suggestions

I certainly don't want to bore you with all of my mental notes I took today while talking to our Facilitator (a.k.a. "Vice-Prinicpal"), but I am completely grateful for her input, even if our meeting went almost too long. I made it out of her office in just enough time to bring Kory his Carl's Jr. birthday dinner, by request. He had Carl's mostly because we have two shows we LOVE to watch on Monday evenings: "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" (yeah, yeah. No commentary, please) and "24".

So, just for my sake, I will make note of some of the things I can remember from my meeting with Le Ann. Read on, if you wish. Oh, just a little background: I have a really tough group of kids to manage every other week. Today they were completely INSANE! They could not calm down. So, since my day made me feel like garbage and inadequate, I sought help and wound up with Le Ann, who is absolutely amazing. Here are some of her suggestions for a happier, healthier classroom.

*Golden Arrows (golden-rod colored pieces of paper that are like GOLD to the students)
*set deadlines for earning rewards
*go through procedures until the kids get it right--even if it means practicing lining up the entire day. I WILL WIN THAT BATTLE!
*Give children the opportunity to work wherever they want to in the classroom. The kids don't necessarily have to have their feet flat on the floor or be sitting in their chairs. She used a great analogy for this one: When you read for pleasure, where do you read? At your desk, hunched over a book? My answer was on the couch or bed because that's what is comfortable for me. It's not comfortable to sit flat in a hard chair all day! I liked this idea.
*Playing 3/4 time music (classical) as the kids walk into the classroom. I've heard classical music flows with the same natural rhythm of the body so it's calming.

Other suggestions where student-specific but I was thoroughly enlightened by our whole conversation and feel much better. Good-night.