Little and Broken, But Still Good

What do these "anti social" kids want to do? I mean, ask them straight up what kind of activity they would enjoy doing? Maybe listening to them would be a good start to let them feel like they are "part of the group" ?

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I *could* ask them, and that could work, if they suggest something different that's feasible to do in class, I could perhaps tell them they'll be allowed to do it later (depending on what it is, of course). But there's a few issues; we change activities every 5-10 minutes anyway, and also, they don't understand enough English for me to ask them that, and I'm not really allowed to talk to them in French. I could ask them, but even so, I can't change the whole activity around just for them. It's an idea, and I can ask them and see what they say, but I don't know if it's going to work very well.
Either way, thank you very very much for your input, I appreciate it a lot. :)

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dizietsma.livejournal.com

Don't ask them what they want to do, they don't know. They'll ask for something stupid that doesn't really help them at all. Ask them instead why the current task you want them to do is boring. Their answer will be much more illuminating.

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dizietsma.livejournal.com

Oh, and try to do this in a 1 on 1 situation, in a corner or in a different partition of the room. Don't give them a chance to act-up in front of their classmates while they have your attention.

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The problem is, in order to talk to them one on one, I have to leave the rest of the class alone, which I can't do. :(

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Oh, and thank you for your input! Gah, I was just reading back and realized I didn't thank you...and I honestly appreciate anyone who takes the time to write something here...so thanks! :)

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No. Sorry. Marina's the teacher.

If you let kids of 5 dictate what happens in the classroom they'll be monsters by the time they're 10.

It's hard to understand this if you don't work with kids yourself, but it you let them learn that bad behaviour = more attention from adults and consultation on classroom procedures, they'll only learn to behave worse.

Of course none of the above precludes making sure that your lesson plan takes into account interests, learning styles and any special educational needs.

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I've watched a lot of SuperNanny and Nanny 911. I think I know how to deal with KIDS~

Of course none of the above precludes making sure that your lesson plan takes into account interests, learning styles and any special educational needs.

Yo, thats what I was saying. How will you know what their interests are if you dont ASK them?

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I've watched a lot of SuperNanny and Nanny 911. I think I know how to deal with KIDS

Well, I've watched a lot of ER, I think I know how to do basic heart surgery! So there! :p

That Ally McBeal still looks way better than me in a miniskirt though, the trollop :p

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Oops, sorry, I missed that last line.

Serious answer attempt:

I agree with poster #1. Maybe they would love to draw or paint while the other do group activities, or maybe make a dance or exercise activity to go along with the singing? Keeping their bodies active may keep their attention. I know I can't sit still and I'm (arguably) an adult.

If we knew more about their personalities it may help. Why are they problem kids? Is it that they're shy to be in groups, or maybe very smart and feel unchallenged. ADD is no fun, either and making things faster-paced or giving the kid(s) in question a specific or special task will help.

I know that I can feel lost in a group and my mind wanders a lot. I tend to get in trouble or absentmidedly do things unless I feel I have a direct goal or mission. I'm better now, but as a kid, I'd wander off physically or mentally, draw, or do something if no one was expecting somethign specific of me.

Come to think of it, I'm still that way.

Dunno if any of that makes sense to you. It's hard to describe living ADD if you have no outside references.

Oh, another way is to incorporate their interest into the activity. For me, make it about animals, art or humour and you have my interest for just about any activity.

Edited Date: 2009-11-10 06:50 pm (UTC)

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All songs come with dances and gestures they have to do, it helps them understand what's going on in the song as many of these students can't understand much English at all. Unfortunately, I don't have time to figure out what's wrong with these particular children nor figure out their individual personalities; I only have the grade 1 groups for 30 minutes a week, so I don't even get to learn their names. I can only cater to them/teach them as a group.
As for incorporating their interests into the activities, we have themes to follow, and I want to stick to those themes.

No activity lasts longer than 5-7 minutes usually, so I can't make anything faster paced, and they always know what they have to do; instructions and gestures are always specific.

Thanks very much for your input. :)

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O, I didn't realise how little time you had with these guys. I thought they were YOUR class.

Is it possible to speak with their regular teacher and find out what's up with them? Maybe the teacher would ahve suggestions?

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sultrysong.livejournal.com

Can I ask why the activities are so short? If these are kids who take 10 minutes to settle in and realize they like something, it's already too late.

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Because we have so many things to fit into a 30-minute period, and also because they get bored fast. If we're doing something that involves colouring though it usually lasts longer.

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You should definitely take some time to learn their names and talk with them. I know it's important to stay on task, but students are just so much more responsive, and better behaved when you have a bond with them.

Believe me, I'm not one of those "I'm friends with my students" kind of teachers, but taking the time to get to know my students personally and by name saved me so much time and behavior problems.

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It's not that I don't want to learn their names, there's no time. On 30 minutes a week with 210 students, it's literally and physically impossible.

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Don't worry I understood that it was due to a lack of time that you didn't know their names =) I'm not the most eloquent person in the world, so I hope my previous comment didn't come off as implying otherwise.

What about taking a class picture and writing their names on it, maybe that could help? I'm guessing picture season has come and gone though, so it might be hard for you to get your hands on a class picture.

