If they don't get rain or snow ...

So here’s what I learned about teaching this year: Kids are different and they are getting differenter! Let me translate with an example from my general class. General classes are classes for kids who for different reasons do not perform well academically. One such course I teach takes an entry level course that our highest achievers do in one semester and waters it down and spreads it out over four semesters. In my wisdom I would apply the same standards of behaviour to both sorts of classes! My nine year old would say du-uh!

I was making a rod for my own back. The achieving kids need very little discipline and reach the standard very easily. Not so for less achieving children. If these children don’t understand the simplest content then why should I think they understand every aspect of classroom behaviour.

The worst thing about this is that I was operating under the assumption that I was doing the best thing for the kids in the class. They knew different. Luckily it only took me 20 years to learn that lesson.

Don’t think I ‘ve abandoned discipline or classroom management in the general class, but I have made adjustments, to suit their needs and mine. There’s not really a method it’s more reaching an understanding.