I'm Such a Rookie

Yeah, so I have one whole year of teaching under my belt. Sure, I have more experience dealing w/ those with more severe cognitive disabilities. That is more my calling, I think.

This year, I am teaching a reading/language arts series (2 class periods) to 7th & 8th graders. These are kids who are primarily LD, ADD. No major disabilities...they are just behind and need more individualized instruction to catch up.

I taught reading last year, but those kids were developmentally delayed. Behaviorally, they were pretty easy.

This year--not so. Oh, this does seem like a pretty good group of kids. But...there are 7 of them. And they are all boys. And I may be getting 2 more. Some are ADD, they like to talk, and can be rather inquisitive. They are going to need some reining in. Whereas last year, my class was very businesslike--everyone came in and knew exactly what to do by their schedule and got to work (whether I was in the room yet or not), this year is going to be more of a 3 ring circus unless I get things in gear now! I'm a little intimidated by this. This is not my forte--as I said, the kids w/ more significant needs are. I know I need to set my foot down now and let them know who is boss, right? So, I am proud to say that I assigned my first detention today, on only the 3rd day. :)

We talked about classroom rules on Monday. Someone said, "No writing on desks." I replied that at their age, they shouldn't need to be reminded of that on a sheet of rules but that if anyone did write on desks, they could stay after and clean all the desks. So, 2 feet in front of me, a student was doodling on his desk. He's lucky-it's only lunch detention (hey, it's MY lunch too!) as I have to leave early tomorrow for class. He's going to eat his food very fast and then clean all of the desks. I doubt he marks on the desk again.

I have one other student who I think may be more of a problem. He plays football, and so far the threat of staying after school with me has kicked him into gear a few times. He doesn't want to do ANY work. I give him the choice of doing work during class with me, or after school with me. He makes the right choice.

So, such is the life of a 2nd-year-but-still-learning-alot teacher! Everyone says this year will be easier, but I just don't think it will. I think I'll learn more this year than last. A copy of one of Jim Fay's Love & Logic books might be coming home with me this weekend.
I'm ready for the challenge!