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so I hope my previous comment didn't come off as implying otherwise

Oh no no no no! Not at all. :) I'm just saying i WISH I knew their names--it would help so much! ;_;

I love that photo idea! Actually, I have a few ideas for learning students names when I see them so rarely, but it'll have to wait until my next contract, I guess; I only have 4 weeks left at this school! I'm going to miss many of these kids soooooo much! :(

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I had double that and I managed :-)

You also really need to check with the classroom teacher about any special educational or behavioural need before you implement the advice I'm going to give below :-)

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Yes! Agreed completely. Luckily, my principal is super-awesome (and that is an understatement!) and sat down with me at the beginning of the year and went through the class list of each of the groups, telling me which students had learning or behavioural problems and what was being done with them. I haven't been able to keep track of all of them, unfortunately--save for a few in grade 5 and 6 who I see much more often and are SUCH a handful that I'm regularly reporting on them anyway. :(

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poster #1

Im James. But then again, I'm also poster number one~

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Hi James, I'm Ivy :P

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I life in Pierrefonds, and have a 27 inch waist. Thats pretty much all there is to know about me. Thats how shallow I am :(

Good to know you, Ivy.

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Uh. Live*.

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I currently have 6 bats living with me and I'm pretty sure one is rabid, or at least insane.

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REAL BATS? Are you sure its the BAT thats INSAAAAANE?

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At the risk of flooding Marina's journal with off-topicness, we should probably get a room ;)

And yes. Real, live, squeaky bats.

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Too bad Le Raphael closed~

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There is a seedy motel right behind my place. I'm sure we can pick up fleas and HepC there...

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What's Le Raphael?

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Its now the KNIGHTS INN, but the Raphael was/is known as the seediest place to go for 1-hour sex. Its right off the 20, near Angrignon, where St Jacques street splits into Ste Anne street.

voila (http://maps.google.ca/maps/place?hl=en&safe=off&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=motel+raphael+montreal&fb=1&gl=ca&hq=motel+raphael&hnear=montreal&cid=1884488058250052166&dtab=2&ei=MxX6SuOYI8Wynge4-Om_Dg&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQqgUwAA)

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OH I KNOW THAT PLACE. hahahahaa
I didn't know it used to be called Raphael. Weird.

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OH I KNOW THAT PLACE.

IM SURE YOU DO

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I want to blame this retarded fever for not having anything witty to say in response to this, but we all know it ain't the fever's fault! *emo tear*

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I have a thermometre... right here... in my pocket...

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Mrrrooowwww <3

Hey, you know that Boone's (apparently) back this season, right? ^.^

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EVERYONE IS BACK! EVERYONE!

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YES! YES YES YES!!!
CHARRRRLIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I SWEAR I COULD CRY I AM SO HAPPY :D :D :D :D :D :D

Mr Eko is not back though because the actor doesn't wanna be, or so I've heard. Bah! :(

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Mr Eko is not back though

but hes blacker than black and hes black, y;all~

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There's a page in one of my Lost magazines from season 2 that is titled "Dark Territory" and the person pictured is Mr Eko, so everytime I turn to that page and see that I'm like THAT'S RACIST YOU GUYS.
I want to lick him from head to toe SO BADLY.

I know I've asked you this, but did you ever used to watch Oz? Because he was much more awesome on Oz than he was on Lost <3

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lol one of my teachers actually sold that motel to Burger King. From what I understand it's gonna take a few years before they actually convert it, but still lol

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HAHHA OMG THAT IS AWESOME.

Also, I love Burger King. I wish there was one here in Verdun. ;_; Although there's about 5 fast food places I prefer to BK, so maybe I should be wishing THOSE would come to Verdun instead. Like Taco Bell. Or Wendy's. Or Harvey's. OR QUIZNOS, MY ULTIMATE FAVE <333

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I agree with dizietsma, 1 on 1 is always the best. Also never ask them point blank "what do you want to do?", instead give them choices and then have them choose something out of those choices.

Also with the little ones, I always preferred to do whole class activities rather than group ones; but I was lucky because my grades 1-2 only had 15-18 students, so it was easy to manage the whole class at the same time.

When it comes to discipline, I used to apply the same one as their homeroom teacher. Since I only had 2x30 mins with them, there was no way they would ever learn my discipline style, so it was just easier to use the one they were already used to.

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By group activities I meant the whole class at once, I guess I should have specified that.
I'm using the same discipline as their homeroom teacher, which is good because I actually use their classroom (as opposed to the other grades where they all come to my room).

Thanks very much for your input. :)

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First point: You really can't teach or discipline a kid if you don't learn their names. Turn it into a game - get them to test you and see how many you can learn in a week. You won't have to do them all at once, but really you're going to have to try. At my last school I had 20 groups of up to 30 kids each and after three months I knew them by name, bar one or two.

Secondly: YOU have to be in control and YOU have to set the agenda and the choices in the room. This is going to sound a bit harsh but I've been told it works. Every time a kid does not participate or wanders away from the group, they straight away go into someone else's classroom and do really boring pen and pencil work, which you'll have ready - just some worksheets will do. I would also make them lose part of their breaktime or whatever other sanction your school thinks is appropriate, but then I'm a harsh bitch who teaches teenagers!

They will soon learn that to get your attention and to have fun, they have to participate. If they wander off, they don't get to do something else equally fun, they do the written work with no attention paid to them. You don't have to get angry with them - in fact it's better if you don't because anger is attention. Just matter-of-factly remove them from the fun environment. Most of them will get the message!

I get absolutely shedloads of tips and advice from the forums attached to the Times Educational Supplement (the big teachers' publication in the UK).

http://www.tes.co.uk/Forums.aspx?navcode=206

I recommend the Primary, Early Years and Behaviour forums in particular.

Good luck!

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