chatboard - Teachers.Net

Jul 21, 2014

Some of the most misunderstood aspects of introverted temperaments, and how teachers can help introverts succeed in the classroom.

The Silent Playground – Why Students Need Daily Recess

The school playground was once the highlight of most elementary students’ days. It was an escape where children could socialize with friends, participate in free play, take part in sports, and explore nature.

The endless laughter that once echoed from elementary school playgrounds has unfortunately turned into silence. [Click below to r...See More

Jul 7, 2014

The Responsive Classroom: A Practical Approach ...

The Responsive Classroom: A Practical Approach for Teaching Children to Care by Dr. Belinda Gimbert:

[excerpt] Approaching issues of classroom management and discipline is much more than what teachers do when children break rules and misbehave. Rather than simply reacting to problems, we need to establish an ongoing social curriculum, we n...See More

Jun 23, 2014

How to Change your Classroom and Yourself with Gratitude

Jun 17, 2014

Teacher Owen Griffith writes:

Would you like to improve the culture in your classroom and your life? Try gratitude. This is the most powerful tool that I know. [Click below to read the article.]

Bathroom Issue

by Cat

May 6, 2014

I’m a first year teacher and I’m teaching English at a Catholic girls’ high school. Saturday was my first time supervising Saturday detention. It’s from 8 AM to 12 Noon and they get a bathroom/stretch break from 9:55 to 10:05. That’s the only time they are supposed to be out their seats for the whole 4 hours. I understand all that, but I ...See MoreI’m a first year teacher and I’m teaching English at a Catholic girls’ high school. Saturday was my first time supervising Saturday detention. It’s from 8 AM to 12 Noon and they get a bathroom/stretch break from 9:55 to 10:05. That’s the only time they are supposed to be out their seats for the whole 4 hours. I understand all that, but I had a situation on Saturday that I had to deal with.

I had 12 girls on Saturday and it wasn’t 15 minutes after the bathroom break that one of the girls came up to me and asked to go again. Of course, I asked her why she hadn’t gone before when she was supposed to. She didn’t really have an answer for me, but she was insistent that she really did have to go now. She didn’t say it, but somehow I got the impression that she had to go #2 and she didn’t want to do it with 11 other girls in the bathroom at the time. She is a really shy and quiet freshman so I can kind of understand how she was feeling about that. She apparently had waited in the hopes of being able to go later when she’d have the opportunity to be alone in the girls’ room.

So I let her go even though I wasn’t supposed to. Somebody apparently saw her coming out of the girls’ room at the inappropriate time. Tuesday, I got a letter from my principal reminding me of the rules of Saturday Detention and reiterating specifically that no one was to be out of the room except during the designated bathroom break. OK – I understand all that but what was I supposed to do in this situation? Was I really supposed to tell this girl she couldn’t go to the bathroom when she obviously needed to? Obviously, she should have gone during the bathroom break when she was supposed to. But the fact was that she didn’t. Was I really then supposed to deny her for close to 2 hours and make the poor girl risk soiling herself just to adhere to the rules? I hated teachers that didn’t use common sense in these kinds of situations and I vowed that I’d never become one of those.

(2)

My thoughts On 5/06/14, Cat wrote: > I’m a first year teacher and I’m teaching English at a > Catholic girls’ high school. Saturday was my first time > supervising Saturday detention. It’s from 8 AM to 12 Noon > and they get a bathroom/stretch break from 9:55 to 10:05. > That’s the only time they are supposed to be out their > seats...See MoreOn 5/06/14, Cat wrote: > I’m a first year teacher and I’m teaching English at a > Catholic girls’ high school. Saturday was my first time > supervising Saturday detention. It’s from 8 AM to 12 Noon > and they get a bathroom/stretch break from 9:55 to 10:05. > That’s the only time they are supposed to be out their > seats for the whole 4 hours. I understand all that, but I > had a situation on Saturday that I had to deal with. > > I had 12 girls on Saturday and it wasn’t 15 minutes > after the bathroom break that one of the girls came up to > me and asked to go again. Of course, I asked her why she > hadn’t gone before when she was supposed to. She didn’t > really have an answer for me, but she was insistent that > she really did have to go now. She didn’t say it, but > somehow I got the impression that she had to go #2 and she > didn’t want to do it with 11 other girls in the bathroom at > the time. She is a really shy and quiet freshman so I can > kind of understand how she was feeling about that. She > apparently had waited in the hopes of being able to go > later when she’d have the opportunity to be alone in the > girls’ room. > > So I let her go even though I wasn’t supposed to. > Somebody apparently saw her coming out of the girls’ room > at the inappropriate time. Tuesday, I got a letter from my > principal reminding me of the rules of Saturday Detention > and reiterating specifically that no one was to be out of > the room except during the designated bathroom break. OK – > I understand all that but what was I supposed to do in this > situation? Was I really supposed to tell this girl she > couldn’t go to the bathroom when she obviously needed to? > Obviously, she should have gone during the bathroom break > when she was supposed to. But the fact was that she didn’t. > Was I really then supposed to deny her for close to 2 hours > and make the poor girl risk soiling herself just to adhere > to the rules? I hated teachers that didn’t use common sense > in these kinds of situations and I vowed that I’d never > become one of those. >

Can you tell your principal just what you said right here in your post? I think the girl had an extenuating reason for going and I think you did the right thing. Think about how that girl would have felt if she did soil herself. She would have been subject to all kinds if harassment for that. Is your principal open minded enough to hear why you let the student go to the bathroom past the bathroom/stretching time?

May 7, 2014

Old Teacher I agree with "My thoughts".

On 5/07/14, My thoughts wrote: > On 5/06/14, Cat wrote: >> I’m a first year teacher and I’m teaching English at a >> Catholic girls’ high school. Saturday was my first time >> supervising Saturday detention. It’s from 8 AM to 12 > Noon >> and they get a bathroom/stretch brea...See MoreI agree with "My thoughts".

On 5/07/14, My thoughts wrote: > On 5/06/14, Cat wrote: >> I’m a first year teacher and I’m teaching English at a >> Catholic girls’ high school. Saturday was my first time >> supervising Saturday detention. It’s from 8 AM to 12 > Noon >> and they get a bathroom/stretch break from 9:55 to > 10:05. >> That’s the only time they are supposed to be out their >> seats for the whole 4 hours. I understand all that, but I >> had a situation on Saturday that I had to deal with. >> >> I had 12 girls on Saturday and it wasn’t 15 minutes >> after the bathroom break that one of the girls came up to >> me and asked to go again. Of course, I asked her why > she >> hadn’t gone before when she was supposed to. She > didn’t >> really have an answer for me, but she was insistent that >> she really did have to go now. She didn’t say it, but >> somehow I got the impression that she had to go #2 and > she >> didn’t want to do it with 11 other girls in the bathroom at >> the time. She is a really shy and quiet freshman so I can >> kind of understand how she was feeling about that. She >> apparently had waited in the hopes of being able to go >> later when she’d have the opportunity to be alone in the >> girls’ room. >> >> So I let her go even though I wasn’t supposed to. >> Somebody apparently saw her coming out of the girls’ > room >> at the inappropriate time. Tuesday, I got a letter from my >> principal reminding me of the rules of Saturday Detention >> and reiterating specifically that no one was to be out of >> the room except during the designated bathroom break. > OK – >> I understand all that but what was I supposed to do in > this >> situation? Was I really supposed to tell this girl she >> couldn’t go to the bathroom when she obviously needed > to? >> Obviously, she should have gone during the bathroom > break >> when she was supposed to. But the fact was that she > didn’t. >> Was I really then supposed to deny her for close to 2 > hours >> and make the poor girl risk soiling herself just to adhere >> to the rules? I hated teachers that didn’t use common > sense >> in these kinds of situations and I vowed that I’d never >> become one of those. >> > > Can you tell your principal just what you said right here in > your post? I think the girl had an extenuating reason for > going and I think you did the right thing. Think about how > that girl would have felt if she did soil herself. She would > have been subject to all kinds if harassment for that. Is > your principal open minded enough to hear why you let the > student go to the bathroom past the bathroom/stretching > time?

May 16, 2014

Any "one and done"'s out there?

by Old Teacher

May 16, 2014

Consider a break, then perhaps a different school system.

If you really are DONE TO A CRISP, know that it is better to leave now instead of later, when you have more to lose by leaving and might feel trapped to stay.

Getting a PhD in Education

by simonsmith

Jul 27, 2011

I'm 22 years old in a Masters in Education program. I'm interested in going directly into the PhD in Education here in California. I would have at least up to two years of teaching experience before entering the PHD next year. Do you think this is too soon for someone my age? Is there anyone who went directly into a PHD in Ed program before the age...See More

(9)

view previous comments

SIMONSMITH Thank-you Leah and all who responded concerning my question below. I am seriously interested in becoming a college professor as an ultimate goal. I appreciate your caps about "who you know" as sage advice. Would love to read your feedback as to the possibility of entering right into a PhD after my Masters or give myself a few years in teaching. ...See More

Jul 29, 2011

Alex How many years of experience in the classroom will you have after you finish the PhD? Education is one of those professions where experience is of vital importance, you don't learn how to be a good teacher if you don't practice first. Too many schools have principals with fancy degrees who would know the first thing about classroom management, or d...See More

Jul 31, 2011

Eager

by Krystal

Jul 27, 2011

Well I will be starting the new year and my FIRST year August 10th. I am so eager to learn and anxious to get advice! I need as many tips as possible!

(1)