Hello everyone, I have not seen any post and am wondering what everyone is doing. I had two thoughts after reading chapter three. One was what is it that motivates my students. The other thought was how I can get my students to catcher each other doing well. Children are already very good at the GOTcha way of doing things. A big problem in first grade is tattling. I always ask if they are telling me because they are hurt or do they want to get their classmate in trouble. I must admit that I am not having much success with this. The tattling continues and behavior isn’t changing. My toughest student responds to praise for a few days and then you have to find something new. His parents have suggested a daily note which I have tried as I have mentioned in an earlier post. They reward him at home with time on his game boy. Now they told me he is working for a new bike. I am not sure if they asked him if that was something he wanted to work toward. His behavior is good for a day or two then it is back to not getting his work done. After reading chapter three I see that I need to sit with him and ask what motivates him to work hard. To address the tattling I was thinking a good project would be to end the day by having each child tell something they did well that day and something they saw someone else do that was well done. I have told the children that I don’t want to hear all the bad stuff that goes on at recess and that I want them to tell me something good. I really haven’t taken the time to have them share something good with me. When the children come in from morning recess we sit and have a snack and discuss the number of the day. This would be a good time for them to share something well done. That will be my project for the week. I wish I could take my class to SeaWorld like Wes did with his family in chapter four but that would be a bit too expensive for a first grade field trip. They would enjoy a video about whales. That might be a good way to discuss the idea for “whale done.” If anyone knows of a movie about training whales please let me know. Have a great week everyone.
I was reading about your Tattling problem. I address that issue in Guidance and understand your frustration. Have you ever read Tattlin' Madeline? I really like the book and the kids really respond to it. I also like how you would end the day by having the students say something postive as to what they did or saw someone else do. Along those lines you could have them write down acts of kindness that they saw or did themselves for others that would promote them to think postive/caring.
Back to the tattling issue, I have used this with some of my students in that I wasn't able to listen to tattles all day so instead of saying no tattles, I told the students that they could have one tattle a day. I explained this was fair because I would still have to listen to 20 tattles. Once they tattled, they could not tattle again until the next day. They were so protective of that one tattle, that most of them didn't use it. In a couple of weeks the problem disappeared:)
I started a Tattle Notebook last year when I taught first grade. I placed it on the back counter and the kids used it most often after recess. It was actually very cute to read at the end of the day because first graders can't spell that great. I promised them I would read their tattles in the tattle book every day after school. Sometimes I might skip a day or two and then get around to reading it. Letting them write down their frustrations with each other really seemed to cool them off quickly and I had very little complaining.
I also use it this year with my second graders. They don't use it as much as my first graders did. They can sure spell better and it is easier for me to read!
Just another tattle prevention idea. I have VERY LITTLE tattling.
Tattling can be a problem in many grades. One thing I do with my third graders that may or may not be adaptable to your situation is I have them make an appointment with me. If they want to spend my time talking about someone who they feel has wronged them, then it needs to be on my terms. (I was spending far too much time right after recess sorting out problems. This cut into academic time.) Obviously, certain situations are dealt with immediately. This is only for those times when a tattle is emerging or feelings have been hurt.
The beautiful thing about “appointments” is that I do them only on the students’ free time (recess) and I schedule them for the next recess that is convenient for me. This works great if I am already outside for recess duty. What often happens is one of two things: 1)the students have had time to cool down and have probably had a few interactions since the altercation so they are much more clear-headed when the situation finally does get discussed, or 2) the students solve the problem before the appointment because they don’t want to lose recess or they truly do use good conflict negotiations skills. At this time of the year, most appointments are canceled before they occur.
Having to make an appointment with me makes the kids realize that my time is valuable. If the student who requests the appointment is actually the one at most fault, he or she owes me tickets (equivalent to money) for my time.
5 comments:
Hello everyone, I have not seen any post and am wondering what everyone is doing.
I had two thoughts after reading chapter three. One was what is it that motivates my students. The other thought was how I can get my students to catcher each other doing well. Children are already very good at the GOTcha way of doing things. A big problem in first grade is tattling. I always ask if they are telling me because they are hurt or do they want to get their classmate in trouble. I must admit that I am not having much success with this. The tattling continues and behavior isn’t changing.
My toughest student responds to praise for a few days and then you have to find something new. His parents have suggested a daily note which I have tried as I have mentioned in an earlier post. They reward him at home with time on his game boy. Now they told me he is working for a new bike. I am not sure if they asked him if that was something he wanted to work toward. His behavior is good for a day or two then it is back to not getting his work done. After reading chapter three I see that I need to sit with him and ask what motivates him to work hard. To address the tattling I was thinking a good project would be to end the day by having each child tell something they did well that day and something they saw someone else do that was well done. I have told the children that I don’t want to hear all the bad stuff that goes on at recess and that I want them to tell me something good. I really haven’t taken the time to have them share something good with me. When the children come in from morning recess we sit and have a snack and discuss the number of the day. This would be a good time for them to share something well done. That will be my project for the week. I wish I could take my class to SeaWorld like Wes did with his family in chapter four but that would be a bit too expensive for a first grade field trip. They would enjoy a video about whales. That might be a good way to discuss the idea for “whale done.” If anyone knows of a movie about training whales please let me know. Have a great week everyone.
Hi Barb!
I was reading about your Tattling problem. I address that issue in Guidance and understand your frustration. Have you ever read Tattlin' Madeline? I really like the book and the kids really respond to it. I also like how you would end the day by having the students say something postive as to what they did or saw someone else do. Along those lines you could have them write down acts of kindness that they saw or did themselves for others that would promote them to think postive/caring.
Back to the tattling issue, I have used this with some of my students in that I wasn't able to listen to tattles all day so instead of saying no tattles, I told the students that they could have one tattle a day. I explained this was fair because I would still have to listen to 20 tattles. Once they tattled, they could not tattle again until the next day. They were so protective of that one tattle, that most of them didn't use it. In a couple of weeks the problem disappeared:)
Thanks Courtney for the great ideas. I love the one tattle a day.
I started a Tattle Notebook last year when I taught first grade. I placed it on the back counter and the kids used it most often after recess. It was actually very cute to read at the end of the day because first graders can't spell that great. I promised them I would read their tattles in the tattle book every day after school. Sometimes I might skip a day or two and then get around to reading it. Letting them write down their frustrations with each other really seemed to cool them off quickly and I had very little complaining.
I also use it this year with my second graders. They don't use it as much as my first graders did. They can sure spell better and it is easier for me to read!
Just another tattle prevention idea. I have VERY LITTLE tattling.
Tattling can be a problem in many grades. One thing I do with my third graders that may or may not be adaptable to your situation is I have them make an appointment with me. If they want to spend my time talking about someone who they feel has wronged them, then it needs to be on my terms. (I was spending far too much time right after recess sorting out problems. This cut into academic time.) Obviously, certain situations are dealt with immediately. This is only for those times when a tattle is emerging or feelings have been hurt.
The beautiful thing about “appointments” is that I do them only on the students’ free time (recess) and I schedule them for the next recess that is convenient for me. This works great if I am already outside for recess duty. What often happens is one of two things:
1)the students have had time to cool down and have probably had a few interactions since the altercation so they are much more clear-headed when the situation finally does get discussed, or 2) the students solve the problem before the appointment because they don’t want to lose recess or they truly do use good conflict negotiations skills. At this time of the year, most appointments are canceled before they occur.
Having to make an appointment with me makes the kids realize that my time is valuable. If the student who requests the appointment is actually the one at most fault, he or she owes me tickets (equivalent to money) for my time.
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