The struggle continues...

Well, I'm still struggling with "perfecting" my discipline plan. Your comments were all very helpful and gave me lots to think about... but now they really have me second guessing myself! There are so many aspects of teaching that you can only learn through experience! So much they don't -- and quite frankly can't -- teach you in your education classes...

We had one "classroom management" class that focused very much on poverty and how/why poverty can affect behavior. We were all very disappointed with the class when it was said and done. I guess we wanted someone to just hand us the perfect discipline plan (This is all you have to do... works like a charm every time!) and be done with it. The best education we received about classroom management was observing experienced teachers during our multiple field placements and student teaching placements. In my case, all three of the classrooms/teachers I observed used a system similar to what I described in my previous post -- sort of a gradient system with graduated consequences for additional violations. Unfortunately, it's what I know. I have seen it work, but I know it's not ideal or perfect.


I attended the very first day of school when I began my student teaching with high hopes of seeing stellar classroom management at work. I wanted to see how a teacher "laid down the law." Funny thing, though, my cooperating teacher never mentioned a single rule to the class that day. Not the second day either. Or the third. Or ever. (Not in my presence, anyway -- and that first week I was there every day). She just displayed the ever popular "traffic light" prominently on an easel in the front of the room and started using it. At least I'm trying to do better by the kids in my class than that. I've seen a lot of what doesn't work, but I'm still struggling to find what does. At least I plan to actually have rules instead of making the students guess what they are. I plan to discuss them and go over examples of what following and/or breaking these rules look like. What I'm struggling with is how many chances to give and the consequences for breaking rules.

I have scoured the internet and I've purchased three different books in hopes of finding the perfect discipline plan. All this has served to do is confuse me more! There are so many different theories out there about what works and what doesn't. One article or book will completely contradict another -- but both will make very valid points! Several of the plans I've encountered seem completely idealized to me -- I just don't think that children reason or think in the manner that some of these experts suggest, but... Anyway, the truth is, I don't think there is one set plan that will work for every student in every class in every school. This must be why some of these books I've read have been sort of vague. "You have to establish rules on the first day." No problem. What should they be? "Breaking the rules must have consequences." I agree... like what?

Practice makes perfect, they say, and I think this is one of those things I'm just going to have to practice. I'll have to adjust and improve as I go. I'm hope this post doesn't sound like I'm panicking and worried, because I'm really not. I'm just trying to sort through some recent information overload. I've read everything from "Post your consequences where the students can see them" to "Don't mention consequences until a rule is broken." "Involve students in making the class rules" to "Don't ever involve students in making the class rules." One article says a certain consequence is "degrading," the next will say it's "empowering." Lots of advice to consider, lots of pros and cons to weight -- but ultimately all I can do is just put something into "practice," hope for the best, and tweak as I go. No one can say I didn't do my research and no one can say I'm not trying. I really and truly am concerned about the well being of my students and want to do the best for them to create a happy, healthy and safe classroom for everyone. I hope that they pick up on that vibe and likewise don't want to disappoint me. I'm excited to see how the first week goes and how things will ultimately work out.