4 Hours ? LA area San Fernando Valley? I have tried calling her the B word but that does not work because she is one. (in a nice way) I also gave the dog a bath, and then myself!, and mopped the floor.
I also use the "timer" to get attention! When I hit the button, the kids remind each other. We make up wasted time at recess. Two wasted minutes seems like a long time when the kids are standing in line along the edge of the play ground waiting for the timer to tell them they've made up the 'wasted" time!
Just north of San Diego, I would offer up the companionship of my 130 lb "Carl" dog, but he wouldn't know what to do with a "b word" dog! He's a victim of Bob Barkers agenda! He does quiet down when you say "enough" though, and he knows he can't warm my feet until after daddy gets out of bed. Get your year planned while the family is away, mine just got back and my list is not completed, it goes by quickly!!!
I guess we have certainly run THIS topic into the ground :lol: but I sure enjoyed the stories in between.
Have you tried singing to her? Perhaps she is stressed and needs a lullaby. Rock-a-bye doggie, please shut your trap?:lol:
Wow, lots of good stuff on this thread. Irish Dave, your experience and anecdotes are worth a ton. As a beginning middle school teacher, you are my hero, lol. Terrence, I can identify with your story. The year I just finished, I did not finish as I would have liked. My students were not as responsible and respectful as I had worked towards all year, but it was likely because I was too soft. I also didn't assert my authority early, so when I tried to do it later in the year when I realized I had a problem, not much was effective. I plan on being much more diligent in that respect in the coming year, now that I have lived what the consequence is when you trust too much that they just know what's right. I learned the hard way and that was depressing because I felt like I had failed, but that's how you learn and I'm counting on doing that part of my job so much better this year.
I sing to my dog all the time, doesn't everybody? You Are My DeeOhGee (D O G)- By Irishdave with help from Paul Anka You are my DeeOhGee You share my reverie You are my happiness That's what you are You have my sweet caress You share my loneliness You are my dream come true That's what you are Heaven and heaven alone Can take your love from me 'Cause I'd be a fool To ever leave you dog And a fool I'd never be You are my DeeOhGee You share my reverie You're more than life to me That's what you are You are my DeeOhGee You share my reverie You are my happiness That's what you are.
Yeah, the first year is tough. And so is the second, and third... What the "experienced" say about starting out the first minute the school year starts with implementation of rules, authority, expectations, etc. is so, so true. I, too, learned the hard way and am still learning. Revamping the plan and taking advice from seasoned teachers is a good thing. IrishDave I keep coming back to this forum cuz you crack me up so much but I can see that if I need help with the insanity that is middle school/jr high that I could call on your infinite expertise (but maybe not dog training -- my baby is the perfect labramut )
You middle school teachers are amazing, the ones my kids have respected the most (shut-up, be quiet, or zip it aside) are the strict ones who clearly communicate expectations, do not cave, and hold them accountable. THANK YOU ALL for loving on our kids when they can be less than loveable! so Dave is your song available on itunes yet?
Well thank you both I do Have a motto: Vita , vos mos non adepto sicco a ago. Utor is Life, you will not get out a live. Enjoy it the poster can not translate Latin so the motto may be wrong
Here! Here! <Raises Glass> Here's to a year of kicking a** and not letting those kids run us over! I am all for walking over them than them walking over me! lol. We have learned our lessons, now it's time to do it right! (Or at least better than the prior year). :naughty:
My thoughts exactly. I have mentioned before that I teach in a very small, faith-based school. I have 5th through 8th in my class in almost every area of study. When I am trying to explain to the 8th graders how to do their math assignment, while 5th, 6th, and 7th, are all talking it makes it pretty difficult to get the lesson across. They learn, quick, fast, and in a hurry, especially during math, that Mrs. Kenny doesn't play around. I very often have changed it from "evens or odds" to all. I am not trying to be mean, I just want them to learn, both what I am trying to teach in math, as well as respect for their fellow learners.
Very nice song , Dave. Did you forget your meds again?!!:unsure: The real reason for my posting is to inquire about that adorable avatar. Is she your grandaughter??? Love it! What was the meltdown over??? How cute. Is she 3???
meds Not during the summer Granddaughter Yes Meltdown? Her barking at 3 am (the dog not the granddaughter) Is she 3? She will be 3 in Sept. (the granddaughter not the dog) you are good at ages !:up:
My exact sayings. I use the please in "Please be quiet" as well. To my students, I desire to be a model of courtesy and proper language. I also give The Look, which the majority of the time is intimidating enough!! Plus, it dedicates more of what I say to learning and to giving positive feedback.
I say, "We need to be quiet." We also have a school wide policy regarding voice levels. It helps a lot once students really understand what each means and sounds like. Here are the voice levels: 0 Silence 1 Whisper 2 Quiet Talking 3 Presentation Voice 4 Outside Voice
Irishdave, your dog looks like my brother's dog, only his is all black. That nose and that face! Let him do anything he wants to. He is so cute.
