Twelfth Week

     This week I felt much more prepared to take on classroom management and behavior.  I decided that this was the time to try what I was afraid to try all semester long.  I feel that I have gotten to know the kids well enough to be able to talk to them when I believe they may be doing something inappropriate and have them understand that I am not attacking them, but the situation.
     I got the opportunity to try this on Tuesday when one of the 4th graders was being disrespectful to his classmate.  While one of the students, who is a slower reader, was reading, he pretended to be asleep.  Once the student finished reading, he pretended to be awoken and went back to following the text.  I noticed his eyes closed and his head leaned back at the beginning and made sure to pay attention to the student to be sure that he was doing it on purpose and was not just tired.  After he opened his eyes, he noticed me watching him and I mouthed to him that we would have a talk after the lesson.  He looked peeved right away and knew that he had been caught in the act.  After the lesson, all the students were prepared to go to specials and I asked to student to stay behind.  He automatically told me that he knew he had to stay and was actually planning on staying once everyone left.  I was glad that he accepted that he would have to talk to me and did not try to get out of it or ignore the inevitable.  I think that telling him during class that we would talk after the lesson prepared him for the talk as well instead of me springing it up on him well after the incident occurred.  Before I told him anything, I wanted to see why he thought that I asked him to stay after class.  He knew right away and explained that it was because he was pretending to fall asleep during one of his classmate's readings.  I wanted him to own up to what he did and I think by having him tell me what happened he would be able to do that.  Additionally, I saw the whole incident and he knows that I saw, therefore, I wanted him to tell me and to tell me the truth.  I knew and he knew that he would not be able to lie to me.  I also asked him to explain to me why he did what he did.  He was forthcoming with his answers and I was glad that he was able to tell me the truth.  He did not try to sugar coat it or pretend like it did not happen.  I went ahead and explained to him that he needs to be respectful of his classmates and that being rude to his classmates while in the classroom was completely unacceptable.  I kept reiterating that him being disrespectful was just as bad as someone else being disrespectful to him and that we do not allow either of those to happen in the classroom.  I told him that his classmates were not doing that to him while he was reading and that it was unfair of him to be doing that while someone else is reading.  I think once I put it in that perspective, he got to understand it a little better.
     Today, I also had a lesson with the 4th graders and the same students and I made sure to observe the student as his classmate read.  He was completely and entire attentive the whole time.  After the lesson, I made sure to tell him that I appreciated him being on his best behavior and being respectful as his classmates read.  I wanted him to know that I was not mad or angry, but that I was disappointed and would be until I saw a change in his behavior.  Overall, I was glad that I had enough time to talk to the student one-on-one and I hope that this is something that can be done when I am the only teacher in my future classroom.  I believe that it is and effective way to discuss problems with students, but I hope that it is not too idealistic for a full classroom and no co-teachers.