Today the 3rd grade class had English. As usual, the kids were quite rowdy from the get go. We quickly got the kids on track. It took one loop around the classroom, pausing at several desks as I went. Because of those lovely ones, I have no mastered the "children-you're-being-loud-and-annoying-and-need-to-listen-up-now" stare. Some what effective. Of course they're kids... So they get distracted again in 5 seconds. Anyway! We recently started a new unit, Unit 8 I believe, and at the beginning of every unit there is a dialogue. This particular dialogue was about whales, sharks, and dolphins. Sounds cool, right? I guess not for this class. They were simply not interested today.
Before I know it, my co-teacher has 4 kids in chairs facing the walls around the room. Time-out for you guys! They were being very disrespectful and loud. I took up the job of standing by those kids so that they would stay quiet while the other kids were reading. I was by this one boy and every time I turned my head, he would start kicking the air in my general direction. It was weird. I could see enough just out of the corner of my eye. Obviously he wasn't taking his timeout seriously. I thought to myself, what would a teacher back home do? Apart from detentions, which don't exist in Georgia, I couldn't really think of anything. But then! Lightbulb! Let's have the kid write "Lines" on the board. Therefore he'll get to practice his writing skills as well.
Problems that arose from this:
-The kids don't know enough grammar that they don't understand "I will not talk in class."
-The other kids in the class were so interested in what he was writing on the board that they weren't paying attention to the reading!
-Most importantly, the kids in class didn't see this as a punishment. "He gets to write on the board. I want to write on the board too!" GAH!
Well, after about 5 minutes, the boy's arm was tired and the complaining began. He kept on trucking! Maybe now he'll think twice about being disruptive in class. The other kids will WANT to do it though... Even though doing "Lines" was supposed to improve his writing, his letters got worse as he grew more tired. They're quite nice on paper, just not on the board.
Side note: My co-teacher is preparing for a examination this summer to get a special teaching certificate. I've been helping her prepare by going over exercises with her. Today I taught her what these words meant: requirement; outlook; jetting off; appraisal; likelihood; shimmies. It was difficult not to giggle while saying "shimmies." And yes, I'm still 2-years-old. I wonder what new words we'll go over next!
Until next time. Adventure is out there!
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