Exhausted

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Fourth Grade Teachers Chatboard

Exhausted

by Need suggestions, please

Apr 27, 2012

Hello all, Suddenly, every day after recess, there is a flood of complaints from the children about insults and near-fights or fights beginning. My principal spends HOURS trying to counsel and intervene - and things our school really needs are falling apart. And then the same kids are right back at it the next day.

Today I decided it is ridiculous that 4-6 kids in my class are taking so much time away from my prep periods and before/after school preparation time and disrupting class every return from recess. I told my class that anyone caught trash-talking, instigating or threatening a fight, will lose the next 5 days recess because we cannot waste any more academic time.

On the positive side, my students set up a color card system earlier this year and it really helped with classroom behavior. Today, I rewarded every kid whose card stayed green all week, with 1/2 hour of board game time. Each kid whose card changed color whether for in-class or on the yard behavior...See More

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Sara On 4/27/12, Need suggestions, please wrote:

State testing drives everybody crazy - the kids pick up on the tension. NO teacher likes giving these tests and the kids sense our underlying resentment and at the same time they're outright told how important these tests are and they should try their best. And how happy would any of us be as a ...See MoreOn 4/27/12, Need suggestions, please wrote:

State testing drives everybody crazy - the kids pick up on the tension. NO teacher likes giving these tests and the kids sense our underlying resentment and at the same time they're outright told how important these tests are and they should try their best. And how happy would any of us be as a child sitting still and filling in the bubbles?? So yes the very recentn escalation of issues you're having could be all about the state tests. > We all do things differently and what works in one school doesn't necessarily work in the next school. I emphasize the concept of community from the first day - that our class is one - and we're there to support each other. I remind them that life is not perfect (they already knew that) but that we can make it better by having a great classroom to come to each day. But I also tell them I can't really do it alone - I need their help. I promise them that I won't take out my bad days on them and I do try to lighten things up whenever I can and make the school day pleasant, interesting and even fun.

I find unhappy kids can become somewhat happier then and I think a lot of kids' constant fighting comes from their own unhappiness. State tests can be directly spoken to - telling them that 'while always a lively class, this is something more. There is now it seems constant fighting. My guess is you all are nervous and a bit overworked and some of you are taking it out on each other."

That can help. Reassure them about the tests - that can help too.

> > > > On the positive side, my students set up a color card > system earlier this year and it really helped with > classroom behavior. Today, I rewarded every kid whose card > stayed green all week, with 1/2 hour of board game time. > Each kid whose card changed color whether for in-class or > on the yard behavior- got to copy the dictionary for 1/2 > hour. It was 20 kids on games, 6 on dictionary. 4 were in > the office for the fight this morning, and 2 kids went home > for appointments. > > Any other suggestions? I've had class meetings, read Lil > Bill's "The Meanest Thing", taught a lesson on tattling vs > reporting. The recess consequence, I put in place today > because I'm getting so overwhelmed. > > The last few days also, I've had several kids throw > screaming, howling tantrums - snot and tears everywhere, so > loud no one in two classrooms could learn, really > inappropriate for 10 year olds, over getting minor > consequences about not getting to play a game they weren't > participating in anyway (now having to do the work > individually) or getting recess detention... > > It's state testing right now (only 4 days though out of 10 > in the two week window), could that be triggering these > fiascos? And what to do about that since we don't have a > choice about the tests? > > Any advice welcome!! Thank you!

May 1, 2012

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cateach4 On 5/01/12, Sara wrote: > On 4/27/12, Need suggestions, please wrote: > > State testing drives everybody crazy - the kids pick up on the > tension. NO teacher likes giving these tests and the kids > sense our underlying resentment and at the same time they're > outright told how important these tests are and they should > try t...See MoreOn 5/01/12, Sara wrote: > On 4/27/12, Need suggestions, please wrote: > > State testing drives everybody crazy - the kids pick up on the > tension. NO teacher likes giving these tests and the kids > sense our underlying resentment and at the same time they're > outright told how important these tests are and they should > try their best. > And how happy would any of us be as a child sitting still and > filling in the bubbles?? So yes the very recentn escalation of > issues you're having could be all about the state tests. >> > We all do things differently and what works in one school > doesn't necessarily work in the next school. I emphasize the > concept of community from the first day - that our class is > one - and we're there to support each other. I remind them > that life is not perfect (they already knew that) but that we > can make it better by having a great classroom to come to each > day. But I also tell them I can't really do it alone - I need > their help. I promise them that I won't take out my bad days > on them and I do try to lighten things up whenever I can and > make the school day pleasant, interesting and even fun. > > I find unhappy kids can become somewhat happier then and I > think a lot of kids' constant fighting comes from their own > unhappiness. State tests can be directly spoken to - telling > them that 'while always a lively class, this is something > more. There is now it seems constant fighting. My guess is you > all are nervous and a bit overworked and some of you are > taking it out on each other." > > That can help. Reassure them about the tests - that can help > too. > > >> >> >> >> On the positive side, my students set up a color card >> system earlier this year and it really helped with >> classroom behavior. Today, I rewarded every kid whose card >> stayed green all week, with 1/2 hour of board game time. >> Each kid whose card changed color whether for in-class or >> on the yard behavior- got to copy the dictionary for 1/2 >> hour. It was 20 kids on games, 6 on dictionary. 4 were in >> the office for the fight this morning, and 2 kids went home >> for appointments. >> >> Any other suggestions? I've had class meetings, read Lil >> Bill's "The Meanest Thing", taught a lesson on tattling vs >> reporting. The recess consequence, I put in place today >> because I'm getting so overwhelmed. >> >> The last few days also, I've had several kids throw >> screaming, howling tantrums - snot and tears everywhere, so >> loud no one in two classrooms could learn, really >> inappropriate for 10 year olds, over getting minor >> consequences about not getting to play a game they weren't >> participating in anyway (now having to do the work >> individually) or getting recess detention... >> >> It's state testing right now (only 4 days though out of 10 >> in the two week window), could that be triggering these >> fiascos? And what to do about that since we don't have a >> choice about the tests? >> >> Any advice welcome!! Thank you!

May 3, 2012

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cateach4 Okay, I'm so exhausted I sent that last one without any info...

Like the last responder, I also emphasize the idea of community in the classroom. The book I use is "How Full Is Your Bucket?" The students really respond. One day, we were having a fabulous day and one of my (difficult to focus) boys looked up and said, "I think your bucket ...See More

May 3, 2012

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