Teaching Boys.......

[judy]

Sadly, Diana, children from not so great homes tend to respond to the drill sergeant type of teacher Marilyn gave her kids over to. They need a lot of structure, and they are used to adults being harsh with them. They sometimes just don't know how to react to kindness, so they ignore you.

You really don't seem like you have that drill sergeant in you!

[Marilyn]

Diana, so hope things work out better for you this next Wednesday evening!!

One thing that I left behind when I switched classes is my prepared material. Our material repeats every 4 years, so I had worked up the 4 years worth of material, with each quarter in a binder organized by weeks, and we were just starting to repeat. It was so nice, because I already had all the visuals and other required materials assembled in binders and ready to go. Since I've changed to 4 & 5 year olds, I'm starting all over again with the 4 year program for them. My predicessors in this class did not retain the prepared materials. We're working to coordinate the teachers so that everyone uses a binder system to capture this material so we have it ready to go in the future. Teaching elementary and below is lot of work, we spend hours preparing for a 45 minute class.

[judy]

Lesson plans are the bane of every teacher's existence Marilyn! A good lesson plan takes so much work! When I started teaching high school, I spent the first year writing up my lesson plans. I really never went out. I was using a word processor at the time, and it just crashed after that year!

I never really redid my lesson plans after that. The cut and paste method is wonderful, and worked very well for me. There was always something to add, change , reword, etc., but that is just not a big deal. I just dumped my science lesson plans before I moved. I did keep my health lessons, and I think I still have some of my English lesson plans in a box somewhere.

Have you asked the people who taught the 4 and 5 year olds for anything they still have? It would be hard to believe that they just got rid of everything, unless they were never going to teach again!

There are some wonderful online sites that have good lesson plans. Have you tried looking around?

[DianaB]

Marilyn, I understand your fustration with the lesson plans. My daughter, Dae Lynn was the teacher before me and she gave me the website address that she'd been getting ideas from. It's been really helpful. There is cirriculum but it's difficult to use and you have to work to gain badges. It's not like my Sundy School lessons at all. Everyone knows that teaching these boys is hard and are giving me ideas. My daughter, Amy, is helping with some things as well.

This week will be better......................I hope!!!!

Judy, I'm sure that you're right about what it takes to make the kids listen to you. A man would be better suited to teach this class and we do have several......but they just want to help, not teach. I know that I don't show it on here but I really do have a drill sergent inside of me!!!

It'll work.....just say a prayer for me!!!

[Marilyn]

Originally Posted by DianaB

Judy, I'm sure that you're right about what it takes to make the kids listen to you. A man would be better suited to teach this class and we do have several......but they just want to help, not teach. I know that I don't show it on here but I really do have a drill sergent inside of me!!!

It'll work.....just say a prayer for me!!!

This is what I think the boys I was teaching need, a man to teach them. We have the same problem though, men are willing to help when you ask, but to actually teach elementary children, they are not so willing.

Our men are willing to teach 4th grade and up, however these 1st thru 3rd grade boys can be a handful!!!

[DianaB]

We also have some that want to teach the age that they have their own boys in. That's alright but we have two that have the same age boys.

I have some ideas for tomorrow and I'll get some material around later. I'm feeling a little hesitant after last week.

[Marilyn]

Diana, sooooo hope things go well for you tonight!!!! ((((((((Diana)))))))))

[judy]

"Judy, I'm sure that you're right about what it takes to make the kids listen to you. A man would be better suited to teach this class and we do have several......but they just want to help, not teach. I know that I don't show it on here but I really do have a drill sergent inside of me!!! "

I'm sure you do, Diana! The thing is, do you want to be like that while you are teaching them? I never did like those teachers who are too rigid, don't smile, etc., and I never wanted to be like that.

I learned how to let them know that "the evil Judy" would come out if they acted up, but, if they were good, I could keep her in my little toe. This really worked, even in high school!

I enjoyed having fun with my kids, but I taught for years, so I developed my own style. You must be fun to be with too, and very loving. My kids understood that I loved them all, but if they wanted that extra special love, the had to to things my way.

How is it going? I'm sure that if you really want them to behave, you will figure it out. It all does come from the heart, and you have plenty of that.

[DianaB]

I didn't mean that I'm a drill sargeant all the time. I think that you'd like the way that I teach, Judy, and the way that I relate to the kids. I'm trying to make things fun and doing fun crafts. We've been studying pirates and connecting them to lessons in the Bible. Quite hard but I've enjoyed it. So far we've made pirate hats, treasure maps, and spy glasses. Tonight we're going to make a red scarf to tie around our waists and I'd like to make some swords next week but I'm not sure how to do that without someone getting hurt. We had a cannonball fight last week with rolled up paper balls and the boys just loved it!! I got attacked with the paper balls too.

Last week I told them that I needed them to be better for me or I wouldn't be able to be their teacher. It was like I had a different class from the week before. I hope tonight goes good too. It sure seems like Wednesday comes around rather quickly!!