"But what are the consequences if I break a rule? I need consequences!" -- Jacob
Then I made a semantic error in asking a room of kids what they want to get out of the class, and got some of the following responses:
- Money
- Candy
- Soon (as in "I want to get out of this class soon")
The class had 17 kids. Only three were girls. I didn't know that until last night. I love boys. I do. They are a lot of fun, and they have great energy. I know that their comments on getting out of class soon are bravado, make-my-friends laugh comments, and I knew it even before I said, "Well, if so many of you really don't like this class..." and at least half of them were quick to respond to the contrary. (There is nothing quite like an expression of total concern on the face of a 10-year-old.) But MAN, it's a challenge to get them to focus. At least the 21st century American version. They talked over each other for almost the entire time. Part of the problem is that a lot of times I want to join in on their conversations, so it's partly a problem of getting the 21st century American me to focus.
My poor assistant made his Harvest Time assisting debut last night. Afterwards, when I asked him what he thought, he said, "I don't know what to think...I think I'm glad I'm not the one trying to teach them."
Now I know the challenges in store. And knowing (I've heard) is half the battle. Onward!
2 comments:
I wish much luck to you. That is why I prefer to work with infants. They would probably rather be somewhere else than with me but they can't tell me that so I can convince myself that they like me.
Oh, I know they like me. They're just boys, so they can't say it directly. One of the kids kept asking me if he was my favorite. And the kid who clamored for consequences came back to help clean up the classroom after everything was over. That's the sort of way they say "I like you."
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