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Beth Bruno - tonight's topic is "When our best laid plans go awry - How Can we (or have you) turned them into learnign experiences?
Beth Bruno - What memorable faux paus have you had in the classroom?
Shar - I hope that others will also too, because we sometimes feel that only bad or awkward things happen to us only.
Beth Bruno - I remember a time I was evaluating a two-year-old (I'm a school psychologist) and he climbed up on a table. When I went over to lift him down, he socked me in the jaw! I saw colors!
Shar - I never get to really discuss these kinds of things that easilly at school, unless I really feel comfortable enough with someone to do so.
Shar - Wow Beth, that is really some kind of experience!
BRUTUS - I used to teach MH and had a boy with severe behavior. He always told us before it happened "I am going to kick you." Look out, you knew it was coming.
Mountainette - I remember a big roll of paper falling off its holder onto a bottle of red poster paint, which blew open and the contents went everywhere!
Beth Bruno - What disasters or puzzling situations have any of you experienced this year?
Beth Bruno - Did the paint get on you and the kids?
Mountainette - It got on everything!!!! It was really funny! We all exploded laughing!
Shar - I had a really difficult year comiing back to teaching after raising my two children. I was at home for almost 8 years, Then I came back to teach at a junior high. I also taught language arts, in addition to teaching Spanish. Language arts was not yet on my license yet. I was unsure of myself and I did not really know how to act to kids or what I was doing.
Kathleen - Shar, that is a challenging age group to work with, I'm not surprised that it was difficult!
Beth Bruno - How did you get up to speed in language arts without having training in that area?
Beth Bruno - Hi resource. What have your major challenges been this year?
resource - well the biggest challenge i'm always living with is being flexible....
Shar - Yes Kathleen, during the l992 school year, I had a really terrible teaching experience that lasted one year. It was for a junior high, a temporary maternityy position, but if things worked out well, it could be mine, if the other teacher would not return. I was home for about 8 years in order to raise my two children. I came back as a rusty teacher. Before that I had taught for a few years before I had left to raise a family. This year coming back was so horrible as far as classroom management and everything else, but it was still a valuable learning experience. I just wish that it did not have to be so painful.
Kathleen - no pain, no gain? not what you want to hear!
resource - but i think it's a valuable lesson for students to learn..that things can change and what can we learn from every experience
Beth Bruno - What do you do when students are defiant of your classroom rules? What are the consequences that work?
resource - my students lose privaleges..and i depend on other teachers to help me follow through..we help each other
Shar - I was working on completing my reading endorsement but they must have really needed someone to fill that spot at the time. I am always looking for some kind of purpose or reason for that very difficult year. Now I have much more confidence, but once in a while the insecure person will come out of me dpending on the situation.
resource - don't react to students..
resource - works for me
Beth Bruno - Have you ever had a student who made a point of doing the opposite of what you asked?
Mountainette - We have a monthly homework party. You can only miss 2 assignments the whole month, and I give homework every night including weekends. I only have 1 child m issing tomorrow's HW Party
resource - oh sure...all the time
Shar - I know that I have really grown from the experience. This is my 4th year at my junior high, and it is a true miracle and milestone to have achieved tenure. Something that I will never take for granted. I thnk that perhaps that horrible year halped to make me the professional that I am now.
resource - i have lunch in the classroom once a month..with treats and music...very effective
Mary K&1 - If my students don't follow the rules they go to Time Out and have to think about how they are going to change their behavior. This doesn't happen very often - in fact, I can't remember the last time that it did. They know that doing the activities that I have planned is a lot more fun than sitting in T.O.
Beth Bruno - That's a great record, Mountainette. Those must be terrifc parties!
Mountainette - The kids supply the treats for the party.
resource - mountain..what will you do with one student who is not inp arty
Mountainette - He will go to another classroom
Djinn - I teach Kinder - Time out for a short period of time to think and then a discussion about what they need to do next time
resource - yea..that works for me too
Beth Bruno - It sounds like you get a lot farther with your students with positive incentives than with getting into arguments with them or punishing them.
resource - never argue...big mistake
resource - these are the rules..that's it
Djinn - resource - broken record works wonders for me.
Mountainette - I agree, resource - NEVER argue. You are the teacher and you ARE the final word!
Beth Bruno - Can you think of a time that you think you mishandled a situation - one that still bothers you?
resource - i see so many teachers react to the students and end up in those situations..you have to give your behavior plan time
Shar - One time last year, I was so worked up over a girl that was saying rudely that she did not understand one thing that I was teaching, that when I could not reach her mother at home, I called her work number, and left a message with her boss. She told me the next day that it was unprofessional of me to do that. I apologized saying that was not my intent. I realized that I should never do that again. I learned again a painful way how to become more professional. Why can't we be born knowing these thngs?
resource - be firm, be consistant, be respectful..
resource - i may have mishandled a situation because i didn't understand what a child was going through
Shar - I have a demerit system. Five demerits are equal to an after school detention. But I too, am trying to work and emphasize the positive more than negative reinforcement.
resource - may have been having a problem that i didn't take the time to find out about
Beth Bruno - How did the child react about the call to her mother and mother's boss?
