Pages

Thursday, February 5, 2009

If I can make 1st graders cry, then 5th graders can make me cry

So many different combinations are possible.

Bad teaching day that capped a bad teaching week. Nine students got detention today alone. Talks are not working. Time outs are not working. Detention is not working. Heritage sharing is not working. That random community circle is not working.

My theory is that this class holds itself together because JL is a male teacher and I am still viewed as an outsider. Outside of getting a sex change, about the only thing working for me are non-verbal interventions. "I" messages are heretofore banned from exiting my mouth. I hate power struggles and the logic of fifth graders is rather skewed.

I suppose it's about time I had some drama happen in student teaching. Not that phase II was completely drama-free, but KM and I were very nearly on exactly the same page in all aspects involving the classroom, from management to academic expectations to how the room should be arranged. JL's teaching philosophy aligns with mine on a theoretical level, however the implementation does not. It. So. Does. Not.

As usual, the first thought running through my head about a badly taught lesson/day is "what can I do better?" Right now, I just don't know.

No comments: