Teaching isn’t what I do

4 comments

1. What if your audience is disruptive and rude? I’m still searching and praying about how to reach my Monday night religious ed. class.

2. Patty, what’s worked for me (with 2nd graders) is to do one of three things, in this order:

   1. Use their energy to conduct learning activities (instead of lecturing). The list is endless. Be creative.
   2. Conduct a “rules of the room” brainstorming session. Create a list of honorable behaviors.
   3. Fire someone from the class. (Get them out of there – a last resort).

3. Have done one and two… Two is posted and referred to on the wall. Each class starts with an activity and has another in the middle… I don’t really lecture. I ask questions and reward answers. Hoping not to have to fire someone as they are ninth graders. But in the past firing has eased a troubled class.

   Rumor has it everyone wants in on my class… Everyone but those already in. 🙂 was thinking of having alternative material and to have them separated from the group but within hearing distance (under alternative supervision). Maybe that perspective will help them to see what they are missing. Or not… Deeply praying on this one. Praying for the correct tools to keep my class intact.

4. Patty, from personal experience, this is the most challenging assignment a teacher has.

   In the realm of teaching adults, when forced, I take absolute control. It’s a last resort, yet effective – because they are business folk.

   With youth, the challenge is different, more complex. We deal with unseen home and emotional issues and behaviors that have not yet been tested and adjusted in the workplace.

   The youth in question may desperately want love, attention, belonging, removal of fear, etc.

   It can be difficult to provide that in the context of a short, infrequent classroom encounter.

   Best wishes for wisdom and guidance to find a creative solution.

   PS. maybe you can the curriculum and address it. Or use the curriculum to address it.

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