Discipline Journal #4

I. Ten Discipline Situations:
Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I

Description of the Incident: As class was about to begin, a student yells out across the room to her friend, “Hey! Did you do your Spanish homework? Can I see it?” I walked over to her desk and told her that if he did have it, she was not going to cheat off of it in my classroom – this is an “Honors” class (not that it meant anything to her). She said it wasn’t for “this” class, so it shouldn’t matter. I told her to see me after class.

Consequences: I talked to her about cheating and what her parents would think about it, and how being honest with your work is a big part of the character she displayed. She listened, but didn’t seem interested. I told her I would have to talk to her Spanish teacher and he could decide what to do (if anything) about it.

Reflection: My relationship with the student is still fine. The discipline situation didn’t really impact my relationship with the student, though I hope she thinks twice before asking for someone else’s homework.

Grade level/Class: English II, 3rd period

Description of the Incident: Two students continued to talk after I asked for everyone’s attention. I paused, waiting to “give them the eye” to redirect their attention. One did, but the other continued standing up, speaking to the other girl. I asked her to please sit down. She said, “Hold on a minute!!”

Consequences: She received a meeting with me, a call home, and a detention. I don’t know if our relationship will be affected in the long run, but at the moment, she’s still angry that she had any consequences at all. She didn’t understand how what she did was disrespectful.

Reflection: This type of incident happens usually once or twice a year. It’s not a common occurrence, and I find that it is usually girls who behave this way. I don’t think there’s a way to prevent this type of disrespect; I feel it usually stems from their home lives.


Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I, 2nd period

Description of the Incident: A student was written a detention for excessive tardiness, but did not show up. When I gave the student an office referral the next class period, her stayed in his desk and didn’t move toward the door. I nudged him to move, and he did, but not without remarking something under his breath.

Consequences: His consequence was a warning. I think the consequence was appropriate and so far the consequence has made a difference. I haven’t had any problems of this sort from him since.

Reflection: I hate taking class time to deal with behavioral problems, My relationship with the student is about the same, and he had followed directions ever since. Should it happen again, I think he will just go.


Grade level/Class: English II

Description of the Incident: I told my kids to find something to work on after their tests, that they couldn’t talk even after everyone had finished. A girl blurted out, “Why not??” I calmly told her that this was the plan for the day, she continued to argue.

Consequences: I asked her to see me after class. This was the same girl who told me to “Hold on a minute!!” It was the second outburst of that kind, and so I wrote her a referral since the detention and parent phone call were unsuccessful.

Reflection: Some problems aren’t resolved after addressing it once, which doesn’t bother me. I think the more we discuss things, the more they will see that I care about the situation and the more likely the behavior is to change.



Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I, 3rd period

Description of the Incident:
A girl came in tardy for the 4th time to 3rd period.
Consequences: I wrote her a referral, which is the “next step”.

Reflection: The consequence was appropriate, and she hasn’t been tardy since then.


Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I, 3rd period

Description of the Incident: When the students walked into the classroom, a girl handed me a grade sheet for basketball. I asked her to wait until the end of class and she rolled her eyes at me and “hmphed” at me.

Consequences: She received a detention for the disrespect she showed. I asked if she would come see me. Before I could get words out of my mouth, she apologized for the way she spoke to me, and accepted her apology. This has been a constant problem this year. I told her if it became a problem with her in particular, I would have to write about it in the comments section of her grade sheet. She seemed to understand.

Reflection: I think with this type of student, who wants everything when she wants it, how she wants it, it’s important to make listening a priority for both parties. I think our relationship is fine now, though not much time has passed. Relationships can only strengthen when listening is a priority (again).


Date/Time: October 14, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre – AP English I

Description of the Incident: I prevented a discipline situation by having people sign in for tutoring when they showed up. Some students try to get out of athletics by coming to tutoring and messing around. I had any student who needed help in tutoring sign in, telling exactly what they needed help with. This has warded off some of those students.

Consequences: They may have gotten detentions for messing around or have been forced to run if their coaches were notified, but the problem was fixed, so they didn’t.

Reflection: Prevention is the best way to deal with behavior problems. I prefer to never deal with behavior problems, and it’s a relief to not have to worry about a small situation like this.



Grade level/Class: - Pre-AP English I

Description of the Incident:
A girl came in tardy for the 6th time to 1st period.
Consequences: I wrote her a referral, and she’ll probably end up going to MIC because of it, unfortunately.

Reflection: The district feels the consequence is appropriate, but I have mixed feelings. This girl will not receive instruction for me for some time, which puts her education out of my hands. I do not like this side of it.

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English 4th period

Description of the Incident: Two students were talking during a test, apparently cheating on the assignment.

Consequences: I took up both tests, and they received a zero for the test, which they cannot make up. This punishment is fair and used pretty frequently. They didn’t deny that they were cheating, so it went pretty smoothly.

Reflection: I’m amazed that students can be so blatant with their cheating and it doesn’t seem to matter to them. The relationship with these students hasn’t changed because they didn’t realize it was a big deal.


Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I

Description of the Incident: A student was singing a song with highly inappropriate lyrics. I raised my eyebrow at him, and he kept singing.

Consequences: I wrote an office referral because of the sexual nature of what he was saying. He disputed it, saying that he wasn’t cussing, but I sent him anyway. I think the nature of what he was saying warranted an office referral – the punishment was fair.

Reflection: Since the incident, our relationship has not improved unfortunately


II. Model to Implement: Rogerian
The Rogerian model encourages the participant to listen, to be a reliable, trustworthy sounding board for others’ problems.


Description of incident:
A student wanted to tell me how she and her sister had gotten in a fight about leaving for school on time. The fight turned physical, and she went into detail about all of her disagreements and troubles with her sister.

Specific steps:
I didn’t add anything to the discussion; I simply listened and repeated some statements back to her, being a sympathetic ear for her to share her story with.

Reflection:
I think she appreciated the fact that I listened to her. I don’t think she was looking for advice or sympathy or criticism; she just wanted to be heard. The Rogerian model is terrific for this type of occurrence. A lot of times we’re tempted to say everything we think, especially if you’re opinionated like I am. I found it a great exercise for listening, a practice we can all use from time to time.

My Discipline Model - Crucial Relationships

My Discipline Model : Crucial Relationships

Brief, narrative description of model: The discipline model I follow uses strategies that above all else create a safe, welcoming, challenging learning environment for my students. It is designed to build relationships with students to maintain classroom management and ensure that learning can take place – that forward progress is always allowed to continue.I’ve borrowed from the following discipline models to structure my own.

Love and Logic- Since I’ve been teaching, this has been pushed by the district in order to avoid arguments and give the teacher control of her class without demeaning any of the students. I use “tag lines” and avoid mean sarcasm, which takes away the students’ need to feel defensive and promotes a calm atmosphere. Assertive- Students want to know their boundaries and consequences. I have a very short list of rules and consequences posted so that they know my expectations concretely.

