Having been an educator for 36 years now, I should really have remembered the fact that the last week before Christmas vacation would be a wild one. Oh yeah, throw in a full moon too while you're at it and it becomes a recipe for disaster or at the very least a noisy classroom. By Tuesday of this week I knew that we would be in for trouble if I didn't find a solution soon and just like the proverbial ephiphany that I sometimes receive, the answer came to me early yesterday morning.
Tuesday I would never have been chosen as a candidate for "teacher of the year" by anyone but if you would have asked my students, they would have gladly volunteered me for "crankiest old person of the year" unanimously. It was just one of those kind of days and I suppose that we all have them. It was a combination of a lot of things including children who didn't realize that "get quiet" really meant that, a huge slate of testing to be done, and the fact that the calendar was telling all of us that not only was Christmas just around the bend but that the first semester of school was nearly completed. And that "recipe for disaster" that I first mentioned? Well, it was stirred up and in the oven already baking by noontime. By afternoon, it was done and when they all had been "clipped down" to a level 2 on the behavior chart (and that's not a good thing by the way), I knew that something had to change if we were going to survive the remainder of the week together.
At the school day's end, I stood before them and looked at them all right square into their eyes. I began my conversation like this~"THIS has been the roughest day we have ever had together. I want you to hold up your hand if you believe that you have done your part to make it a good day for all of us here." Not a hand went up and I could tell by the looks on their little faces that they knew exactly what I was talking about. With just minutes before the last bell of the day would ring, I told them that tomorrow would have to be different and that I would come up with a plan to help us get back on track on our behaviour. They would have to do their part to make it work. With that I let them go and to be real honest I didn't have a clue as to what that special "plan" would be.
I went home tired with a heck of a headache and ended up falling asleep well before my usual falling asleep on the couch in front of the TV time at 8:15 p.m. All night long, those kids were popping in and out of my dreams and although I have no memory of what the heck they were doing in there, I remember their faces. When I got up and headed to school yesterday morning I still had no idea what the plan would be but as I opened the door to our classroom and turned on the lights, it hit me and I knew what I had to do.
When the kids arrived a few hours later, the very first thing I did even before the Flag Salute for heaven's sake, was to walk over to the discipline/behaviour chart and begin to take down all of the "clips" with their names on them and the four sheets that show their level of good/bad behaviour for the day. (4, 3, 2, 1 and you really ought to stay on "4"). They had a look of surprise on their faces as I removed them and put them away in the cupboard, telling the class that they were gone from the wall until after Christmas break and would stay there until we came back in January.
"Guys, I want to ask you something, " I began when I returned to the front of the room. "I want you to consider how you would behave if those charts were NOT on the wall. I know that you understand what good behaviour looks like, sounds like, IS like. You are wonderful students who are not making the best of choices this week. I believe you can turn it around and we will see." I left it at that and the day began.
I should not have been surprised to see what happened next but this much I can tell you~99.9 percent of it was very good. No one "ran wild" because the behaviour charts were down and even though from time to time, the noise level would rise a bit, the room became much more manageable. When I had to call them "back in" from time to time, it didn't take long for it to happen. By the end of the day, I knew that things had gotten better and we all went home in a much better spirit than we had the day prior.
You know what? It wasn't just the kids that changed yesterday because in all honesty, their teacher made some adjustments as well. Many times during that Tuesday "one week before Christmas with a full moon outside" kind of day, I made wrong choices as well. I could have done much better but I was too busy in a battle of wills with the kids on one side, me on the other, and the behaviour chart smack dab in the middle of us. Now that I look back, I can tell that the stress that I was having as their teacher was rubbing off on them as well. And as kids sometimes will do, they react (just like grown ups do) in ways that aren't always so favourable. I really should have known better.
At day's end yesterday, right before I let them go home, I spoke with them and thanked them for having a much better day. I told the same thing that they have heard me say time and time again...so much so that they can almost speak the words as I say them. "I love you guys all and sometimes I have to pause to remember how I looked all summer long for you. I almost gave up because I thought I wouldn't find you and just in the right moment, THERE YOU WERE!" Usually about the time I get to the part where I tell them that I almost gave up, someone will say "better get a kleenix someone because she is about ready to cry". And then we all laugh together.
Here's a sobering thought that all teachers have, wherever they may teach. It doesn't matter if it's Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Florida or any other state in between. It is true in every situation. In our classrooms today there will be students who really wish there wasn't two weeks off from school for vacation at Christmas. Those are the kids who desperately need the security and safe environment that the school provides for them. For some kids, it's the ONLY place where it is warm with food to eat and fill their bellies full. It's the place where cranky old teachers like, oh I don't know, maybe Mrs. Renfro (?) love them and try to guide them along life's way. Friends, all students but especially those kids need your prayers each and every day. If you don't believe in the age old saying "It takes a village..." then I'm asking to reconsider your belief. We need you, THEY need you.
Once I was a kid and if you are reading this, then you were too. Remember how fun it used to be? May the "kid" that still lives in all of us have a great day.
Kinda funny how God always puts people together in just the right place and time~I love them.
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