Darn Discipline

Today was almost a snow day, and it is Friday. Friday + Snow = HYPER kids

One thing I learned in my Educational Psychology class last year was that things are NEVER the students' fault. We can't change how students act, but we can change what we do in order to have a desirable reaction.

Yesterday, in my mini-lessons, I was calm, cool, and collected (the big Cs.) Holy cow, those kids were good yesterday. They listened to me, and my actions created a calm reaction. They were excited about the content, but they still knew how I wanted them to act by the way that I acted.

Today, I feel discombobulated.

My first lesson of the day (Kindergarten High and Low, using the Seesaw Song to make a game) was the opposite of yesterday. Yesterday, I couldn't get the kids awake enough to do the lesson, and they seemed (quietly) confused if I messed up any instructions. Today, in the other K class (two classes together today, but not yesterday) I had to yell to be heard. Maybe my instructions were not clear, nor did I maintain a calm attitude with myself. I suppose it doesn't really help when you have two classes in the same room. How can I find a happy median between these two K class attitudes? I can't blame the class, so what can I do to change?

I had to ask Mrs. Ward what to do after class. I noticed that when she teaches Kindergarten, the kids are attentive. She told me she emphasizes CLEAR instruction. THAT IS MY PROBLEM. I have to find ways to think about what I need to say in the simplest, clearest, concise way.

Sheridan being clear and calm = Students calmly responding to instructions

Thinking on the fly usually doesn't work, either. I need to have things written down and planned beforehand, or all is chaos.

Chaos isn't that great.