Rogerian- Listening is so important in building relationships to maintain a well-disciplined class. If they know that you care, they will be more willing to work hard for you. Not necessarily getting involved, but being an ear to hear troubles lets the student know that they can trust you. Trust is crucial in building relationships.

Preventative- Preventing potential problems is the foundation of any good discipline model. With experience one gains the skills needed to seek out and prevent problems before they happen through extensive planning and organizing and an instinct for avoiding tricky situations.

Overt Teacher Behaviors:
Time to read for fun
Parent phone calls
Listen to music
Games
JagCards
Verbal Recognition
Display student work

Covert Teacher Behavior:
A well-planned seating chart or groups
Eye contact with off-task students
Proximity to students
Calming gestures
Place hand on the pupil's desk or book
Model expected behavior
Point to posted rule
Talk with student after class

Educational Insights: What glimpses, indications, signals, warnings, or advice would you offer to a new teacher based on your experience and your new knowledge gained from this course?

So much of success comes with experience and trial and error. Don’t get discouraged if a discipline model doesn’t work the first time. Keep trying. Know your kids- know their parents. Be willing to admit when you’re wrong and don’t beat yourself up if you can’t reach every student you teach, but keep trying. Watch a students’ body language because you can tell if they are hurting, defensive, excited, etc., and it can help you address their needs.

Strengths:The strengths of my discipline model is that the student will always come first, and the classroom will always be one that is conducive to learning. Students know what to expect, are shown respect, and there are very few surprises.

Limitations:The limitations of my model are that a lot of class time is sometimes take up trying to build rapports and connections with students, which can take away from academia. Students who hate strict rules will balk at this model at first because it leaves no room for students to break rules without consequences.Why do you believe your model will work with students? I think my model works well with students because they see that the teacher is in control of her class, and that this is someone who they trust, and are willing to listen to and learn from.

Reflection for ETEC 597

How will you harness the power of the technology you've explored and make it work for you? Identify at least two technologies and discuss your ideas for integration and engagement.

What are some other "Aha" moments you had this semester? Finally, will you continue to utilize your blog and how?

I have always tried to incorporate technology into my classroom, but with the speed of the way technology changes and all of the new sources out there being developed every day, I confess that it’s difficult to keep up. Making PowerPoints more interactive by creating Jeopardy reviews for vocabulary and reading comprehension have been valuable tools that have truly gotten my students more involved.

One of the biggest problems I’ve run into when expecting my student to type their papers is that they don’t have Word at home and couldn’t format the paper in the way that was expected of them. With the use of Google Docs, the students can type their papers at home, in class, in the computer lab, at the library or ANYWHERE and have access to their documents at all times.

My biggest Aha moment is the way I can incorporate using ePortfolios in my own classroom. Creating an ePortfolio is a great way for students to keep up with their work, and great for way for them to see how far they’ve come throughout the year. I haven’t had my students make an ePortfolio yet, but that is my goal for next semester. I think they will enjoy the experience and will look back on it as a useful tool to present their work.

I will continue to use my blog especially as a model for my students to look at for their own portfolios. It will be worth it to me to keep it going because I really think I can use it to help my students.

Discipline Journal 3

Discipline Journal #3

I. Ten Discipline Situations:
Date/Time: November 3, 2008
Grade level/Class: On-level 10th grade English 4th period

Description of the Incident: Tardy for the 3rd time, a student walked in late from lunch. I told him to sign the tardy book, which he did without incident. Later that day while tallying up tardies, I realized that the student signed in as “Stuart Little”, and while I enjoyed the literary reference, I was not not impressed with the lack of respect the student had shown the expectations in my class. I don’t think this is an event I could have prevented.

Consequences: During class the next time I had him, I told him that I had to write him a referral, not just for the 3rd tardy, but for signing the tardy book under a false name. I called his mom, and she said she would “take care of it”. He wasn’t punished by the office for not signing in correctly, but he was given an after school detention for the 3rd tardy.

Reflection: My relationship with the student is still fine. I don’t think him signing in that way was a personal affront, and he didn’t seem to think that sending him to the office was unwarranted. The is discipline situation didn’t really impact my relationship with the student, though he hasn’t been tardy since, which probably has more to do with his desire to stay out of the office than it does with an improved relationship with me.

Date/Time: November 4th, 2008 4th period.

Grade level/Class: English II, 4th period

Description of the Incident: A student – not mine - walked down the hallway with their shirts un-tucked before the bell rang for first period. I asked them to stop and tuck in their shirts. They ignored me, but one student said something under his breath, which was barely audible. I decided not to address that, but instead to reinforce the dress code issue. I don’t think I could have prevented this event because dress code is a perpetual problem. I told them they had two choices to tuck their shirts in or to follow me up to the office. They promptly tucked their shirts in and went to class.

Consequences: There were no consequences, save the social time they wasted, standing talking to me.
Reflection: I don’t have a relationship with those students, really. I still see them every-other morning and they pass me in dress code, knowing that I enforce the dress code. I suppose that is kind of sign of respect, which means our relationship is a bit better.


Date/Time: November 10th, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I, 2nd period

Description of the Incident: A student was written a detention for excessive tardiness, but did not show up. When I gave the student an office referral the next class period, her stayed in his desk and didn’t move toward the door. I wrote a sticky note to him facing him with the consequences for refusing to go to the office would be – having him removed from my classroom. I may have been able to prevent the incident by speaking to the student as I handed him the referral instead of laying it on his desk and expecting him to go on his own. I had already rescheduled his detention once, and was irritated, so I just handed it to him instead.

Consequences: His consequence was a warning. I think the consequence was appropriate and so far the consequence has made a difference. I haven’t had any problems of this sort from him since.

Reflection: I hate taking class time to deal with behavioral problems, yet I may have had to spend less time dealing with it if I had addressed him personally. My relationship with the student is about the same, and he had followed directions ever since. Should it happen again, I think he will just go.

Date/Time: November 10, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I, 2nd period

Description of the Incident: After the announcements, we say the Pledge of Allegiance together as a school. It has been a problem before that the students would refuse to recite the pledge. It was happening again. I looked out at the crowd as they were half mumbling the pledge, and it had no effect.

Consequences: After the moment of silence, I engaged the class again in a discussion about what they think the Pledge is for, about sacrifice, appreciation, and respect just like we had before. As a consequence, I had the kids take the time to write why they didn’t want to say the pledge. The consequence was appropriate for the situation. I cannot force students to say the pledge, and I hope it’s simply a problem with maturity. Most of their responses said something about “being tired” or “we say it every day, it’s lost its meaning..” I read some of the responses anonymously to the class and asked how adults would react to these situations. The consequence took up the free reading time they get that period, but I think it was time well spent.

Reflection: Some problems aren’t resolved after addressing it once, which doesn’t bother me. I think the more we discuss things, the more they will see that I care about the situation.


