Fridays on Defend

[Tom Yum]

thats how it has to be. you have to make it known that there will always be negative consequences for behaving negatively. if not, they will run all over you. i know this because i used to be one of those students who would run all over teachers if they let me do so. i would push it as far as i possibly could. it was only the teachers who made sure i suffered a negative consequence every time that were able to deter me from going crazy in the classroom or get me to turn in work. .

Looks like you haven't changed much lol.

[treelizard]

Smiling doesn't work.

[Ahsen]

Treelizard don't forget smiling
Now that takes an effort

[treelizard]

Yes, I am learning this the hard way. I think the students have picked up on some inconsistency within the administration. Anyway, what I did on Thursday worked. I just have to keep doing it.

In every age, teachers face new and unique challenges:

1. Teachers each day will fill lamps, clean chimneys.
2. Each teacher will bring a bucket of water and a scuttle of coal for the day's session.
3. Make your pens carefully. You may whittle nibs to the individual taste of the pupils.
4. Men teachers may take one evening each week for courting purposes, or two evenings a week if they go to church regularly.
5. After ten hours in school, teachers may spend the remaining time reading the Bible or other good books.
6. Women teachers who marry or engage in unseemly conduct will be dismissed.
7. Every teacher should lay aside from each pay a goodly sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so he will not become a burden on society.
8. Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents pool or public halls, or gets shaved in a barber shop will give good reason to suspect his worth, intention, integrity and honesty.
9. The teacher who performs his labor faithfully and without fault for five years will be given an increase of twenty-five cents per wee in his pay, providing the Board of Education approves.

Rules for Teachers, 1872.

[DickHardman]

I'd like to think that humans have evolved beyond the "do what I say or you'll get in trouble" model but I guess that's not the case.

thats how it has to be. you have to make it known that there will always be negative consequences for behaving negatively. if not, they will run all over you. i know this because i used to be one of those students who would run all over teachers if they let me do so. i would push it as far as i possibly could. it was only the teachers who made sure i suffered a negative consequence every time that were able to deter me from going crazy in the classroom or get me to turn in work. if you are too nice, and too friendly with them they will run all over you. sadly, 8th graders arent really mature enough to be handled any other way. every time one of them does something wrong, or doesnt turn in work, make them have to call their parents, or take away their recess. do whatever it takes, cause i know for sure when i was in 8th grade the only thing i was concerned about in class was which person i was going to shoot my spitball at next. i used to bring tons of plastic straws to school and use them to fire fat, wet spitballs all over the classroom that would stick to people. this was especially true anytime a movie was being shown in class, cause as soon as the lights went off i could fire off as many spitballs as i wanted without being seen.

[Ahsen]

TreeLizard Smiling helps

[treelizard]

You're probably a better teacher than you give yourself credit for...but you'll find out more once you get an in class observation from the principal (do they still do that?).

Thanks! I am getting there. It is more difficult in a school that doesn't have very basic things (let alone a curriculum)...

Yeah, they do informal and formal observations...but the students get really quiet whenever they walk in so it's not as helpful as it could be. I also have another person who will be observing and isn't affiliated with the school. That will be nice. I'm also taking all kinds of workshops and reading too much.

The problem has been inconsistent implementation of consequences... I had it under control last Monday so all I need to do is the same thing again...

I'd like to think that humans have evolved beyond the "do what I say or you'll get in trouble" model but I guess that's not the case.

[Tom Yum]

8th grade Language Arts to mostly ELL students on the South side.

You're probably a better teacher than you give yourself credit for...but you'll find out more once you get an in class observation from the principal (do they still do that?).

[treelizard]

What subject do you teach?

8th grade Language Arts to mostly ELL students on the South side.

[Tom Yum]

What subject do you teach?

[treelizard]

The only thing that works with these kids is when I start kicking people out or make them call their parents in front of the class. They told me that it's not their fault because they were brought up that way; they can get shot at for wearing the wrong color so why should they act their age?

I did bring in improv comedy guys to help teach elements of story. I get along with them individually but the 33-person classes are a bit unruly.

They hate writing, but I do try to make lessons as interesting as possible.

[Tom Yum]

That doesn't work... Anyway, my 31 and 33-person class sizes are getting to me. I don't understand why I have 90 students and another person who started with me with the exact same cert, grade, subject matter and position only has 40.

Tree, are you a very energetic teacher?

I don't know if you are, but when I was in high school, the teachers who were animated and really into their subjects seemed to get us motivated or at least those of us who were decent students. Kids are used to short video clips and have an ever decreasing attention span.

Do the students respond to you? Or do they ignore you?

If they ignore you, they probably think you're not cut from the same cloth as they are. They see you as an adult - an outsider. If your class is really diverse, it could be challenging huh.

Do you know what your students are interested in? What motivates them?

Sure you have to stick to cirriculum, but can you fuse your lessons into their interests.

Not sure if this is helpful - but I wanna wish you success

[Hardball]

Dinner was great, Rockfish stuffed with Crab imperial. Getting ready to watch a movie then hit the sack and get ready for a rugged class at the Dojo at 10:00 a.m.

[jubaji]

Again we see how the pot has torn you from reality...

[DickHardman]

NO, they see you for what you ARE

yeah i know, thats what i said. they see me as a rugged, manly, well endowed martial artist.