She is very cute. I have a 2 year old and a three year old. Both daughters. They fight over the screensaver because it is random, and if one's pic is up the other one thinks we did it on purpose. They argue over the craziest things!
At first I used the ever stupid "SHHHHHHHHH" bad Idea doesnt work. Then I tried the Harry Wong hand raising thing, it worked ok but I didnt like it. "When ever you are ready" works pretty good. But what I found the second half of last year is the BEST. I allow a note card for test. So I decided to put different values for the notecard. example... 1. 3x5 card bothsides 2. 3x5 card 1 side. All classes start with no 3x5. To getthem queit I will stand where I want to start for a few seconds if they do not get quiet I will say "It's time to begin." If they are still talking I go to the board and take away minutes if they are real loud Ill take away a whole side even going into neg time. I love this method because the students that are loud are (usually) the ones that want/need the notecard so they usually get everyone to shhhhh pretty quick. The other great part of these 3x5 cards is the students that never study "accedently" study while looking for the info for the card. :lol: It's amazing watching how many students spend so much time making the notecard and barly use it at all. :up:
A teacher I work with spells out the word Quiz. She puts a letter on the board at a time, and if she gets to z without quieting down the students get a pop quiz.
I like the idea if many students are talking to take away some free time or game time they may be trying to earn. If it's just a couple students, I'll address them directly and ask them to listen.
I still have a problem with using a learning tool (a quiz, a test, writting or reading) as Punishment. I am sure there is a study on this. Will students think whenever they have a quiz that they have been bad? Or in life if the they are "good" they will never be "tested?" The poster has a problem with quizzes as Punishment because he doesn't like to grade them
I hope this isn't controversial..., but we're in the classroom, not on the beach... I came up with "SHARK". When I need the attention of the class, I shout out "SHARK". The letters and what they stand for are posted on the board. It means: S - sitting H - hands down A - attention R - ready K - kids (they shout out "let's begin") It's interacive and no one wants the chance to miss out on shouting out the "let's begin" part. I don't know if it works with older students or not.
I would discourage the use of the word "shut" . . . it really sets you up for problems. If it's a phrase you'd be uncomfortable your students using with you, you shouldn't use it. Modeling is the most effective and important method of educating, and you should find a way to say be quiet without using the word shut. You could make it humorous for them; sometimes I say things like, "It's all about me right now" or "I'm the sun and the center of your world". Or come up with a hand signal . . . above all be consistent!
This is what I wish I could show on hand...(clean, don't worry) http://carcino.gen.nz/images/index.php/00b9a680/15995896
Mishmosh--I love that! I will use that in my Kinder class on Monday. (We started class on Thursday, and this year, it's the boys who are chatty!!) :-D
This does work! I do this, too. Maybe it's a guy thing?! I used it a lot with my first graders last year. My students called it my "turtle voice" because I would speak very slowly. It worked extremely well; students never want to be late for lunch, recess, or any other fun activity! I agree that this wouldn't work in middle school. However, you'll never catch me stepping anywhere near middle schoolers! No way!
I usually just say "Please" and they catch on. Talking is such a problem in my class this year that "Please's" Just don't cut it. I know many of you are against the Harry Wong hand raising technique but I love it! Take 5 minutes and teach it to them, tell them it is NOT a "baby" thing that they use it in our workshops!
It might not work with older age groups but with my younger ones I will start talking very softly and give a direction like "if you can hear me put your hand on your shoulder and stop talking" I'll repeat it as many times as I need to but the first time I start a timer or look at the clock. Then when I have everyone's attention I'll say "you've wasted x minutes talking so I get x minutes of your recess"
This is funny : The other day I am teaching a lesson (8th grade math) and Mario is just talking out of turn not keeping quiet so I stop talking and I just wait in silence FOR silence, Mario takes some time to realize that I am waiting for him so another student says to him "Shut up Mario" I look at the student and tell her saying "shut up is rude we don't use shut up" at that time Mario decides to chime in and speak up, without a moment going by, I turn to him and say "shut up Mario" ......... it then became a game he would start to talk out of turn and I'd say "no talking Mario" then every time he might say something or when I would end a sentience I would say "no talking Mario" while standing almost next to his desk. He got so frustrated, that I was not letting him say anything, I thought he might explode. as he left he said "say it again Mr. P" with a big smile on his face.
Dave, imagine trying that one with Middleschoolers and high schoolers. Sadly yes, I have told my kids to shut up, but usually I just say thats enough, quiet please, or just stop my lesson.
My favorite catch phrase is "closing your mouth opens your minds". It took them a while to catch on, but it hushes them in about 2 seconds flat.
Ha! I did tell a class of 8th graders once that they had succeeded in wasting a full 20 minutes of class by talking. They responded with, "Cool! We're awesome!" They did not think thier consequences for that remark were awesome.