Shar - Can we overcome difficult years from a teaching experience, learn from it and move on? I sometimes wish that I could erase it but I cannot.
resource - Shar...i think you can learn from everything...experience gives us so much confidance and knowledge
Mountainette - Back during my first years of teaching, I had a parent that really chewed me out about something. I just stood there and took it - like an idiot. Now I know to say that I refuse to talk with her while she is so upset. I would be willing to talk tomorrow evening when she is not so upset.
Beth Bruno - We too often think we have to know how to handle every situation. No one can do that.
Shar - Beth, the child did not seem to act any different about that situation in class afterwards, but I was very embarrassed about it for a long time after that. It was not my intent to really embarrass her, but I guess i was really worked up over her behavior in class , that I had to tell someone about it quickly. I was terribly wrong to do that.
resource - when i started teaching being flexible was my biggest problem. i made plans and by god we were sticking to them. but now i know that we can't always predict what will happen. students can learn from us how to handle everyday stress and changes...i always tell my kids..we can work it out...maybe not the way we thought we could
Mary K&1 - I've been teaching so long that I can't think of a story about the best laid plans going awry. After a while you get so accustomed to this happening that it becomes normal and you get pretty good at coming up with "Plan B" and just go on. Usually any difficulties involve some kind of technology - some piece of equipment that won't cooperate, the web going down or something like that.
resource - lol Mary...i couldn't agree more
Shar - I hope you are right, Resource, I try to learn from these kinds of things all the time.
Beth Bruno - I like to think of myself as perfectly imperfect, just as a reminder that that's how the kids are, too.
resource - that is so true beth...sometimes i think teachers have these great expectations for kids..that they may not even expect from an adult..unrealisitic..bugs me
Mountainette - I learned to do science experiments before hand and not wait to do them for the first time when the students are watching
BRUTUS - My first supervisor would always come into my classroom and say "Well I am on plan X or Y Or Z" Her day never went as planned.
Beth Bruno - It's true. Over the years you get good at thinking on your feet and rolling with each situation.
resource - lol brutus..have to remember that one
Shar - A few days ago while my children at school were starting to take a quiz, I passed a future quiz from the wrong file, and it caused a great deal of comotion in the classroom. I had to collect back all the quizzes and pass out a new set. I was so disgusted with myself. But the kids thought it was funny, naturally.
resource - once i remember something that involved the whole school
Beth Bruno - That's what I do with new testing kits. Before I use them in school, I practice on my kids or the neighbor's kids.
resource - we were going to launch rockets..had this big build up ..got the kids psyched..had the whole school outside on the playground and the rockets would not go off..staff will not let me forget that day
Mary K&1 - The kids get pretty good at coming up with solutions to difficulties - - If we make everything a learning experience, there's nothing to lose and everything to gain
resource - i felt so bad..so embarrassed!!
Djinn - two years ago I was teaching a new grade level and my Mom had a massive heart attack. She was in the hosptial for 4 months. I struggled daily trying to learn my new age group and get out those lesson plans. My plans are done a month in advance. But I still know I'm not married to them!
Shar - Mountainett, that is a good idea. So that you can see any prblems ahead of tiime.
Beth Bruno - But I learned not to score them or give neighborhood parents scores - I told them I was just practicing, so the results weren't valid. A lame excuse, but I didn't want to start trouble with my friends!
Beth Bruno - Oh resource - not one of the rockets worked? That's a hard one to live down! :)
resource - i don't think i want to know that much about my neighborhood kids..lol
Mountainette - Djinn, I do plans weekly, on Fridays. By Tuesday, I am off schedule. How do you keep up with plans done a month ahead?
max - Hi, I have never participated in one of these discussions; is it OK to join?
resource - not one!!!
resource - i wonder too mountain?
Mountainette - resource - do you laugh about it now?
BRUTUS - Djinn, I would also like to know how you plan for a month.
Beth Bruno - Mary K - I'd like to underline what you said about encouraging the students to help solve problems that come up in the classroom. They can be ingenious
resource - yea..we do..but i'll never for get the feeling of having the whole school standing there waiting!!
Djinn - Mountain - I do an over all yearly plan at the beginning of the year and prep a month ahead - I just cross out and replace as I go - but if I need a sub. everything is ready. I teach Kinder
resource - well i have to go...nite all..thanks for sharing
Beth Bruno - Hi Max, Yes, just jump in anytime. There's a bit of a delay before your comments come up, as you can see.
