The following comment from Lynn, written in January, appears again here as a blog post because it is a great reminder about discipline. Now at the beginning of the year we absolutely need to remember to do exactly what she says below. No amount of skills at doing TPRS/CI can overcome the need to do these things:
This blog has helped me tremendously over the years and I think the very best piece of advice was to “phone parents immediately” Even if parents aren’t supportive, and they usually are, positive power is generated by the very act of calling. Word gets around my classes. I’ve discovered that when students don’t feel that they are invisible and they are aware that what happens in class doesn’t necessarily stay in class, well, things turn around. They’re kids, after all, some of them think that being a kid means to test the heck out of us.
I read somewhere else…on this blog too I think…that boys LOVE to tease…it’s part of who they are. According to the article, the more they like us, the more they tease us. It’s made a whole lot of goofy behavior a lot more bearable when I look at it in this light.
With all the garbage they access online, it’s no wonder that their limits are challenged in class. If ever we have to have “the talk” in the hallway, I try to end with “you can do better! you are SO much better than this sort of behavior!” When they know we care about who they are for the sake of them! well, its a wonderful thing! And boom…100 word essay by hand in French explaing what’s wrong and how it’s going to improve. Or a card to touch my heart and almost bring me to tears it is so thoughtfully constructed and worded…in French…by hand.
I, for one, refuse to avoid the verb “venir” = to come……….and I put up with a few giggles every time I introduce it, then I say, “that’s inappropriate” then the talk and the call home. RIGHT AWAY if the behavior doesn’t evaporate.
From this blog too – the SEATING PLAN and when there are dynamo personalities headed down the dark dark road to ill repute….well, I move them RIGHT AWAY, to where eye contact is difficult between guilty parties and they aren’t at the front of the class to entertain anyone! After class I take a few minutes to construct a plan and it greets them on the screen when they come in next class. It is cast in stone until their hair is the color of mine, I tell them (white) I can’t believe I didn’t use to do that! I don’t hesitate any more and it makes a ton of difference to let my students know that there’s a limit, when it’s crossed – here’s the consequence! This is MY class and I am the boss of everyone. point finale!
And I tell them right out if I’m not getting results, “Look, I can’t teach the way I like to teach – and most of my students like to learn – if some of you aren’t going to follow the rules (which are posted and refered to at the beginning of the term). You decide. This comes up when the behavior just won’t go away. Positive peer pressure works wonders. My students love TPRS and aren’t about to give it up so that’s helpful too.
As for help from admin…I’ve pretty much given up on admin. Thing is, when I turn a problem over to them – I’m giving all that positive power away. And I’ve learned that I can never predict the outcome. Admin has their own agenda and when I ask them to take over I’m putting myself in the position of having them tell me they don’t agree with my standards, or siding with parents with prestige or a SCARY personality over the teacher, or listening to an extemely manipulative child….whom they have never encountered perhaps outside of this incidient. It happens. I avoid going there for the most part. I may ask their opinion, to keep them in the loop. And I always let admin know when I’ve had conversations with parents that may head south.
Some behavior is a pain! But I find that more and more, with clear rules and expectations, and being sure they understand why I ask them to do what I ask of them…keeping the input comprehensible….the difficult moments are simply that, moments. Life is mostly bliss in here. And that’s the way we like it! uh huh uh huh!