That Was Yesterday...Tales from the classroom.

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The photograph of my classroom, from yesterday, was a little premature.  I have, with the heaviest of heart, changed the desks around so that they are in rows facing the whiteboard.  I hate the stark, old-fashioned-ness of it.  I hate everything it communicates to my students about education.  But it seems my students are not quite ready for the responsibility that comes with being able to interact with their peers quite so readily.  The hard part is that it's only a large handful of boys that are causing the problems.  But I have this strong belief that everyone has the right to learn, and I need to protect others' rights.

Don't get me wrong, my students are amazing young people, and I adore them.  I just don't adore all of the behaviours I'm seeing.  Like calling out across the room, cutting up erasers and throwing them about, interrupting and not listening to others.  See?  My list of complaints is relatively mild.  But they do need to be handled.

On the positive side I have the most delightfully, hilarious conversation with one of my cherubs straight after lunch today:

Student:  Can I please go to the toilet?
Me:  We just came in from lunch.  Shouldn't you go at lunch time?
Student:  Wellll....yessss.....
Me:  So, tell me why I should let you go?
Student:  Well, actually I left my lunch box outside and I need to get it, but I thought you would think that was a silly reason.  I thought going to the toilet was more sensible.
Me:  Next time how about you just tell me the truth?  Tomorrow, you need to go to the toilet during lunch time, and if you need to get something you left outside, let me know and we'll deal with that?
Student:  OK.  Thank you Mrs --

I'm still giggling to myself.  Which is just as well, because tomorrow morning will begin with a very serious conversation about behaviour.

And tonight dinner occurred without my input, and there were smiles involved.  Lots of smiles.  Mine.