Discipline Journal # 4

I. Data Collection:

Situation #1
A. 12 November 2008
B. 11th grade APUSH
C. I assigned a children’s story book for a 6 weeks project. They were to create a story, a information book, and illustrate it. I told them they could illustrate the book by drawing, painting, cutting out characters, etc. They did not have to draw if they could not. I gave them two days in the library and two weeks to complete the assignment. The night before the book was due, I got this email. “Why do we have to draw the pictures? You really know how to make things difficult. Anyways, will you email me my grade please?”
D. I used love and logic and my response was, “Thanks for sharing. I will have your grade for you tomorrow in class.”
E. I was so furious! I am still upset. These AP kids are so disrespectful. He wanted to know his grade so he knew how hard he had to work to pass. I ended up giving him a 70%, he should have earned more points, but I was so mad at him. I do not like teaching AP. The kids think they are better than everyone else, including me.

Situation #2
A. 17 November 2008
B. 11th grade APUSH
C. We are to have “RED” time every lunch period. RED is an acronym for “Read Every Day.” On my board I had only written “RED” time. A student, in a cynical tone said, “you misspelled READ time.”
D. I responded to this student by saying, “I am not illiterate. I know how to spell READ. This reading time is called RED time because RED is any acronym for Read Every Day.
E. I am so tired of these AP kids thinking they are better and smarter than me. They are just plain rude. I would never talk to another person in the manner that they talk to me. My on-level kids are way more respectful than they are.

Situation #3
A. 17th November 2008
B. 11th grade APUSH
C. I divided up the kids into different groups. The students were to reference their textbooks. I had a student ask me what acute irritable intestines were. I said I had no idea. He responded with, “You should know.” I asked why. He said, “its in the textbook and you should know everything in the book.”
D. I said, “well then I guess I’d have to guess that it is related to IBS.” He asked what IBS was and I responded with, “You should know. Its advertised on TV all the time.” And then I walked away.
E. No lie. I don’t even use love and logic with these kids anymore. I just dish it back to them. I will flat out tell them they are rude. I don’t think anyone has ever done that before. For being teacher pleasers they hate for me to think poorly of them. This 6 weeks will be totally different. They will be treated like students. I will not try to befriend them. Its unfortunate, but that’s they way it has to go.

Situation #4
A. 21 November 2008
B. 11th grade US History
C. I had the whole day set up for class and when I got to the room, everything didn’t go as planned. I have first period off and when I arrived, the computer was not working. So instead of getting started with the PowerPoint like I had planned I told the kids to start reading their primary document over Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle.” Well, when I went out to pass the articles I was 12 short. A student replied, “wow, I am impressed with your organizational skills.”
D. I did not get upset with the student. I sent him to the copy room to make more copies. The kids who did not have an article began to work on their homework.
E. The class was productive and I did get my PowerPoint to work, but I was not tolerating anything. I got unusually upset over the smallest thing. From talking to not working at all. I am prepared. If I had not been then the kids who have not had any additional things to work on while we waited for the computer or the photocopies.

Situation #5
A. 21 November 2008
B. 11th grade APUSH
C. During chapter presentation, two students continued to talk. They were not loud, but were loud enough to annoy me.
D. I moved my chair and sat right next to the both of them. They quieted down and obviously got the hint. They asked why I was being extra mean to them today. I replied that I was annoyed that I had to ask AP kids to be quite. They should know how to show respect for their peers.
E. I just think that I am so over teaching AP kids. They are rude and think that the universe revolves around them. I think I handled the situation in the right way. But I think a break is what I need.

Situation #6
A. 21 November 2008
B. 11th grade APUSH
C. A man entered the room during a students’ presentation to ask me about my loudspeaker. He was African American. The presentations were about the Civil War. He asked when I was on conference and I told him that I had already had my conference. Then I said, “its true. They work me like a slave.” Not meaning anything by the comment. Well a student, who has been mentioned before, said “wow, ironic.” I know the man heard her, which was rude and it was disrespectful to assume that is what I meant.
D. Once again, I let it go. I don’t have enough to send her to the office with a referral, but I am keeping a log to have evidence. I know her mother would have a fit if I sent her.
E. I have to debate whether to send her. I just don’t want a fight with her mother. I need to sit down with her and discuss her attitude before I send her, so its not a total shock to her.