Date/Time: November 11, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I, 3rd period

Description of the Incident: My daughter has been very sick with spinal meningitis, which has caused me to miss a lot of school. During one of the days I was out, my 3rd period class was completely out of control. Some of the students were actually throwing paper at the poor substitute. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do to prevent this from happening.

Consequences: I firmly believe in giving students choices and building rapport, but this incident bordered on criminal in my opinion, and I knew there had to be harsh consequences this time around. The sub left me specific names of the perpetrators. When I returned, I had office referrals waiting for them. I called them out into the hallway to discuss the situation, but I did most of the talking. One girl cried, the other two boys fidgeted, looking down at the floor and not responding to my questions. When I saw that they were not cooperating, I packed them off to the office. I let the office know they were coming ahead of time, and asked them to keep them the entire period. I wanted to talk to the rest of the class about not standing up for a man who was a guest on our campus. I believe the consequences were swift and appropriate.

Reflection: Whether the consequences for these behaviors were effective or not remains to be seen, but I believe very strongly that some behaviors require harsh punishments.


Date/Time: November 14, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I, 3rd period

Description of the Incident: I had a girl athlete interrupt my classroom, bursting through the door with a grade sheet in her hand and while I was talking to my class, she interrupted to ask if I would sign her grade sheet. I looked at her and asked her to step outside and wait for me. This has been a constant problem with this particular student, so I decided to tell her coach. When I spoke to her, she was angry and frustrated that I “embarrassed her” in front of my class. I spoke to her about better ways she could have handled the situation and that I would have to tell her coach.

Consequences: Her coach made her run as a punishment. I think it was appropriate because it was directly tied to the infraction, and it was not her first or second time she had, not only interrupted my class but been disrespectful to me when I tried to suggest a different approach to her behavior.

Reflection: I think this time, the message got through. Sometimes having the support of a colleague in redirecting a students’ behavior is the successful way to go. She talked to me in a humorous way about having to run until she was sick and that she was sorry – an apology which seemed sincere.

Date/Time: November 5, 2008

Grade level/Class: 4th periodPre – AP English I

Description of the Incident: While I was out, a couple of my students were participating in a very racially charged conversation. One student wanted to know if the Confederate Flag on his note book meant he didn’t like black people. He said that he loved black people…hanging from his water tower. Of course this comment enraged most of the class. I wasn’t there when it happened, but a student relayed the information to me. I was told he was already sent to the office for his comment. I called the office to verify, and he had. I knew that when he came back to class that things would be extremely tense.

Consequences: He received ISS for his comments, which is appropriate, but I knew there needed to be other actions taken. I spoke to the boy’s counselor and suggested she get the parties together to open up a mediated conversation about what was said and the feelings behind what he said and about the people who were hurt by his comments. This consequence was appropriate because you can never fight hate with hate, and I knew the kids would probably not work things out on their own.

Reflection: The aftershocks of this incident are still being felt, and things are far from normal in this class, especially now that the boy is back in class. I know they are still working with the counselors, and I know that’s the only way we’ll make progress. I think my relationship with most of the students in the class is improved because I treated the comment seriously and made sure it was taken care of.

Date/Time: October 13, 2008

Grade level/Class: - 10th grade on-level English

Description of the Incident: I gave my on-level class time to work with each other on annotations over a short story. They took the time that I gave them and worked quite well. When their time was over, they were to go back to their assigned seats and write a response to the reading assignment based on their annotations by themselves and quietly. They didn’t. After redirecting them a multitude of times, I could see that it just wasn’t going to work out.

Consequences: I told them that we had to make a deal. When they work together, they should expect that there is going to be individual work not far behind it, and that if that they could not work silently when the time came, they would lose the privilege all together. They lost the privilege for the rest of the day, but they could earn it back based on their behavior. The consequence was appropriate because it directly related to the problem at hand.

Reflection: Our relationship is a bit strained. They are not quite “getting it” yet. I will continue to work on our relationship while making sure they have the opportunity to learn and follow directions. I think our relationship will improve. We don’t quite know each other well enough yet.


Date/Time: November 17, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English 4th period

Description of the Incident: I was setting up a video clip during class, and in the back of the classroom, I hear a boy make a comment that was sexually related. I looked over my shoulder and told him to step outside. I got the class started and went to see him in the hallway.

Consequences: I talked to him about how much trouble he would get into if what he said offended someone personally, and that he needed to show propriety, respect, and sensitivity in the classroom. I also told him that I documented exactly what he said, and that I would attach it to an office referral if I ever heard anything like that come out of his mouth again. He was nearly in tears. I think he knew his mother would be horrified if she knew what he had said.

Reflection: My freshmen are so very immature, and I know that the comment he made was not meant to hurt anyone; it was merely for shock value and attention. I think he appreciate the fact that I gave him another chance, and I don’t expect that I’ll have any similar problems from this student.


Date/Time: November 17, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I

Description of the Incident: One of my procedures is that everyone must be seated before the bell rings. It keeps them from knocking each other over at the door and keeps the illusion of order. There were 2 students who were standing up near the door, and when I asked them to sit down, they walked super slowly back to their desks, but before they reached their desks, the bell rang and they turned back towards the door. I told them to wait, that they’d be the last to leave the classroom.

Consequences: Leaving the classroom last was appropriate because it was directly related to the infraction, and they could see that the punishment fit the incident.

Reflection: Since the incident, our relationship has not changed. They are good kids who just tried to “work” the system. Not all consequences change relationships with students. In fact, some students are so used to receiving consequences that it hardly phases them at all. I’m working to try to change that in small ways so that they will be encouraged to do the right thing without consequences.

II. Model to Implement: Positive Discipline
The tools and concepts of Positive Discipline include:
· Mutual respect. Adults model firmness by respecting themselves and the needs of the situation, and kindness by respecting the needs of the child.
· Identifying the belief behind the behavior. Effective discipline recognizes the reasons kids do what they do and works to change those beliefs, rather than merely attempting to change behavior.
· Effective communication and problem solving skills.
· Discipline that teaches (and is neither permissive nor punitive).
· Focusing on solutions instead of punishment.
· Encouragement (instead of praise). Encouragement notices effort and improvement, not just success, and builds long-term self-esteem and empowerment..

Description of incident:
A male student came to class with his earrings in, and as he walked in the door, I asked him to take them out. He heard me, kept walking to his seat, and did not comply. This was direct insubordination to the dress code as well as to my direct request, and the punishment he could have received could possibly been harsh. Because of the relationship I have with him, I know him to be a good student and not normally insubordinate or disrespectful. I decided to use the Positive Discipline Model to handle the situation.

Specific steps:
As the model suggests, I identified the fact that he had his earrings in for a reason – to look cool, to get attention, to get noticed. I wanted to focus on the solution and not the problem, so I started to advance toward him. As my proximity closed in on him, he began to take his earrings out. I smiled, he smiled back and the situation was over. Before he left for the day, I quietly asked him to come to my desk and asked him to do me a favor and not wear his earrings to class any more. He hasn’t since.

