classroom management

You can't teach if you don't have control of your class! That is my THANG.....I love discovering the behavior of each student in the classroom. I equate it to behavior profiling.....like on Criminal Minds....actually I really did have that kind of job when I taught the emotional disturbed junior high class and then the self contained behavior disorder high school class!!

My very first job was the ED junior high class. It was all boys except one girl and she was the most dangerous. The principal stuck us in a building by ourselves behind the main school building. She made me eat lunch with my students because they were so terrible. I kept the job for a total of 3 months. I left because the principal was breaking so many special ed rules (and wanting me to do the same). It was a county school and nothing was being done for the students. Before I quit, the students were eating lunch on their own and half the class had been integrated into regular classes!! The students I can handle! The students I can TRAIN....it is the administration that is helpless!!

My last job was the CDC behavior HS class.  This was a city school. They would not even give us a classroom. I held class at the end of a hallway on the steps (for the kids that actually showed up!!) I quit this job after 4 months. When I left.......I admit nothing changed.....but the principal left shortly after I did......It was a horrible city school......the kids were completely out of control.

Every class has a class clown, bully, stinky kid, sick kid, ADD kid, withdrawn kid, daydreamer, etc.....I am teaching a combination of 5th grade and 7th grade this year. School lasts from 8am until 2pm with a one hour lunch. I have seen every single one of these personalities in my TWO students. They pop up at random times. They switch back and forth.

As I ate lunch with my students today, I was reminded of my very first teaching job.........................and I decided I need a teacher's lounge.

As I observe a pencil roll off the table about 88 times a day, use planned ignoring, use hygiene reminders, use visual/tactile or auditory sensory to engage learning, "encourage" organization, give the "teacher look" to the clowning student, try to laugh off the smarty pants comment, and keep track of the make-up work for the sick kid........I get an odd thrill of why I love the behavior teaching part of being a teacher!! I love the few seconds of disguising my true feelings of wanting to smack the crap out of the kids and then the few seconds of working the puzzle of "why are they exhibiting this behavior and how can I change it into learning"......

THEN as I listen to the boys' questions and answers and see that sparkle and excitement when they learn something new or the wheels finally click......I remember my last job.............I get this overwhelming happiness with the teaching job that I have right now!!

Learning Tip for the day:
If you have to tell the student to sit down more than twice, let him stand up!! He needs to stand up!! It is part of his learning process!! Tell their teacher Mrs. Z said so!!!!