Situation # 7
A. 2nd 6 weeks, 3rd periods
B. US History and APUSH
C. Our campus has instituted “RED Time,” Read Every Day. Since 3rd period is so much longer than the others, we as a campus, read for 15 minutes at the beginning or end of the period. I did not do this the first or second 6 weeks, but I started this 6 weeks.
D. The kids have responded well. Most of them read their novels for English, but some read magazines, or the dictionary. They all are quite and read for 15 minutes, which is a blessing to me.
E. I really like RED Time. It allows me to cool down before the come in. I too model the example of reading. I think that its important to show them that I am reading too, so its my expectation.

Situation # 8
A. 21 November 2008
B. APUSH
C. During our presentations, when groups are transitioning, it can get a bit chaotic. I asked a group to get ready as the other group was ending. A student said, “why did you say good job to the group who hasn’t gone yet?”
D. This student was trying to be smart. He knew what I had meant. I asked the 2nd group to get ready and right afterwards said, “good job” to the first group. I explained my self and he said, “that’s not what you said.” I dropped it.
E. Seriously. This class is going to kill me. I get most of my discipline entries from them. What’s worse is that they are AP kids. I thought AP kids would be different. They are very disrespectful.

Situation # 9
A. 24 November 2008
B. 11th grade APUSH
C. A student was talking about what she wanted for Christmas. I walked by and another student asked what I wanted. Before I could respond, another student said, “you know that I am pretty awesome at everything, but I am really great at making cupcakes.” Student 1 said, “is that what you would want for Christmas, cupcakes?” Before she could respond, I said, “I would like for Student 2 to be more humble.”
D. There was no real consequence because I was the one with the cutting remark. She was very quite for the rest of the period. I did not apologize.
E. Thinking about this, I am upset that I acted this way. I didn’t think before I spoke. Like I said, I am just over AP kids thinking they are better than everyone and everything. I just reacted. The rapport with her is the same. I will be grateful when this year is over and I can get back to my regular kids.

Situation # 10
A. 24 October 2008
B. 11th grade US History
C. A student who I joke around with often went to far today. He is very small. Maybe 5 feet tall and under 100 lbs easily. Personally I like David Spade. “Peanut” as the students call him, had been his usual sarcastic self and make a really funny comment. I laughed and said, “you remind me of David Spade.” Whom I think is very funny. He responded with “well you reminded me of Rosie O’Donnell.”
D. I was taken back by the comment. I was offended actually. I laughed it off because I was embarrassed and didn’t want the entire class to hear what he had said.
E. The rapport with me and this kid is over. He went too far. I am not a sensitive person, but he basically called me fat. I rarely talk to this kid now. We definitely don’t have the same relationship. I don’t treat him an differently, but I do not “cut up with him” anymore.

II. Model to implement in my class: Rogerian Model

Summary of Model: Rogers believes that the child has an inherent capacity, for being rational and capable. Given empathetic understanding, warmth, and openness, one will choose what is best for oneself and will become a fully functioning person, constructive, and trustworthy. The underlying assumption of Rogerian theory is that each person is unique and thus it is impossible for one person to make appropriate decisions for another.

Description of Incident: Students were the teacher for a day. They taught part of the chapter and created homework for the other students to complete. I asked that they write each of the homework questions on separate sheets of paper so the kids could grade their own questions. A student, whom I have had problems with before, had done all of his homework on one sheet of paper. I asked him how he was going to turn in his homework to the 6 different groups. He said he did not know he was supposed to do this. I said, “I asked that everyone in the class write their homework on separate sheets of paper so each group could grade their own homework questions. When I ask you to follow directions and you do not, it makes it difficult. What do you think you could do to resolve this problem? We came up with the idea to have him copy the homework questions over on separate sheets of paper.

Steps:
Looking, Questioning Statements, Naming Statements, Ownership of the Problem, I Statements.
There are six steps to problem solving.
1. Defining the problem- use active listening and I statements
2. Generating possible solutions- brainstorm solutions with student
3. Evaluating Solution
4. Deciding Solution
5. Implementing Solution- make clear agreement
6. Evaluating Solutions

Reflection: I really like this model because it puts the problem back on the student. This way, whatever decision they make, it was their decision and they cannot get mad at me for the consequences. This incident wasn’t the biggest problem, but it was frustrating that he was the only one, out of 105 AP students who did not follow my directions. He is used to tuning me out. It felt good that he was the only one who didn’t do his homework right. Maybe he will start to listen more. I was also glad that I didn’t have to figure out his problem, he created it by not listening and he was able to fix it without me having to handle it. Works very well.