Reflection:
The Positive Discipline model is great in most situations. Avoiding arguments allows me as a teacher to do my job and not lose much time or the relationship I’ve built with the student by over-reacting or being too harsh. Using this model, the students don’t feel like they’ve been yelled at by the end of it, which allows me to continue building a relationship after a bad situation. Other models may make the student feel intimidated and belittled. In this situation, I was able to handle the situation with very little ado, which is how I wish all behavioral situations could be handled. The Positive Discipline model pushes patience, understanding, and elimination of the problem without humiliation or intimidation, and I think that as humans, that’s how we all would like to be treated. The students are no exception to the rule.

Using Reliable Internet Information

I have been guilty of pulling information from the Internet in a last-minute crunch and not knowing or caring who was responsible for creating the information. The time that comes to mind was when I was planning an introduction to To Kill a Mockingbird and wanted to give my students some background information on the setting. Besides what they learn in History, my kids are pretty unaware about what life was like in the 1930's in America, so I put together a PowerPoint that would hit on some aspects of life such as politics, art, music, fashion, entertainment, and daily life in the 1930's.

I admit that I was in a mad rush to put the PowerPoint together in time for my 1st period class, and so I Googled this and that, not bothering to find out if the information was reliable, pulling pictures and bullet-pointed information to "educate" my students. Looking back, if I had taken the time to really research the information using the sites we learned about last class period, my students would have benefited.

I take pride in my profession and in the way I teach, but moments like that are great indicators that where technology is concerned, I have a long way to go before I can say that I am completely competent in that area.

Discipline Journal #2

Laura Vaughn

SHED Cohort – Fall 2008

October 22, 2008

Discipline Journal #2

Discipline Journal #2

I. Ten Discipline Situations:
Date/Time: October 9, 2008
Grade level/Class: On-level 10th grade English 3rd period

Description of the Incident: My first day back from maternity leave, while trying to learn students’ names, we were playing a get to know you game, and some students were giving me false names as we went around the room and sharing things about ourselves. I knew they were false names because I had a seating chart before me. I ignored it initially until the game was over. I guess they did it to make the other kids laugh because everyone knew each other but me. Though it was practically harmless, it was an act of disrespect and needed to be addressed. I could have prevented the incident by calling their names instead of leaving it up to them to introduce themselves, but it was part of the process, so I decided to take the risk.

Consequences: During class, I found a reason to call each of them by their real names, and when they saw that they were caught, they gave me a look of realization, and I asked them to stay after class. Their consequence was a warning. I told them that being truthful is always important, and that lying simply to disrupt the class was not something I was going to tolerate in my class. I think a warning was appropriate in this case because I was still trying to build a rapport with these kids and didn’t want to blow my chance.

Reflection: Though I “went easy” on these students, our relationship is still very strained. I think that my being out for the first six weeks has damaged the structure of discipline in my class, and it’s going to take a while to reinstate harmony and good behavior. I am still trying very hard with these students to help them see that a classroom with discipline is going to make things better as opposed to the total lack thereof while I was gone.

Date/Time: October 9, 2008 4th period.

Grade level/Class: English II, 4th period

Description of the Incident: I placed note cards with students’ names on the kids’ desks so that I could build my own seating chart and start from scratch learning names. When the kids came into the classroom, I could tell that they were quite a rowdy bunch. They were exchanging note cards so they could sit where they wanted to sit (with their friends) even though I asked them to please sit in the seat with their names on them when they walked in the door. I noticed, and when I addressed a group of girls in the act, one of them very rudely told me that she liked where she sat before because she could learn better and that she didn’t want to have to sit in the front of the class. I told her that for the day, she would have to sit in the seat she was assigned, and she threw her book bag down the row angrily. I don’t think that I could have prevented the situation beyond possibly being there at the beginning of the year to set my rules and expectations.

Consequences: I thanked her for letting me know how she learns best, told her to go pick up her bag, walk back to where I was standing and try it again. The class got quiet noticing that her act of defiance wasn’t going over well with me, and some of the other kids were mumbling about making a good impression and for her to act right. I ended up calling her mother that first day. He mother seemed supportive and said that she would have a word with her when she got home. The consequence was appropriate, and the student responded by not causing any more problems (so far).

Reflection: My relationship with this student now is about average. I’m still getting to know her, but I think we’ve moved beyond the incident. I didn’t have a relationship prior to the first day I met her. With the help of her mother, I think our relationship will be fine from now on.


Date/Time: October 10, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I, 2nd period

Description of the Incident: As we dove into our first piece of literature on my first day back, there was a student who was not joining us. He had a book out and was reading for enjoyment instead of following along with our close read. I noticed he was doing this, and asked the class as a whole to save him the embarrassment that if “anyone is working on something else, please put it away while we’re doing this assignment…” He heard me and didn’t respond. I walked over to his desk, nodded silently and his book and smiled, thinking he would take the hint. He still refused to my shock, and so silently, I took the book off of his desk and told him he could get it back at the end of the period. The class was busy working, so they didn’t notice what was happening to him. I may have been able to avoid the situation by announcing that everyone should have their desks cleared off before we began and not begin until that was done.

Consequences: His consequence was a warning. I applauded his love of reading, asked him about that particular book, then got around to telling him that if it happened again I would have to call home. I think the consequence was appropriate and so far the consequence has made a difference. I haven’t had any problems of this sort from him since.

Reflection: I hate to discourage reading, so I tried to handle it in a way which he would understand that it wasn’t the book that was the problem, it was the time he chose to read it. My relationship with the student is fine as far as I know. We’ve spoken since about books, and the consequence seems to have been what he needed.


Date/Time: October 9, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I, 2nd period

Description of the Incident: After the announcements, we say the Pledge of Allegiance together as a school. My first day, I noticed that only half of the class was standing and only half of those standing were actually saying it. Also, during the moment of silence, most of the kids were talking despite my glares of disapproval. I could have avoided this situation by stating my expectations about the Pledge and moment of silence. My substitute for maternity leave apparently had little annoyance at this behavior.

Consequences: After the moment of silence, I engaged the class in a discussion about what they think the Pledge is for, about sacrifice, appreciation, and respect. I told them that unless they had a religious opposition to saying the pledge, they were to stand, recite, and remain quiet for the moment of silence. I think the class as a whole appreciated the fact that it bothered me and that we say it as a class now. The more structure we have, the more they respond.

Reflection: If I had just ordered them to recite the Pledge without the open class discussion, I don’t think it would have had the same positive response. My relationship with the class is miles better than it was


Date/Time: October 10, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I, 2nd period

Description of the Incident: On my first day back the students had a lot to say about my maternity leave sub. I was willing to hear any problems they might have had in private, but an entire class free-for-all bashing of my sub’s character was unacceptable. I might have prevented the incident by telling them this beforehand, but I honestly didn’t see it coming.

