This week was kind of rough.
Monday - I attempted to teach. After first period I was on my way out the door. My immune system decided to fail me to the point where 1 questions from my student had me seeing black spots.
Tuesday - Another sick day. "Thankfully" the students were grade testing so I wouldn't have been able to teach anyway. Although I say thankfully, I think grade testing should just go away. When my CT told me her son (6 years old) had to take his first grade test this year in first grade my heart melted. I felt so bad for him because he is only in first grade! The thought of having first graders filling out bubble sheets frightens me.
Wednesday - ANOTHER GRADE TESTING DAY! SO, not only are the students grade testing but they are doing it for two days!
Thursday - Finally my time to get back to basics...I was terribly wrong. My students had completely shut down by Thursday. The first thing I did was a check in on their behavior with the substitute. I had received a very unhappy not when I returned, which made me a very unhappy camper. For the past few weeks I've been trying to teach my students what respect is. This has been my biggest challenge thus far. They are at the age where they think they know it all. Although they think they know everything, they have little knowledge about what it means to be respectful. I definitely know it is because of their age. I just find myself feeling defeated every time a class leaves my room. My CT has told me time and time again that I am doing a good job but I don't feel like I'm doing a good job.
Friday - Friday finally came and it took everything in me not to run out of the school in tears. One of my students (who doesn't like to participate, hands in no homework, class clown) said, "Ms. Burns you're turning into a mean teacher." I had to pause before I responded to the student. I first wanted to say you haven't seen mean. I knew that would be a move that would never come from someone like me. I simply responded with, "Until I see that you folks can have fun in a mature way then I guess it will seem like I am the 'mean teacher' because I don't see what I know I have asking of you and teaching you."
I don't want to be known as the mean teacher. I am the fun teacher who likes to perform carousel activities and use active learning. Every time I try to incorporate a piece of active learning their are students who ruin it. I'm finding it hard trying to deal with this natural disaster. I use the term natural disaster because it is bound to happen (there is no stopping this) in the classroom and as a teacher who plans how they want their day to go it is a disaster when things don't goes as planned.
I've tried to make it fun by including classroom points for all three of my 6th grade classes. The class to reach 20 points by Wednesday will receive a party on Thursday of this week. Some are all for the points. Others have the "it doesn't matter we're going to lose" attitude. I have given them the points and all they have to do is show me they want to keep the points for the day. 5 points are given with 3 X's. The 5 points are given to them based on being: Respectful, Reliable, Collaboration, Giving 110%, and Taking Ownership. Each time I see that we are lacking in one of the areas I take an X away. If they have all 3 X's they get a full point. If they have 2 X's they receive a 1/2 point. If they have 1 X they receive no points. The first day this worked really well. Now I'm wondering if this was the right approach to take.
I guess I feel I'm lacking in the confidence factor of classroom management. Although my CT is telling my what I'm doing is right, it doesn't FEEL right to me.
Ashlee, I'm on my way to your classroom this morning, and after reading this, I'm eager to see how you've been managing thing this week. Your problem seems to be a predominant "middle school" issue, it seems to me, as your peers in other middle schools are having similar issues with "respect" and with behaving while the teacher is teaching. I want to urge you to consider possible responses OUTSIDE of the behaviorist realm; that is, forget, for a moment, about rewards and points and external incentives. Ask yourself: What motivates us, out in the world, to not be jerks to everyone we meet every single day? Why be nice? Why be respectful? Maybe if you investigate this phenomenon with the students...that people need to be civil to one another in order for society to "work"... and that being civil actually can result in some pretty nice feelings and "natural" rewards...and ask them for reasons why this approach may be wiser than, say, calling out names, acting defiant, refusing to be kind. Instead of "enforcing" the "rules," how about talking with the students about why the rules are what they are and why these same rules work pretty well in the real world, too.
ReplyDeleteAn early morning suggestion to prevent you from falling into the "mean teacher" trap, which is an institutional box that the kids are putting you in simply because you insist they follow rules or norms. It's a classic power struggle that you are engaged in, and they are going to win (there are a LOT more of them!) unless you figure out a way to get them to see that your rules can also be their rules. Role play scenarios that highlight positive and negative social behaviors?
See you soon.
It's so awesome that you recognize these problems and are trying to find ways to deal with them! I always say it takes a special person to be a middle school teacher and I know you've got it!
ReplyDelete