When I work with these students, it seems that I am helping them achieve something amazing. Unfortunately, all too many times, behavior students don't receive the love they deserve to prosper, and sitting down and patiently working with these children gives them so much hope, and I love seeing that in their eyes. What I love about working with Mrs. Wheeler’s children is that I am trusted to work with them without an aide or Mrs. Wheeler by my side! I’m really getting a taste of my future. Sometimes that’s challenging because I have to handle it all, and I’m only in high school! Elementary school is very strict about behavior, as the students have to sit in a certain way, and they can’t have anything in their hands, but I feel like a hypocrite because I am such a fidgety person. It’s difficult for me to take away an item from them because I don’t see a problem with it. This week, a little girl was ecstatic because her aunt let her bring some fancy lip gloss to school, but she couldn’t stop playing with it and it then distracted her from learning. While in this classroom, my responsibility is to enforce the rules (Mrs. Wheeler also told me to take it away from her if it was a problem), so I had to take away the lip gloss from her, and it was as though the little tube was her connection to home. Suddenly, she was on the floor almost in tears, and it took a long time to console her back to her normal state of happiness. But, with lots of reminds that I love her and how proud I am of her, it all worked out. Although it was a difficult journey to get to this point, it was so rewarding to know that I was really helping her through this difficult time. She is such a sweetheart, and it’s challenging to say no to her because I want to be her friend, but I know I also have to be firm with her, especially when working on assignments. All I want to do is play, but I know I have to maintain focus on the task at hand. It takes a lot of convincing to get her to achieve even just a few words on paper, and when she does, they are words that don’t make sense together, meaning that she will have to try again. Although it takes so much time and patience, it is wonderful to see her learn and to understand the work she’s supposed to. Another student who’s in the same class as this little girl has some similar issues, where he simply can’t stay positive and is always refusing to achieve his work. Through observation hours, I have learned to let him release his sadness through drawing, or playing, so that he can calm down before he learns. It’s wonderful to see how his eyes light up while he’s coloring because the sadness disappears. For other children, they don’t rely on the ability to draw, but for students in a behavior unit, they need that coping mechanism.
Occasionally, I have to take points off of the children’s “passports,” or behavior records of the day. Mrs. Hart also uses this tactic, but I don’t think it’s something I am going to enforce in my classroom, I’d rather do something fun, like for every section of the day they do well, they get a marble and then this marble adds up to a prize. I think the students would respond to this more efficiently, and this would increase their desire to work.
Occasionally, I have to take points off of the children’s “passports,” or behavior records of the day. Mrs. Hart also uses this tactic, but I don’t think it’s something I am going to enforce in my classroom, I’d rather do something fun, like for every section of the day they do well, they get a marble and then this marble adds up to a prize. I think the students would respond to this more efficiently, and this would increase their desire to work.