Consequences: The class got a “talking-to” from me about respect and we discussed what it was like to be a substitute, the difficulties, the sacrifices, and how much my sub gave it his all – whether they were friends with him or not, they could see it. At the end of class, we had some extra time, so I took that opportunity to have the students write about how they wish to be treated and what lack of mutual respect in any situation can do to the atmosphere of a classroom. Looking at the papers, I could tell that some students seemed genuinely sorry for saying what they said before thinking about what they were doing.

Reflection: My relationship with this class is very good. This is the same class I had problems with regarding the Pledge of Allegiance, and I think our open discussions helped a lot. I think this type of relationship with students can build a sturdy foundation with which to continue a healthy relationship throughout the school year.


Date/Time: October 9th, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I, 3rd period

Description of the Incident: When the students walked into the classroom, a girl handed me a grade sheet for volleyball. I asked her to hold on to it for a minute because I had an announcement to make about athletics grade sheets. She looked at me like I had slapped her in the face, and she said, “I know you haven’t been her, but if you’re in athletics, you HAVE to have these things signed or we get in trouble with our coaches.” I told her again to please hang on to it until I make the announcement, and she rolled her eyes at me. I don’t know how I could have prevented this one, her reaction caught me completely off guard.

Consequences: After I got the chance to make the announcement I needed to make about grades sheets, I think she understood, but I still needed to handle the way she interacted with me, so I couldn’t just let it go. As they left for lunch, I asked if she would come see me. Before I could get words out of my mouth, she apologized for the way she spoke to me. I accepted her apology, but asked her to work on her listening skills, even a moment before, she wouldn’t wait to let me speak before she had her say. I told her if it became a problem, I would have to write about it in the comments section of her grade sheet. She seemed to understand.

Reflection: I think with this type of student, who wants everything when she wants it, how she wants it, it’s important to make listening a priority for both parties. I think our relationship is fine now, though not much time has passed. Relationships can only strengthen when listening is a priority.


Date/Time: October 14, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre – AP English I

Description of the Incident: It became very clear to me that my classes had become very clique-ish in my absence. To try to break the cycle, I put them in groups, which were not of their choosing. They HATED IT!! The complaints and whining were abundant. I could have prevented this by asking if they had any negative comments that they keep them to themselves. I needed to address the problem because I try to keep the environment in my classroom positive, and it was being very bogged down by all of the negativity.

Consequences: We had to talk about the expectations of friendliness and the willingness to try new things. I told them that the more open-minded they were, the more privileges they would have, and that the converse would be true at the same time. This consequence was appropriate because a classroom with a negative feel in it is not a classroom, which is comfortable for learning.

Reflection: I’m not quite sure about my relationship with this class, yet. I think it is a work in progress. They are going to require many discussions about being positive and the possibility of losing privileges for whining. I hope that our relationship will grow during the year. It’s only been two weeks, so I have hope yet.


Date/Time: October 13, 2008

Grade level/Class: - 10th grade on-level English

Description of the Incident: I gave my on-level class time to work with each other on annotations over a short story. They took the time that I gave them and worked quite well. When their time was over, they were to go back to their assigned seats and write a response to the reading assignment based on their annotations by themselves and quietly. They didn’t. After redirecting them a multitude of times, I could see that it just wasn’t going to work out.

Consequences: I told them that we had to make a deal. When they work together, they should expect that there is going to be individual work not far behind it, and that if that they could not work silently when the time came, they would lose the privilege all together. They lost the privilege for the rest of the day, but they could earn it back based on their behavior. The consequence was appropriate because it directly related to the problem at hand.

Reflection: Our relationship is a bit strained. They are not quite “getting it” yet. I will continue to work on our relationship while making sure they have the opportunity to learn and follow directions. I think our relationship will improve. We don’t quite know each other well enough yet.


Date/Time: October 14, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English 2nd period

Description of the Incident: Because of the PSAT, I was booted out of my classroom for 2nd period so that they could use it for testing. We had to meet in the theater classroom, which is quite large and unstructured. As the students came it, they went nuts! There were a group of kids who went to some props that belong to the theater teacher and helped themselves to the swords, a group of kids who were sitting on the tables, and some who were writing on the theater teacher’s board. I was standing at the door, and might have prevented it by instead being in the classroom.

Consequences: We didn’t get a great deal on our agenda done that day. We had to rehash all we had already discussed about expectations and respect for property. Some argued that they knew the theater teacher and that she wouldn’t mind. We then had to discuss the error in that logic, and I had a difficult time getting through to them. Their consequence was a loss of privilege of working together. They were quite upset.

Reflection: I’m amazed that I’m having so many problems with respect this year. I’ve really missed out on setting my own rules at the beginning of the year. It seems like the more we have to discuss respect and expectations, the more they balk and the more strained the relationships become. I hope to stick to my guns and build a relationship eventually.


Date/Time: October 15, 2008

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I

Description of the Incident: I had a student who fell asleep in class as we were discussing a close-read. I walked over to him and gently nudged him, whispering please stay with us. I told him which page we were on and stayed in close proximity to him. I asked him if he felt well, and he said yes, he was just bored. He continued to sleep. I told him to see me after class.

Consequences: I told him that if he continued to show as little effort in my class that he could potentially be exited from the AP program and that I would contact his mom that evening. I did. She was not very supportive. She told me that for him to do really well, he would have to be “into” whatever we were doing. I tried to explain that some things we do in class, which may not seem “fun” are extremely necessary for skill building, such as annotating a text as we read. She said she would speak with him, but so far the relationship has remained the same. I told her that if he became defiant in his sleep, I would have to remove him from class. She said she understood, but I doubt it.

Reflection: Since the incident, our relationship has not improved unfortunately. I will continue to try to find common interests and encourage his efforts when I see evidence of them, but for now, he is not willing to have a positive relationship.

II. Model to Implement: Love and Logic
The model for Love and Logic is correct students’ behavior using non-sarcastic catch phrases and methods to redirect behavior. The idea is to take away the opportunity to argue and build a mutually respectful relationship with students.


Description of incident:
Band students were released to go to a competition last week, and when one student got up to leave, another student made a very rude comment to her about being in band. The band student left. I walked up to the student who made the comment, and I whispered to him to see me after class. He said, “Man- that’s not fair! I have to catch the bus; I can’t stay after school with you!” He was very agitated and angry and I could tell that this was a situation that would require some finesse. Any feelings of anger on my part would simply fuel his anger. Though I was very angry about what he told the young lady, I tried to remain very even-tempered as the model suggests. He asked, “What’s my punishment? Just tell me now.” I told him that I didn’t know yet – that he would have to wait to find out. He said, “That’s not fair!” I told him that I’m sure he felt that way.
The bell rang, and he rushed to my desk. I reinforced the fact that I knew he was in a hurry, but that what happened was inappropriate, and that he had a choice: He could apologize to the girl in a written letter or, in my presence, he could tell her he was sorry next class period. He didn’t argue, he said he’d just tell her, and he left.

