Just Plain Bill
“Be Stick!”
As a substitute teacher, I get to experience lesson plans left for the “guest teacher.” These plans range from the most minimum instructions – page numbers in a variety of books, free reading, or work on their projects, all with little if any specifics or helpful hints – to those that are detailed down to the exact minute during the day, with not much latitude for any individualization, or choice of alternative activities.
One example of the latter included the following opening paragraph: “I have a social class. Be stick! (Underlined and highlighted.) Don’t let them get away with anything.”
I was tempted to correct her use of “stick”, to what I thought she meant, “strict.” I didn’t do that, and, I used my time-tested and proven successful classroom management approach that place the students “in charge” of their own behavior choices.
This blog is part of a running series that focuses on the quality of teaching I have experienced since returning to public school teaching nearly two years ago, after a break of 35 years.
More later!
P.S. My editor, Allyn Geer provided me with the definition of the word “stick”. Made me smile, and wonder, once again, what the teacher meant: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stick_(comics)
No comments:
Post a Comment