Annie Brown Reflective Journal #6 February 12, 2012

This weeks journal topic comes with perfect timing. Just this week I found myself in tears over teaching, but was given the chance to fix the mistakes and give everyone a fresh start. Since the first day I met my block two class, I knew it was going to be a struggle. I couldnt put my finger on what it was about this class, it was more of a gut feeling. At the start of the new semester, on the second day I had this class, I deemed the entire three hours with them to be an epic failure. They wouldnt do my lessons; they wouldnt stop talking; and they wouldnt respect me. I really had a chance to be completely hands off with them for two days, and I think that was good for all of us. As the next week started, I studied the class and how they reacted to and with Ms. Nave. I started growing relationships with some of the class. I helped them in any way I could and things seemed to be going great. They participated when I taught Ms. Naves lesson and it was looking up. On the first day that I started full time teaching, I stared second block by announcing that it was time for us to try something new. I didnt want to stand in front of the class and nag them about talking and they didnt want to hear me nag them about talking. So, I put it in their hands. I asked them to come up with a way that would always get their attention when I needed it and that they would respond to. They decided that if I said class and then clap my hands three times, that they would clap in response and be quite. It worked great. They felt real ownership in the classroom; like their voice mattered. This went perfectly for a week. I could get their attention every time and they would all get right on task.

And then Ms. Nave left for RTI training. And a sub came in. Heres the email I sent to Ms. Nave about second block on Thursday.
Ms Nave Oh my goodness, I missed you today! First and Third were really good, we got everything done I had anticipated doing, they responded well to discussions, and were just plain fun to be around. And then there was second. I know that I've had issues before with them as a whole before, but, to me, it really feels like they crossed a line. It was more than just constant, unending talking. They were consciously being disrespectful. I took up cell phones and one Nintendo DS. The work I could get them to do was completely incorrect. Mrs. Staggs even stood up at one point to get their attention and try to help me get them on task. It feels like I'm whining and complaining, and maybe I am a little. Ever since the class ended, I've been trying to figure out what I did wrong; how I can make them believe that I mean business; and if they should be punished. I'm clueless on how I lost control of them or if I ever had any control. We started class with a Bellringer-let them talk/discuss the BR and then even move around some. That wasn't too bad, but it was a struggle to get their attention and keep it for more than a few seconds. After that we moved back into groups to finish work on the Pilgrim Chart--that's where I completely lost them. I had down time while people were working and typing in information that I didn't know how to fill>that issue was my fault for not having an alternative assignment; I didn't think that one all the way through. They were actually okay with the down time; keep the talking level acceptable, really just sat and talked. But when it was time to talk about the Pilgrim Chart they had constructed, that's when it fell apart. The information they typed up was inaccurate-it should have come directly from the text, no interpretation or analysis, and it was just wrong. They couldn't keep quite-constantly talking over me. The DS and cell phones made their appearances at this time. I was lost; I didn't know what to do. That's when the sub stepped in to try to help; it helped for a very short amount of time and then they were lost to me again. I somehow got them to start the Pardoner's Tale, but really that was an epic failure, too. My initial reaction is to assign a daily grade for participation and being on task and give them all zeros. I'm not letting them work in groups tomorrow; I'm hoping that after they see the alternative to group work, they'll be more cooperative in the future. But some part of me really wants to give them a chance to redeem themselves before assigning a zero. I also don't want to hold a grudge over past behavior. I'm also afraid that if I do punish them at all tomorrow, that it will backfire and I'll have another horrid day on my hands. If it feels like I'm completely overreacting, it's only because I'm frustrated and want to know how to not make days like this a regular occurrence.

I had the chance to talk via email to Ms. Nave before the class started. She sent me very encouraging words which helped a lot. I was dreading second block, but I also knew that I couldnt let them see just how much they had gotten to me. Before school started that day, I knew what I was going to do to deal with the problems from yesterday. I decided against just assigning every person in that class a zero; I really believe in a chance for redemption. Starting with my class, I just restructured everything. No group workwas going to be done. The class started with a letter writing project, and then as a whole group we read a created a class summary of the Pardoners Tale. It was the same work they were going to do in groups; we just did it all together instead. I told them the story, I read them the story, and then they summarized the story. They seemed to really enjoy just listening and taking the story rather than try to read and comprehend on their own. And the second block came in. They walked very quietly into the classroom. Not much eye contact or conversation from them. I truly believe that they understood that they had crossed a line with me yesterday and were afraid of the consequences that might be headed their way. Instead of even mentioning the previous days behavior, I just smiled at them, restructured the day, and went about teaching. I re-taught what I thought they might not have understood well the day before, and then we just moved right along into the days lesson. When I first mentioned that we werent doing group work, they complained a little, but calmed right down when I told them that we were doing whole class work instead. We got through the entire class without any major hitchesalways a success in my books! Third block went well, too. Im not sure how long Ill let second blocks bad day affect my teaching method. I do have a lot of group work planned for the upcoming days and Im not sure how Im going to handle it. Id like to dive right back into my plans, but I think it would serve everybody better if I

keep at least that one class out of groups for a while. Its called flexibility and Im working hard at it. I have to figure out if its ok to do some things with just one class. Is it ok to teach a different class in a completely different way as long as the same material is covered? My instinct is yes, but Im wary of deviating from my plans.