and you just leave?"
Some kids reply "but you said..The other kids were coming in"
I reply "Okay, perhaps there was a misunderstanding, but THEN I yell "STOP", you all stop and look at me, one students explains why you are leaving and you just leave? The bottom line is you completely ignored the last thing I said which was "STOP! Lunch detention is now 15 minutes. Anyone who doesn't show will receive TWO days of full lunch detention next week" (I hear moaning as I leave)
Fast forward to Lunch all but 6 kids show. 3 of the 6 were 80% of my problem, I'm not really that irritated because now they have just quadrupled their punishment and will spend their next two 30 minute lunches in detention. I try to turn the situation into a team building experience I ask the class "How do you think I should handle the talking in class" I let the kids give me their ideas, I thank them for showing up and for their input and dismiss them after only 5 minutes.
This apparently worked, because at the end of the day one student returns and says "You were asking for our opinion, and Jane and I were talking and we thought you should know- the reason those girls didn't show up is that they're all friends and they think it will be more fun to have two days of lunch detention together than with our class, and they can also let you know they're angry. Our class is mad because we got detention because of them and now they get to spend it together"
I say "Thanks for the info, I appreciate that, I'll take care of it." So, I find out "Lunch Detention" at our school means you spend your lunch time at one table in the cafeteria and you can't go through the "Snack" line. So basically these girls will get to hang out together, have lunch, enjoy some good conversation which will no doubt include "Our student teacher is such a bitch!".
I said this was going to be a long blog didn't I?
So, my plan is to assign them each two days detention and have only 3 of them in detention at a time with ME in my room, not in the cafeteria.
If I have them all at once, I know they'll try and gang up on me and tell me how they believe theyare being wrongly punished, and why I'm not being fair (I've already had extensive contact with two of the girls in the last two weeks) The problem with many kids "these days" is that they seem to have no real consequences for their actions. I've seen a lot of parenting where there is a lot of threat of punishment, but rarely any actual punishment. (5 year old picks up a ball and throws it in the house Mom says "if you throw that ball again..." 2 minutes later kid throws ball, Mom says "if you throw that ball again..." 2 minutes later kid throws ball, Mom says "if you throw that ball again..." Substitute some other activity for BALL, I'm sure you know what I mean. Bottom line is ....(undefined punishment) RARELY happens.
When I say "No talking", I mean it. When I say "No putdowns" I mean it. If the only consequence for talking was hearing the teacher repeatedly say "No Talking" why wouldn't they keep talking?
So, here is the other part of my plan...I have this little activity planned for their detention:
Lunch Detention Essay
You will answer the following question in your essay:
Why will working independently, without talking, increase your learning and that of your peers?
1. Your first sentence must begin as follows: "Working independently and without talking will increase my learning because..."
2. Another sentence must begin as follows: "My peers will benefit when I work quietly because.."
3. You must give a minimum of 3 reasons, at least one reason your learning will improve and at least one reason your peers learning will improve.
4. You must use complete sentences in your essay.
5. Your essay must be a minimum of 200 words.
(end of assignment)
Why will working independently, without talking, increase your learning and that of your peers?
1. Your first sentence must begin as follows: "Working independently and without talking will increase my learning because..."
2. Another sentence must begin as follows: "My peers will benefit when I work quietly because.."
3. You must give a minimum of 3 reasons, at least one reason your learning will improve and at least one reason your peers learning will improve.
4. You must use complete sentences in your essay.
5. Your essay must be a minimum of 200 words.
(end of assignment)
Why am I doing this?
1) It will give them something to do while in detention besides try to have a power struggle with me.
2) It will force them to think about how their actions effect their learning as well as the learning of their peers.
3) It will give me amunition in their own words, If I have parents wanting to argue with my being such a hard ass "You have Johnny detention for TALKING? That seems kind of extreme."
(FYI- I had one student crying that day because "they won't shut up" . Yes, he is special needs, but he was only having a more extreme reaction than the other ten students where where going "ssshhh")
Okay blogging friends, what do you think? I am new to this profession, so input is appreciated. Is the Essay thing a bit over the top? What can I do to get these kids to SHUT UP? By the way, I was going to assign the detention days first thing Monday, so that the whole class could see I wasn't letting the "no shows" off easy. I was also going to tell them about the essay, so the class could see they made a good choice by attending detention the first time.
Longest blog in history?
posted by One Boys Mom at
6:39 AM
3 Comments:
Thanks for the thoughtful input Warrior. Originally the essay was only 100 words, but they have to be with me for 2 lunch periods..since I'm giving them 20 of their 100 words (if they follow the directions accurately), I thought maybe it needs to be 200? I also considered and was going to originally have them just do it on different days, but that would drag on forever. Also I'm fortunate that as a middle school teacher I have a plan periiod every day. They'll really only be eating up 30 of my 120 minutes and I figure I can use the time to plan while they work quietly. This would definitly be a bigger sacrafice if I were teaching 5th grade and only had a 30 minute break each day. Plus I want to make it soo uncomfortable/unpleasant that they don't want to do it again. Hope that is what happens.
By
One Boys Mom, at 3:59 PM
Also, I've deleted some of the directions for the essay making it less wordy and shortened it's length to 100 words. Thanks for the input guys!
By
One Boys Mom, at 4:51 PM
I have no helpful advise, but firmly support what you are doing and the logic behind it. I love hearing about your "adventures" and hope you will write about how it turns out. Good luck to you!
-D
By
Dakota, at 7:32 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home