Specific steps:
The next class period, he came up to me and asked me when I wanted him to apologize. I told him he could do it whenever he was ready. The bell hadn’t rung yet, but the girl was already there at her desk. He said he was going to do it then, and he gave her a quick, half-way genuine apology. She told him not to worry about it, and the crisis was over. In this situation, I was happy to see the Love and Logic model work almost like a textbook script. It worked in every way it was supposed to work. The only thing I wish hadn’t happened is that I never addressed his tone of voice when he was trying to argue with me the day of the incident. I hope that it didn’t come across like I accept that behavior.

Reflection:
The Love and Logic model is great in most situations. Avoiding arguments allows me as a teacher to do my job and not lose much time. The catch phrases are easy to remember, and the students don’t feel like they’ve been yelled at by the end of it, which allows me to continue building a relationship after a bad situation. Other models may make the student feel intimidated and belittled. In this situation, he was able to have his say, make a choice, and follow through with his consequence without it ruining our potential relationship.

In the Classroom - Discipline Journal 1

Discipline Journal #1

Because I have been on maternity leave since the beginning of the new school year, I will use discipline situations I remember distinctly from last year using approximate dates. I will try to remember what was said to the best of my ability.

I. Ten Discipline Situations:
Date/Time: First day of school, in the fall of ’07, First period, A-Day

Grade level/Class: On-level 10th grade English

Description of the Incident: At one minute to the bell, a young lady, Adrienne, stopped by my classroom door with her boyfriend, mumbled something like, “This is my class.” As I stood at my door, she hugged him goodbye and continued to talk to him as the tardy bell became more imminent. I remember struggling with how I should handle the situation. I didn’t want to come across too harsh because it could have ruined the opportunity to build a rapport with this young lady, but at the same time, I didn’t want to ruin my chance to set my expectations as a teacher. It is a difficult balance, deciding which should take precedence. I said, “Alright, it’s time to get started. Please come in and find the seat with your name on it.” She looked back over her shoulder at me and snapped, “THE BELL AIN’T EVEN RUNG YET!” I don’t know if it was just the stress of the first day of school or the cutting harshness of the way she responded to me, but remember pointing to her boyfriend and half-yelling, “Go to class before you’re late,” and moving closer to her and pointing inside the room and sternly saying, “Go.” If I had kept a calm air about me, I could have built a rapport and shown my expectations. Instead, I came off looking like a jerk to her and everyone else who heard me.

Consequences: I asked her to stay after class with me so that we could talk about what happened. She mostly stared at the floor while I tried to explain how we both could have started our morning better. She didn’t receive any real consequences and by her future discipline issues, it obviously had little effect.

Reflection: Because we had no prior relationship before this encounter, our relationship was pretty strained all year. Despite my efforts to smooth things over, she pretty much remained cold. I’ve wondered if our first encounter was the cause and if I missed an opportunity to reach a student because I lost my temper.


Date/Time: October 07 – 3rd period

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I

Description of the Incident: Students were assigned annotations and a summary of the chapters they were to have read the night before. When I graded their annotations and summaries, it was clear by their phraseology and word choice that at least 8 people out of the class of 30 had cheated by using Internet resources and/or each other. I had begun to grade while the class was at lunch and my ears became redder and my face hotter with each duplication of annotation or wording of their summaries. When they returned from lunch I lectured them for the rest of the class period about the evils of cheating and my expectations for them in an “honors” class.

Consequences: As the students listened to my lecture, there was a lot of eye-rolling, sighing, and denial. I knew the consequences that would follow would involve parents, principals, and coming up with solid proof that they had cheated. The students involved received 2 zeros for the 2 assignments and I called each of their parents.

Reflection: Some students ended up admitting their guilt and writing apology letters – probably prompted by their parents. There was a lot of blaming and finger-pointing, but in the end, the relationship with this group of students changed for the better. I saw no obvious signs of cheating and I think they realized that I was watching them more closely than they thought, which translated into evidence of how I cared for them and their reputations as honorable students.



Date/Time: December ‘07

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I student (in JHHS Writer’s Club)

Description of the Incident: Each student was asked to share a personal essay with the rest of the writers in the group, and Ashley decided to share one about her dangerous drug use and suicidal thoughts. She came to me after the meeting was over and begged me not to tell anyone about what she’d written. She is a 14 year old high school student, and I knew I had a responsibility to make sure she got some help and spoke with someone. I knew I had to show her some tough love and told her that I wanted her to speak with her counselor about what was going on with her life. She hated me for it, told me she couldn’t trust me, and quit the Writing Club. I could have prevented the incident by making strict guidelines about what they could and could not write about, but then she may not have spoken with anyone.

Consequences: She spoke with her counselor, I met with her parents and we tried to get across to Ashley that we all cared for her and that she wasn’t “in trouble”. She was forced to speak with a counselor on a regular basis, and I think the consequence was appropriate.

Reflection: I may have never regained Ashley’s trust after this episode, but I think something more important transpired because of the impact of the relationship I had with her. I think she was able to get the help she needed, to talk to her mom about events in her life that were bothering her, and that years from now she may look back on the incident with some understanding of why I had to betray her trust. Our relationship changed after this. She was more guarded than she had been, and I was not able to relate with her in Writer’s Club.


Date/Time: May 08

Grade level/Class: 10th grade on-level English

Description of the Incident: During my conference period, I was walking down the hallway when I noticed that Parker, a student in my 4A was coming down the hall towards me. I said hello, he said hello back and we both kept walking. The next A day, during my conference, I saw him again in the same place at almost the same time. He had a hall pass, so I let him continue on his way down the hall. Something didn’t feel quite right about the situation, so I looked up his schedule and found out that during that period, he had P.E., and he wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near where he was during the times I saw him. Instead of talking to Parker about it and writing him up, I spoke to his P.E. coach about his skipping, and she handled it. It began to bother me that I went “around” him and threw it to another teacher to deal with. I could have prevented the incident by stopping to talk to him the first time and asking him where he should have been. If I had, he may not have skipped more than once, getting himself into further trouble in the office.

Consequences: Parker ended up in ISS for a week, missing my class and others. He never spoke to me about it, but I’m sure he assumed I was the one who turned him in, since his coach didn’t seem to realize he was even gone until I pointed it out. I think the consequences were appropriate for skipping, though unfortunate because he missed so much of real class time.

Reflection: I wish I had spoken with him face to face about what had happened. It wasn’t very professional of me to ignore my involvement in his punishment. The discipline never really affected our relationship. I don’t feel like he ever held it against me. I think I regretted how I handled it more than he did.