Shar - Of course Maax, welcome aboard! Please make yourself at home. Do any of you have any suggestions on what you do when the whole class tries to do some kind of synchronized prank, such as pencil tapping at one time, or everyone deciding to cough at one time according to the clock? Have any of you ever had any kinds of experiences with this or suggestions on how to handle it in a clever way?
Mary K&1 - resource's rocket caper would have been a great learning experience - - figure out why they wouldn't work - a very good problem solving exercise for the students
Beth Bruno - My husband tells me he used to whistle through his teeth and could do it without moving his mouth. It drove the teacher whoopy!
max - Thank you, I am now max; however, I know some people under the name AS/FL, I just changed to "protect my idenity"!! this week.
Shar - Every now and then I have students who try doing these kinds of pranks, and I just wanted to hear your opinion on why kids do these kinds of things and how to handle it when it does occur.
Beth Bruno - How have others handled classwide pranks?
Mountainette - Shar - that sounds like a junior high thing. My 4th graders haven't thought of doing some things like that - thank heavens.
max - Gosh, it has been a long time since I've delt with that, but I clearly remember the "group" tapping, dropping a book, etc. That was eons ago when I first starated teaching. I don't remember what I did, I think I laughed along with them instead of getting "upset" acting.
Shar - Oh my Beth, I hope none of my students ever do that! Ha ha, just being funny.
Mary K&1 - Beth, it depends upon the prank - if it's not hurting anyone - go with it - if it is hurting someone - discuss why it was a bad idea
Beth Bruno - I could be wrong on this, but I think it comes from lessons that drag by and create boredom. The kids do it to entertain each other when they don't like a lesson. What do you think the reasons are?
Djinn - I had class meetings with my 5th graders. It went on the agenda and we discussed it.
Kathleen - I think often it is a way of releasing various emotions such as tension, restlessness, not necessarily boredom or disrespect.
Djinn - yes Kathleen - that's when you get them out of their seats and stretch or do some kind of dramatic exercise
max - I think students often do what they feel they can get away with; if it results in a reinforcing action--like adult loosing it--it becomes a game. I don't remember it happening once a strong raport was established.
Kathleen - Even during professional development sessions with large groups of teachers, people try to lossen things up sometimes. Adults make better choices about how to do that, but the motivation is probably much the same.
Shar - I know that I have heard other teachers or guest speaker say just to say oh how nice you all work together or laugh with them, but I am just afraid that it might escalate, and they might do it even more. So I try and reason with them and talk to them about it, without getting upset.
Mary K&1 - Beth - I think that you ar right - also, everyone has to have the feeling of being recognized - sometimes a prank is the only way they know to get the reconition - that where teaching comes in - teach them other ways that they can get the attention of others
Kathleen - I should say: some adults make better choices about how to do that!
Mountainette - Maybe if you let the students teach a lesson, the kids wouldn't pull pranks. Also, they say you reallly learn a subject when you teach it
max - Kathleen, when I look around at faculty meetings, I am not so convienced that adults make better choices!! Nothing ruder than certain groups of teacher-audiences!! lol
Kathleen - max, I happen to agree with you about teacher audiences 8-(
Mountainette - I agree max, but I finally realized that if the topic was relevant, teachers would listen
max - I am with you Shar; a mutual respect with the teacher still in the role as teacher.
Beth Bruno - I based a lot of different units on student projects - done individually or in small groups - followed by student presentations. At first students were nervous, but after the first time, they started looking forward to it and they listened really well to
Beth Bruno - to each other, too. (rest of the sentence)
Shar - I think what a lot of what you all said makes a lot of sense. It seems like every once in a while it will happen. Perhaps I need to give them more kinds of tension releasers such as standing up and stretching or someting like that. I do not always think about doing those kinds of things, but they are indeed important.
Shels - I started subbing this year for elementary and have been enjoying your discussion.
Kathleen - Every time I get up during a meeting to walk out, visit the lav, just stretch, I think about how often we forget that children are often held captive and don't have the same opportunities to satisfy physical/emotional needs
max - I hate to admit it, but I spend many hours typing up detailed plans each week; I rarely follow them. What I end up doing is so much more effective and interesting. I think the hours of planning does result in some inner-direction/
max - Beth, I can tell you it is absolutely, positively true!!!
Djinn - Beth - I subbed for two years - there were schools that had reputations for being sub sinkers - we refused to go there
Shels - They did at the secondary, but I'm enjoying the younger ages. I have three boys of my own, so I know when I have to get tough.
