Here's a teaching dilemma:
Students have to check out copies of the novels we read in class. If they've yet to return the last novel, they can't check out the next. Sometimes kids are, well, dumb, and wait until halfway into the next book to return the last one. I always keep extra copies of the books in my room so those kids have something to work with, even thought it REALLY pisses me off. It comes down to personal responsibility, which I spend a lot of time trying to teach. So here's the thing, what's better?:
a) Keeping copies of the books, even though kids who are super lazy and haven't done what they're supposed to get to use them, which is totally unfair to the kids who do what they're supposed to.
or
b) Just make the kids sit there and do nothing all hour, because they don't have a book.
What would you do?
Option B, all the way.
ReplyDeleteUgh, I really don't know. I would probably keep copies because
ReplyDeleteA. I'm a pushover.
B. I would have been fighting the kid with nothing to do to keep him/her awake AND not disturb classmates.
C. I am paranoid that with all the teacher-blaming going around now, it would be very easy for little Jonny's mom to yell at me for him failing is test even though it's because he never got the book back to me.
Is there anything else you can do to provide a consequence for the behavior? On second thought, maybe positive reinforcement for the kids who did the right thing - maybe one day give homework passes/candy/stickers to all the kids who returned the book on time.
I guess if the point of being in class is learning, then option A is the way to go, even if you're grinding your teeth. I second Rachel in the consequence/positive reinforcement thought. Those who have their books can read outside or chew gum or whatever -- small things that they don't get to do normally, maybe.
ReplyDeleteThis behavior is what I've come to call "learned helplessness"--even tho it's MY JOB as a student to return the book, if I don't, you, as the teacher, are the baitch if you
ReplyDeletea) loan me one
b) make me sit there and do nothing
In other words, whatever you do, you're not going to be happy with your decision, because you are taking the responsibility for the kid(s) who won't/don't/can't step up. It's a really vicious circle.
Even tho it's more work, I would give the kids who did step up an ice cream pass, or candy. Chocolate makes a classroom run much more smoothly--except, of course, for the parents who complain you're ruining their kids diets with sugar. Carrot sticks just don't work like chocolate-EVER.
It's situations like you describe that made me decide, after 40 years of teaching the gamut from K to grad school, special ed to gifted, to retire last June. I just didn't want to play any more. I love your blog, and it's become a companion to my morning coffee. Thanks so much for your efforts and insights!