Date/Time: May ‘08

Grade level/Class: 10th grade on-level English, 1st period

Description of the Incident: Every morning, Taylor would come to first period in his huge diamond studded earrings. As he walked through the door, I would say, “Taylor- earrings,” and he would take them out on the way in the door. After the 5th time or so, it began to bother me that he wasn’t respecting the expectations of the school or my class. I asked him to stay after class one day and I asked him why he perpetually disregarded the dress code. He said it wasn’t personal, that he “forgot” to take them out every morning. I told him that from that point on, I would have to go through the motions of dress code violations even though it was a violation that could be fixed at the door and not one that was encouraged to be sent down to the office. He told me he understood, but the next day, there he was with his studs in. I told him that was his warning and that I was documenting it. The next time I had him – there they were again. I was getting frustrated because I didn’t WANT to send him down and miss class for something so harmless, but I issued his teacher detention anyway. He skipped his detention, which is an automatic office referral. So, now, I had major discipline issues with a student whom I had never had issues with before.

Consequences: He ended up in ISS for insubordination and missed a week of class. I called his parents to discuss what had happened, and they were somewhat supportive, though they made no attempt to hide their feelings about our dress code in Mesquite. By the book, the punishment was fair. He got in trouble and received consequences. Personally, it left a little bit of a sick feeling in me as a teacher to have to punish him so harshly for non-disrespectful behavior.

Reflection: I sometimes wonder if I had followed the district policy hard and fast to begin with and not given him so many breaks if he would have had to go to the office. Yet, it was his choice to decide to continue disobeying the rules. To me, these are the most frustrating issues to deal with (regarding dress code).


Date/Time: April ‘08

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I

Description of the Incident: The students were in groups, and I noticed that one group was ostracizing and bullying two of their members. The dynamics of the group were a bit uncomfortable. There were three very tightly knit friends, all cheerleaders and the other two were a little nerdy, poorly dressed and not as socially confident as their counterparts. I knew the three cheerleaders to be very friendly and knew them to work well with others. Not so in this case. It began with a snide remark about how one of the “nerds” was over-thinking a question. I intervened and noticed some sideways glances and didn’t get a real sense that the issue had been resolved. Class was nearly over, so I asked the two group members who were being targeted if they would come see me after class. They told me that their issues went beyond the assignment, and that the other girls were making fun of the way they were dressed. I wanted to get their side of it, so I pulled them out of their classes individually the next day to speak with the girls. Two of them denied it and one confessed and apologized. I asked her to apologize to her group members, and I believe she did. The others never admitted to teasing their group members, and I ended up breaking up the group and having them work separately. I asked the two students who were being picked on first if they didn’t mind, and they did not. They preferred it. The three who were picking on them, however, were taken out of a situation that they enjoyed being in, which I felt was punishment enough.

Consequences: The three students who were being punished pouted and complained, but I believe the consequences were sufficient. Two of the cheerleaders were probably not phased by the punishment, and probably didn’t feel bad for their actions. One, though, seemed to regret her actions.

Reflection: It’s difficult to know what to do in group-work type situations. I wanted to be fair, and I think I did the only thing I could to make the offenders feel deprived and the offended feel more secure. I don’t think it affected the impact on the students involved in the group except maybe the two for whom I stood up. They saw me as someone who could make them feel safe if they felt threatened.


Date/Time: December ‘07

Grade level/Class: 10th grade on-level English

Description of the Incident: After asking a student to please stop talking, she whispered, “Bitch” underneath her breath. Though she denied it, I wrote her up immediately. She threw her books, and stormed out the door. I called the office to tell them she was coming and I didn’t see her for a while after that. I don’t think this is one of those situations where I could have prevented what transpired. To me this is one of those very clear cut discipline issues.

Consequences: I called her mom who said, “Yeah, that sounds like Brittany.” She ended up in ISS, then MIC for another issue. I didn’t see her much that year. I think the consequence for the offense was appropriate, but I wondered about her home life.

Reflection: After 7 years of teaching, I know not to take this kind of behavior personally. I know that students who act out in this manner are probably dealing with bigger issues than school. I made an effort to build a rapport with Brittany after her stint in ISS and MIC, but never really got inside her life. I knew she was into music and was trying to start a band, but she never felt comfortable enough with me to tell me much more than that. She was very defensive and ignored my attempts at breaking down the wall between us.


Date/Time: May ‘08

Grade level/Class: 10th grade on-level English

Description of the Incident: Two girls in my classroom began a fight – I believe over a boy they were both interested in. It was before class began and I could see that there was tension building. They began punching and grabbing, and by the scream issued by the bystanders, other teachers came to my classroom and helped to break it up. It all happened in a matter of seconds. Looking back, I could probably have prevented the fight by calling both girls into the hallway before it escalated into a physical fight. I wish I had. No one got hurt, but even though it was near the end of the school year, the dynamic in the classroom was never the same. There was always a sense of tension, and I don’t think I was as effective in that class as in others because the fight happened in my classroom.

Consequences: Both girls went to MIC for their behavior, and I believe the consequence was appropriate. I honestly don’t think their stint at MIC had much of an impact on their future behavior, but that may be something that could happen over time.

Reflection: My relationship with the girls was a bit strained after the fight. My relationship with them didn’t impact the dealings with the students or my relationship with the students.


Date/Time: May ‘08

Grade level/Class: 10th on-level English

Description of the Incident: Two boys in my 3rd period class were constantly playing and talking at inappropriate times. I had spoken with their parents and issued teacher detentions. There was nothing really to send them to the office for. They were matters that I had to handle in class. One day they were at it again. Justin threw a pair of scissors across the room to Cody without incident, but all of the “what-ifs” ran through my mind and demanded the two of them see me outside immediately. I don’t know that I could have prevented the incident. They were told constantly about my expectations, but with no effect.

Consequences: While outside, I decided to take a personal approach instead of a by the book “here’s your office referral” approach. I asked them, “What is it, guys? What is the problem here? I’ve tried everything I know how to do to communicate what’s OK and what’s not OK in my class…” I felt like I had their attention for the first time. They were making eye contact with me and they both said they didn’t know what their problem was, that they were just having fun and didn’t mean for anything bad to happen. I made a personal appeal to them to try to develop some self-control for my sake and for the safe and calm environment of our classroom. Their consequences was making a similar appeal to their parents. From the beginning of May to the end of school I rarely had any problems with either of their behavior.

Reflection: Sometimes consequences do not have to be slips of paper, which rarely do any good anyway. Depending on the student, sometimes a personal appeal of this nature can be equally if not more effective. Seeing their behaviors change so dramatically made me think that the way I decided to deal with this particular problem may have had a positive impact on Justin and Cody.


Date/Time: May ‘08

Grade level/Class: Pre-AP English I

Description of the Incident: I had a planned doctor’s appointment and had to be out during my 4th period class. I told the students in advance that I had to be out, what they were going to be doing during the class and my expectations for what should be done when I came back. When I came back the next morning, I received the worst sub note I have ever received in my 8 years of teaching. The students pretended not to know what to do, told her that they had never heard of the terms they were working with, though we had gone over it the day before, lied to her about what their names were, and a list of other minor infractions. After talking all year long with my class about what honor and personal responsibility mean, I expected a easy day for the sub. I was very disappointed and a little stumped on how to handle the situation because I was not there to witness the events. I wrote and distributed a note to each of my 4th period students telling them how disappointed I was in those who tried to fool the sub and in those who didn’t stand up for the woman who was just there to help them out and pass on my instructions to them.

