Wednesday, June 21, 2006

if the kids ask...

...how old I am, I just tell them, "I was born in December of 1970--you figure it out!"

...what my first name is, I just tell them, "My first name is actually Mister! My mom knew I was gonna be a teacher."

Monday, June 12, 2006

give those bullies an alarm clock!

We were talking about bullies in one of my second grade classes. I was talking with this kid who was complaining about being bullied:

KID: Kadarius keeps bothering me in class.
ME: Do you tell your teacher?
KID: She doesn't let us tattle.
ME: Have you asked Kadarius to stop bothering you?
KID: Yes, he doesn't listen?
ME: Have you told him real loud so he will listen?
KID: Yes.
ME: Are you sure? Did you tell him like this, (in my LOUDEST, POLITEST voice with a big goofy smile on my face) PLEASE DON'T DO THAT, IT BOTHERS ME!!
KID: (laughing) NO!
ME: See, that will solve two problems. One, your teacher will hear you and wonder what is going on and investigate and she will see that you were being bothered AND that you were being very polite in the way you were asking him to stop. Two, the bully won't want to bother you anymore because bothering you would be like setting off an alarm clock.

If you are really lucky and you make a goofy enough face you might make the bully laugh and he may want to become your friend. Don't be rude in the way you ask the bully to stop bothering you and try not to embarass the bully too much or he may want to beat you up after school.