Assigned blog of the month: Classroom management

Haunting thought (really one of about a dozen much bigger ones) for this morning: I had a student tell me last night during creative expression that there is no such thing as beauty. This was in response to a comment made that the good things are worth the pain. He was very upset at the time. One of the more emotionally aware/ intelligent, sensitive individuals I've met. Our kids are going through hell. Often wonder if talking makes it worse.

Time and place: Enjoying the solitude of delicious early morning hours to try and catch up (ha haha hehe hahaha) on some stuff.

Okay, on that assignment:

Classroom management. Mine could be better, but it isn't as bad as it was. Despite all the great advice received this summer about the central importance of rules and consequences, drawing the line was difficult. Personal tendency to let them get away with more than...than what? than I planned? Still not fully comfortable in the role of authority, mostly, I think, because I have a problem with it myself, even in concept.

Finally asked for some help and began sending kids out when they were conducting themselves in a manner inappropriate for the classroom or not conducive to learning. My administration dropped by a couple of times to make sure it was working when I finally admitted to them that I was struggling and started sending kids out. I also started administering detentions. I think I am the only teacher in the school that does so, and I don't even know that any actual detention has yet been held, but I've filled out the paper work and the kids know that I am filling out the paper work, so it seems to be somewhat effective. We'll see if it happens next week. At this point, dolling out actual next- level consequences as opposed to warning and writing assignments was really the only option.

On management, it seems to be getting better. I think they're probably learning more now, too. But it's a balance between making them comfortable enough to learn but still pay attention. I also do one-on-one talks with kids. Sometimes it helps for a while, but sometimes I'm pretty sure that they just pretend to listen and really have no interest in what I think of the situation.

It's been said a million times- pride and respect: really big deal. I think that was the main problem, for me, with my classroom management plan. They did not respond well to being assigned warning and writing assignments, of course. I felt like I was stepping on them when I take my consequences all the way and send them to the office, where they usually end up paddled or at home, which I presume is partially influenced by the way they handle themselves. And of course, the more sensitive or insecure students handle themselves a lot worse, still trying to make up for lost respect.

Anyway, I'm (confession here) still not fully comfortable with the whole you-be-"good"-or-else thing, but I'm doing it, and it seems to be getting better. Slowly. I'm more comfortable with it now because I have made lots of attempts to show my kids that I really care about them, and I'm not just the bad guy. But then again, we're not supposed to try to be friends for our students. I find this a tough balance to find. Working on it.