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My wife, who has taught for close to 3 decades, calls herself, "The Wicked Witch of the West Wing". There are classroom rules which will be followed. Misdeeds are followed with consequences. She says it takes most kids a half day to figure out what is expected. Others, who are used to testing the limits and getting away with whatever they want can take longer, sometimes half a year. A few never accept it. They have been taught for 11 years what they do makes no difference and they can do as they want. She feels sorry for those ones. Life will not be kind.
The best thing is, the kids appreciate a classroom where you are treated with respect becuse you have earned it and is quiet enough to promote learning.
I have heard my own kids come home from school and complain about their classmates who didn't care and teachers who didn't demand respect.
I don't condone taping a kid's mouth shut and shutting him/her in a closet, (I would think about it, though), but there have to be rules which are enforced. Those rules have to be accepted and practiced by the community (ie: parents).
When there are no expectations, one shouldn't be surprised if there is no achievement.
Les
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Best
Les
My train of thought has been replaced by a bumper car.
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