Monday, October 05, 2009

Rain Rain Go Away

What a dreary day!
Today everyone had to stay inside all day because it was raining. Well I left my kids in the room for a while and I went to the teacher's lounge. We had discussed how we act inside during recess in the classroom and how we need to have 'inside voices'.
After a few minutes I heard a barking noise...my kids were playing dogs.
I went down the classroom and I explained to them that I could hear them in the teacher's lounge and that they weren't using inside voices when they barked like dogs. I explained that panting was fine (hahahaha) but barking was not.
For a couple minutes I didn't hear anything...then a bark...and another! So I went back to my room and shut off the lights and said "Who barked?" No one said anything. I asked again "Who barked?"
"I didn't!" "I didn't! "Me either!" That was all I heard. I again stated my expectations and left the classroom.
I was telling one of the teachers about it when I heard a bark...again. This time I went to the classroom and I turned off the lights. I informed everyone they needed to drop the chains and go to their seats. One kid tried to sneak the chains with him to his seat haha.
I had them all put their heads down and I said "I want an open and honest classroom. I want this place to be somewhere we can trust each other and respect each other, which we have talked about before. Now, I will ask my question again...who barked?"
One kid raised his hand and I waited...and waited...and I repeated my question again. One little girl puts up her head and goes "Well...I barked a little bit. Does that count?" hahahah
I asked her to put her head back down and said "Even if you barked just a little bit, I would like to know." In all three hands went up.
I then said "alright. Well, you may continue to play until the bell rings. Then you can clean up."
Needless to say...there was no more barking :)

2 Comments:

Blogger Janelle said...

aaaahhhh I love this blog. I was thinking the other day about how I don't have contact with kids anymore. ever. no babysitting or anything. these kids are hilarious...and fighting about tractors?! only in Iowa ;-)
You are funny. You bring tears of laughter to my eyes and then tears of sadness because I miss you. Bittersweet. Love you dearest!

4:47 PM  
Blogger Julie said...

Hahaha! I love reading about the problems you have in your classroom - and the imaginations of your students - so cute! I like the way you handled that situation, Bekah. Great job!

9:01 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home