Beth Bruno - Max - I agree totally. The more carefully I plan lessons, the more comfortable I am with diverging from them.
rookie - Max--I have felt the same way about planning, even in my limited experience. Everything goes well on paper, but executing in the classroom is entirely another matter.
max - Has anyone taken brain gym training. I have used it as an activity in my classroom and it appears to work well.
Beth Bruno - Max - I just read about brain gym recently. What's involved?
Shels - What is brain gym training, max
max - Beth, thank you, I will plant that in my mind and quote next time I feel guilty about straying from my well laid plans!
rookie - Max, what is brain gym training? Sounds interesting.
Beth Bruno - Maybe we should devote a chat to brain gym training.
max - Beth, that would be really interesting!
Djinn - Sometimes I feel like I'm in brain Gym when I try to tell the identical twins apart. Good thing all three of us can laugh
max - Looking up the business card in my book, I hope!
Mountainette - I have never heard of brain gym!
max - see, I get excited about Brain Gym
Djinn - Beth- are these exercises for reading?
Beth Bruno - Well if its anything like mental gymnastics, we all practice it every day. :-)
Shar - Just recently I had another embarrassing kind of situation. I share a class with a new teacher that is really nice. I always come back into my classroom about the last minute of the period to get organozed to my room berfore my next class. I came back about the last five minutes one time to pass out tests to put one on every desk. So that my next class could get started right away. His students are used to me and know that I alwys come in like that. Well, this one particular day I did not realize that the assist. principal was observing him. The next day she called me into her office and tore into me about doing that. She said that it did not effect that perticular class, but another type of class could have gone wild over that. She probably was right, and I wish I had known that she was in there that day, or I would have never gone in there and did that. I guess I learned from that kind of experience to be more observant, and not do those kinds of things again. Although the teacher said that he did not mind at all as long as the kids were not effected by it. I also aplogogized to him over it afterwards, when I thought about what had happened.
max - I'm looking, It is a series of movement to intergrate the two hemispheres of the brain. Helps center and focus you mind.
rookie - Beth: Yeah, but what if your students' brains seems too rotten?
Mountainette - Is brain gym mental exercises?
jmb/stud.teach/1st - shar...if the students are used to it, it's become part of the routine, like taking attendance or anything else...if it causes no problems, they've already dealt with it...
Beth Bruno - Shar, I'm more taken aback by the over reaction of the assistant principal than I am by your careful planning.
Djinn - Shar I had a teacher do that to me once and I got dinged on my observation because she distracted my students and I could not keep their attention
Mountainette - This has been interesting, but I must leave.. Tonight there is supposed to be a new ER show.
Shar - Don't get me wrong, I usually love my job, and have many wonderful moments in the classroom with my students, but we can never share enough the things that do not go well, so that we can realize that we are not alone on these kinds of things, and that these kinds of thngs can and do happen to the best type of teachers, isn't that right?
max - Oh Shar, how embarassing, I know how you felt! Obwervation are really not done in "real life" time around here!!! It's like we have to teach to a list of criteria on the sheet which we are given before the observation.
jmb/stud.teach/1st - sound like an instance of the observer not being familiar with the procedures of the class they are observing...
rookie - What I mean by my comment is that as a student teacher, I am having trouble connecting with students that just don't seem to care. Many of them are failing, and nothing seems to work too effectively for very long. They just get off task and stay that way.
Anne - I taught a teacher inservice yesterday. I had one teacher who repeatedly told me he wasn't interested and wouldn't participate. After about ten of his negative comments, I finally asked him to stop being so negative and now he is furious with me! His son is in my class, it's a small school and I'm very uncomfortable. Any suggestions?
Beth Bruno - It's very discouraging to work with an apathetic student. Sad, too, to think a young person could be so turned off.
Shar - Dinn, that was really unfair of the principal to take the unfair evaluation out on you when it was the other teacher that caused the distraction!
Shels - Anne, sounds like that teacher is setting a bad example for his son
jmb/stud.teach/1st - rookie...i have the same problem...but i found that if the children see how the info relates to them, they will apply themselves...
Djinn - Shar_ I agree- I transferred that year to another school
Beth Bruno - Yes, Anne. I would make an appointment to talk with this teacher in private - to clear the air.
rookie - What's even worse is that I never really saw that kind of student when I was in high school myself. I don't understand how such learners just don't care about much of anything.
Beth Bruno - Thanks everyone for the animated, terrific discussion
Shar - I always try to do the right thing but sometimes awkward things just seem to happen like that flukish type of situation. Thank goodness that does not alwys happen or I would go crazy.
Anne - Yes, thankfully, the son was just the same today so he hasn't been part of this. He's a great boy but dad has a HUGE ego and is very negative. He teaches special ed. and doesn't ever think the inservices apply to him. However this one really did!
Beth Bruno - Good night all.
Kathleen - Good night, all, and thank you!
