Ky just joined our group. She reports:
Over Christmas break I read A Natural Approach to Stories and the Bite Size Book of Classroom Management. I went to school yesterday, after not lesson planning one bit over vacation, and had the best day I’ve had in a long time. I opened with a discussion about vacation. Then I did a brain break and the calendar talk. Thanks for getting me started Ben and Tina! I went slow. One. Word. At. A. Time. Slow. I pointed and paused, then said the word. I made eye contact and asked whole group questions instead of individual questions. I walked to the rules every time there was an infraction. No yelling. No arguing. Discipline with a smile! I used the Queen Victoria stare a few times. No stress for me! Just calm, cool, collected. They noticed. “That’s a fake smile guys. She’s not really happy.” “There she goes again.” “Guys, don’t make her go over to the posters again. Just be quiet.” I haven’t been this refreshed after school in a long time, and after a break no less! Next step is figuring out grading with the Interpersonal Communication Rubric and Habits of Good Readers rubric. I am so excited to incorporate student jobs, start the Invisibles, do calendar talks, and more reading!