I don't like to raise my voice or get mad at people but the Gr.7/8/9 class at the end of the day was just too crazy today, even for me. So When I finally got them all quiet and listening, I expressed my disappointment with their poor behaviour. At the beginning of class, as my UC suggested last week, I wrote down my clean-up expectations and went over them with the whole class. At this point they were listening very nicely and I appreciated their cooperation. I also praised the student who helped me clean up after everyone else last week in front of the whole class, as my UC had also suggested. Their clean-up today was better, but there were a few students who went a little crazy with their interactions with each other. Towards the end of the class was when they were unbearable and I made them all stop to listen to me lecture them on their behaviour. When I finally got their attention I told them I have been trying to get their attention for the past 5 minutes or so and asked if anyone besides the front few students heard me. A few students near the back replied that they had heard me. I proceeded in asking if they stopped and listened after they heard me asking them to be quiet or if they just continued talking and making noise. I explained that I'm naturally a quiet person and I don't think I should have to yell to get their attention. As a naturally quiet and calm person, it puts a lot of stress on my throat to have to raise my voice over such a large and lively bunch. I asked them what we can do to make sure our class runs more smoothly next time. They know all the answers: be quiet, listen, don't fool around with paintbrushes, etc. In my opening spiel I had asked them to raise their hands if they need me, and that there is no need to scream my name from across the room. Still, one student called my name from across the room while I was helping another student. When he came over to me, I asked him if he remembered what I asked him to do if he needed me. The dynamic of such a big class with a split of Gr.7/8/9's works. Afterwards while talking to my TA about it, she said this particular bunch is a handful because of their PE organizations, and that each year is different. I asked her if there were any tips on making them be quiet and work silently and she said it was good that I laid out my expectations clearly again and expressed that I was not happy with their behaviour today. She said that I don't have to hesitate in removing some students from the class if they aren't doing work. She mentioned that if a few of them aren't doing work she will ask them to clean-up and sit in the hall quietly, or she'll have extra art history work sheets they can be working on in the hall instead. I don't want to have to kick anyone out, especially because I have a limited number of classes left with them, but I may have to tell them it's a possibility if they can't cooperate and help me create a nice classroom environment.
Other than the last part of the day, the rest of the day was quite nice! This morning the Gr.7's arrived in homeroom pretty hyper. I brought my rubix cube and megaminx (more complicated puzzle cube) as tools students could use if they were finished their Haiku books. This was good for the loudest student because he sat for a long time silently trying to figure out the rubix cube. By the end of the class only 3 people still needed to finish their books at home. The other options I gave them if they were done their books was to read my Dino & Panda book, silent read, or draw a picture of me with lots of pandas. They were so nice and quiet, focused on their work! Such a contrast to when they are in a split class with the older kids.
The Gr.1/2's had one more block to work on their collage comics. I knew a handful of the students were already done and I knew everyone else would be done shortly so I told them they could free-draw on 4 specific topics: fill a page with Chibi animals, fill a page with food but they have to have faces, create a new Pokemon, or draw Miss K with lots of pandas. This kept them all engaged and occupied, working relatively quietly. A lot of them were very excited about these drawing prompts. A bunch of the students wrote "To Miss K, from..." on their drawings and gave it to me throughout the class. At the end of class, I told them that if they want to take their free-draws home, they can. If they want me to keep them, they can write "To Miss K" and sign it and I'll keep it in my special folder. I wanted them to sit quietly for dismissal and a few of the tables had difficulty, but when the bell rang and they saw me dismissing the quiet tables, they quickly got the message.
The first junior high class (the Gr.8/9 split) was lovely to work with and could focus on painting, keeping their voices down for the most part. I got a chance to talk a bit about composition and how they should try not to put something right in the center of their paper. I felt like I was talking for too long so I didn't question them as much as I intended to. There are a few students in both Junior High classes who need a bit more time to finish their Koi Fish paintings and I told them they could work on it at the beginning of the next block after I explain their scroll painting assignment. I told them that next Wednesday is my last day with them and I wanted to show them a short anime and give them their gifts, which means I need them to focus and try to finish the paintings in the next 2 classes. Hopefully they will keep this in mind, or else I will have to give them another block to complete the scrolls.
I decided on making bookmarks for all the students. I cut up all the paper today and will start drawing tomorrow. I hope to finish all the drawings by this weekend, then I can laminate them on Monday, and string little origami turtles to each one on Monday night. I'll have to draw on about 140 bookmarks and fold the same amount of origami turtles, but I'm sure all the students will appreciate the effort. :) I got mad today, but they aren't bad kids. It's just unfortunate that they have to be in a large 7/8/9 split. I will miss them when practicum ends next week. I still miss my PSI students!
Other than the last part of the day, the rest of the day was quite nice! This morning the Gr.7's arrived in homeroom pretty hyper. I brought my rubix cube and megaminx (more complicated puzzle cube) as tools students could use if they were finished their Haiku books. This was good for the loudest student because he sat for a long time silently trying to figure out the rubix cube. By the end of the class only 3 people still needed to finish their books at home. The other options I gave them if they were done their books was to read my Dino & Panda book, silent read, or draw a picture of me with lots of pandas. They were so nice and quiet, focused on their work! Such a contrast to when they are in a split class with the older kids.
The Gr.1/2's had one more block to work on their collage comics. I knew a handful of the students were already done and I knew everyone else would be done shortly so I told them they could free-draw on 4 specific topics: fill a page with Chibi animals, fill a page with food but they have to have faces, create a new Pokemon, or draw Miss K with lots of pandas. This kept them all engaged and occupied, working relatively quietly. A lot of them were very excited about these drawing prompts. A bunch of the students wrote "To Miss K, from..." on their drawings and gave it to me throughout the class. At the end of class, I told them that if they want to take their free-draws home, they can. If they want me to keep them, they can write "To Miss K" and sign it and I'll keep it in my special folder. I wanted them to sit quietly for dismissal and a few of the tables had difficulty, but when the bell rang and they saw me dismissing the quiet tables, they quickly got the message.
The first junior high class (the Gr.8/9 split) was lovely to work with and could focus on painting, keeping their voices down for the most part. I got a chance to talk a bit about composition and how they should try not to put something right in the center of their paper. I felt like I was talking for too long so I didn't question them as much as I intended to. There are a few students in both Junior High classes who need a bit more time to finish their Koi Fish paintings and I told them they could work on it at the beginning of the next block after I explain their scroll painting assignment. I told them that next Wednesday is my last day with them and I wanted to show them a short anime and give them their gifts, which means I need them to focus and try to finish the paintings in the next 2 classes. Hopefully they will keep this in mind, or else I will have to give them another block to complete the scrolls.
I decided on making bookmarks for all the students. I cut up all the paper today and will start drawing tomorrow. I hope to finish all the drawings by this weekend, then I can laminate them on Monday, and string little origami turtles to each one on Monday night. I'll have to draw on about 140 bookmarks and fold the same amount of origami turtles, but I'm sure all the students will appreciate the effort. :) I got mad today, but they aren't bad kids. It's just unfortunate that they have to be in a large 7/8/9 split. I will miss them when practicum ends next week. I still miss my PSI students!