Time flies now that some kids have a book and now that I'm teaching from it instead of "lecturing" about myself. That class ended and off I went next door to third grade. Third grade is learning the months in conjunction with ordinal numbers (1st through 12th). At Lockeland, I have a song for the months on a CD that incorporates all the months with the macarena. I don't need the CD, so I decided to teach it to them. I showed them and then asked them to stand. I stood on a chair so they could all see me and they thought that meant they could stand on their chairs. Their eyes were so excited at this crazy teacher. I corrected them, but decided what's the harm? I told them I was standing so they could see, but if they could do it well enough on the floor, I would let them sing one time on their chairs.
All went well. We sang on the floor, we sang on the chairs, and we sat back down. With 39, though, after something fun or extraordinary, it takes a bit of time to maintain order again. I never got back to that point. I started the lesson on the board, I asked questions, but all I got were blank stares or laughter. I called one troublemaker up to me and asked him some questions only to see more hamming and begging for more attention from his classmates.
His partner in crime who looked precious (they usually do), couldn't get herself in gear either.
We attempted a class discussion in Spanish. I ceased the lesson considering I couldn't teach. I used a technique I always use at home, which is to calmly stop what I'm doing and walk to my desk. I look at them all patiently and without anger. They get bored, and honestly, they figure out quickly and independently that if they just zip it, we move on. This class was not quite as with it! It took 25 of our 50 minutes of me acting like that. When the teacher came in after the recreo bell had rung, he acted surprised in front of them that they could have acted that way. He asked me if I wanted him to stay in there and that all the teachers had discussed that they feel in the way when they stay, but are willing to help if needed. Having the other teacher in there creates an issue of the students' questioning who is the authority in the room, so I told him I'd like another week of it on my own. Then, if I'm still having trouble, the next week he can join me. He said that this class was just one of those classes. I could relate because I was in a class like that. We made more teachers retire than any other group. Some during the year they were teaching us! We were always the talk of the school, and we had the highest incoming population to high school and the smallest graduating class. We were a crazy group. Crazy as we were, we could be handled with the right approach. I must remember that!
This week, I found my groove with 1st grade. They're beginning to get used to me, even if Lucano still hates English. They know when to listen and not to get up out of their seats without my permission, even if the rules are different with their classroom teacher, and even if they have to be reminded. Everyone needs reminders. Especially first graders. And more so those with a new teacher. I feel it coming with 2nd grade. Fourth and fifth grade are very participatory when the lesson is actually taking place. And sixth grade, of course absolutely loves everything about English class: the lessons, the names, the teacher, the songs. I'll get there with 3rd grade. It will probably just take time.
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