Consequences: Each student had to write a 1 page essay about what they had learned about honor and personal responsibility during the year so far and if what they learned matched up with the behavior they displayed while I was gone. They also were instructed to write an apology letter if they felt that what they learned and what they displayed didn’t match up. As hard as I tried to prevent the situation, it happened anyway. Sometimes when that happens, it can leave me very discouraged.

Reflection: I had a myriad of responses from students (and their parents) as I expected. You cannot force a student to be nice or honorable, and for those students, they didn’t see that there was a problem, or it was someone else’s fault and they were blameless. It’s difficult to build meaningful relationships with these students. Other students seemed to understand that treating another human like they treated the sub wasn’t fair, and that they should not have acted like they did or that they should have stood up for the sub and called out their peers if they had nothing to do with the infractions listed on the sub note. I hope that these students will remember the incident when they encounter substitute teachers in the future. My relationship with these students was eventually strengthened because of this experience.

II. Description of Incident Handled Well:
When we read To Kill a Mockingbird last year, a student in my 4th period class brought it to my attention that his book from the class set was littered with graffiti. I had assigned each student a particular book and held each student responsible for checking their book out and bringing it back to me at the end of each class period. Thinking this would prevent any problems with graffiti, I felt pretty secure about the safety of the school’s property; however, there it was – a graffiti-filled book.

Specific steps:

I referred to my list of book numbers and saw who had the book the prior class period. I asked him about it, and by looking at his face I could tell that he could tell he was busted. He simply asked, “How much is the book?” He then pulled out his wallet, gave me 15 dollars, and the issue was over. I don’t think I’ve ever had a discipline situation that went smoother than this incident. Because I was prepared for potential problems with property destruction of our class set of books, I was able to hold the student who was responsible to task and take care of the problem without much ado.

Reflection:

Through my experiences teaching I have realized that preparation and organization are my best friends when it comes to discipline. It’s only when I’m caught off guard that a behavioral problem gets the better of me. When I can anticipate problems before they happen, I end up with a more organized, successful classroom.

III. Description of incident I could have handled better:
Unfortunately, I cannot anticipate every problem that comes my way. When I can’t anticipate the discipline problems that arise, that’s when I end up regretting how I handle certain situations. During the first six weeks of last year, I had a very difficult class, my 4th period on A-day. It was a class of Pre-AP English freshman who were very close knit and very social. It is a classroom expectation for my students to remain seated until the bell rings. At the end of a class when I had to redirect their energy several times, I was in the middle of an explanation when the bell was about to ring. They began to pack up and get up out of their seats as I was talking. I got very flustered and roared, “Go back to your seats and sit down!” They continued to get up and leave my room, some laughing, others explaining how I couldn’t keep them if the bell rang. Some students left and I worked my way through a group of students to stand in the doorway and told them again to get back in their seats. The ones who were left did as I instructed. I finished my lecture and then let them leave. I tried to remember who had left and who had stayed, but I didn’t think to take that measure and it made it nearly impossible to discipline those who needed it.

Specific steps:
The next time I had that 4th period class, they got another lecture. Completely useless and laughable. My relationship with that class was not strengthened, and I came across as helpless and weak.
Reflection :
If I could do it over again, I would have announced as they were leaving that I would handle this next class period, but if they would like to stick around to finish listening to me, they could escape additional consequences for leaving without permission. I would have written down the names of the students who stuck around and dealt with the other students on an individual basis. If I could have remained calm and kept my wits about me instead of losing my temper, I could have come across as a teacher who can handle incidences such as this with a cool head and would probably have earned a measure of respect.

Assignment 1

My name is Laura, I'm an English teacher at Horn High School, and this will be my 8th year teaching. I’ve been married for 5 years to John, and have a one-month old daughter, Janie. We live in Mesquite and enjoy hanging out with friends and family, good movies, music, and sports. I have always wanted to teach; it’s been on my heart and my main goal since I was 8 years old. I grew up in Mesquite and have affection for the district. I enjoyed the education I received between the years of 1983 to 1997. Teachers I have had have influenced my decision to become an educator, and I’m very pleased with my choice to teach. My personal goals right now are to learn to be all my daughter needs, while still being the wife my husband needs, getting healthy and fit, finishing my Master’s with a 4.0, and eventually teaching Literature and Language class at the college level.
I love my career, I love my kids, and I love the people I work with. I am in my ideal teaching situation, and I couldn’t ask for anything more... Well, maybe I would ask for a computer lab just for my class, a projector that could stay in my room at all times, and a wealth of technological savvy to help my students be engaged in learning at all times. I know that I can do a good job teaching no matter what the circumstances, but staying with my students in the knowledge and know-how of technology can only strengthen my abilities and effectiveness as a teacher, which is what I hope to gain from this class and by gaining my Master’s degree.
My life is extraordinarily busy right now, and working on my Master’s is not an option within the district, but I chose this route because the Cohort presents us with tools, which I can use in the classroom to relate better with my students. The choices of directions to go with one’s Master’s are endless, but I found meaning in the Cohort because every topic on which we focus, every well-planned lesson gives us methods and theories to take back to the classroom and make us better secondary education teachers. I expect to gain the same tools in our ETEC classes. Who can deny the importance of reaching students in any way necessary to prepare them for a future, which will inevitably include creating and organizing projects with different types of technology? If I can reach my students through technology and help them prepare for wherever life takes them, I will be serving my purpose and fulfilling a goal that has been in sight for 20 years of my life.
Educational technology is the study and practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources. The list of technology skills I would like to develop this semester is as follows:
• I would like to create and maintain a website for my classes to use throughout the school year.
• I would like to find out and become proficient in all of the technological resources our campus has to offer.
• I would like to teach my students to compose drafts completely electronically to save paper.
• I would like to teach my students to create presentations with the latest technologies available.

I want to learn these skills for the following reasons:
• I want to engage my students.
• I want to relate to my students.
• I want my students to learn to love Literature and Language by their own means, which no doubt will contain technology.
• I don’t want to become a dusty, rusty teacher who is afraid to try new things and venture out of her comfort zone.
• I want to be able to share what I’ve learned with other teachers at my school.

I will use these skills to be an “informator” of technology by incorporating the skills I learn in ETEC whenever possible in my own classroom. Students will learn to incorporate technology into their own creations and not just see use of technology as a “treat” or as something I’m checking off of my PDAS to cover my bases. They will learn that everything we do is for a purpose to help them stay engaged and learn the skills that will help them in the future.

Educational Technology

Oh, if we could all have our own personal computer labs as teachers! If we did, imagine what we could accomplish, how we could engage our students, and how ALIVE our classrooms would become!