Teacher Talks: "That's Not Fair!"

If there's anything I have been hearing so much it's the following line: THAT'S NOT FAIR.

Recently, I was positioned into another classroom with a teacher for coteaching. I have been able to sit back and see the dynamics of this class as well as enforce some new discipline tactics coming in with an outside perspective. I learned very quickly that students just want to be treated fairly. They want to have the same chances as every other student in the class to have good behavior and be rewarded for it. I think at times, as we near the end of the school year, when we have become tired and have had to deal with the same behaviors over and over again, we can tend to become annoyed with specific students. Even more, we can decide absent-mindedly, to write them off and choose not to give them chances any longer. Say for instance, you have a clip chart in your classroom for behavior. S is satisfactory, N is needs improvement and U is unacceptable. Student A acts out and she gets a warning for the next time she acts out. Student B acts out and because it is a recurring issue he doesn't receive a warning and his clip gets moved straight to U. How is that fair to that student? Now student B has gotten emotionally upset and causes a bigger disturbance to the classroom climate because he didn't receive the same treatment. These situations can escalate quickly and students can become disrespectful, defiant, and develop hatred towards their teacher because of being treated unfair. Consistency can help these situations. A developed successful discipline plan can help these situations. No student should go from S to U immediately. If one student receives a warning there should be a system put into place so that other students know without question they are going to be given the same amount of chances. 

Being fair in the classroom will make or break you as a classroom teacher. 

Teacher Talks: The Little Things

Second Nugget I've learned within the past four months. 

The Little Things Make The Difference

When I say the little things I'm meaning, having the pencils sharpened. Allowing students to go to the library so that they have books to read. Having desks in order. Having lessons plans printed and prepared. Having materials ready before class. 

Trying to find materials takes too long. Trying to get pencils sharpened wastes time. Students not having books to read creates chatter. Little things like these things can make a day go by so much smoother. And you will have less stress. 

Teacher Talks: Voice Lessons

The next three posts are going to be little pointers that I have recognized so far in four months of teaching. 

There is a time to yell and then there is a time not to yell. Some teachers feel like to express they are upset at a student or to get a student to get back in line with behavior they have to yell their heads off and scream to get the student's attention. That doesn't work in all situations. Picking battles and choosing when to get loud is key. Not every battle requires yelling. Screaming your head off the first time because a student's desk is messy isn't wise. They learn real quick that you get rattled too fast. Also, some kids live in hostile situations where no one talks at a calm level. So yelling doesn't affect them. Choose the right battles on when to yell. If you keep your voice level low majority of the time, the moment you DO yell, they will know you mean business. 

Opening Blog

Hi! My name is Katie Braswell. I am a fourth grade teacher at a school in Prichard, Alabama along the line of Eight Mile, Alabama. I graduated from college in December and received my first position here in January! Completely ecstatic doing what I've always dreamt of doing since a child.
I opened this blog to create a relationship with other classes and other teachers around the globe to teach students for one, that they aren't alone. Somewhere out there in the world there are other students their same age going through the same things they may be going through. To also show them that there is more out their than their neighborhood. That they could see the world and its grandeur at an early age to become aware of other cultures, communities, cities, beliefs, and opinions. Too long students are taught just about where they live and they never get to explore what else is out there.
I also created this blog to find new ways to bring innovative teaching methods, technology, and classroom creativity into my classroom. To see what other teachers are doing that is being successful and use blogging as a way to share ideas.
I'm looking forward to the beginning of the school year to fully blast off this blogging page and to get creativity stirred amongst my students and the teachers I work with.