Postcards from the Funny Farm

It’s the 4th of July and as always: guests are coming over. Before I unloaded/loaded the dishwasher and shocked the pool, I picked up my weapon against the cleaning blues: My Martin triple-o.

Whatever situation I find myself in … the guitar saves me in relaxing the room. Example: kids in my class are out of sorts and chatting constantly. Unable to focus and get the situation under control, I pick up the guitar, which silences many, and start to count: one … two … three … you can hear a pin drop on carpet. A scene not even the best digital cameras can capture … you have to be there.

I then strum out Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land” and every kid sings along. That song really tells a powerful story. I tell you I have been teaching for 10 years and working with kids for at least 20. The guitar never fails. It’s like a semi-automatic weapon against chaos in tha classroom. But this morning I used it a different way.

Sauntering over with sleep still in my eyes, I sat on the kids’ toybox and started flecking the strings with my pick. Paul McCartney’s almost now obscure “My Love” came into my head, a song I taught myself years ago. “My love does it goooooood.” My 3 year old started twirling in front of me as I continued strumming and faking the lyrics. Reminiscent of another time undefined, another place.

I went on to place a few other Beatles songs and ended with the “Gidget” reminiscent “Wipeout” instrmental. Rippin’ it up still at 39. When I came out of the guitar zone, I unloaded and loaded the dishwasher, fed the dog, and shocked the pool. I hear the pump outside filtering the water for our guests at 2pm. I smile to myself at an idea only I will probably “get.” Then I come here to blog it for the archive. Maybe somebody will get it out there, Chris or somebody. Happy 4th readers of mine. (afterthought: this post should serve to remind us players that only we can teach the youth of today to appreciate the guitar)

A police friend I know has been shot at, threatened and scared half to death by some of the criminals he’s dealt with. Another fireman friend of mine from years back has almost destroyed his back pulling people out of burning buildings. As for me, I deal with something every day more ominous than most can imagine: surly kids. In my career I’ve had issues with kids that that few non-teachers will ever comprehend the difficulty of. I’ve had kids flat out tell me “no” to my face. I’ve had kids shout profanity at me. I’ve had kids tell me they are sending their dad, uncle or brother to beat me up. I’ve had days where all I wanted to do was go home to my room and close the vinyl shutters. I am telling you, in the schools and classrooms I have been in, I’ve seen it all.

But, along with the bad there is plenty of good I must add. In addition to the minority of students who have tested my desire to remain a teacher, many more have made me so glad and proud to do what I do. So, enough of of the “pity party” on my part, let’s talk about how to deal with these troublesome kids, because teachers are always going to have them and kids will always weave into every person’s life.

There are so many plans at your disposal as a teacher to control behavior in the class. You can have a warning/consequences chart, you can do positive reinforcements, you can even take entire blocks of time to model your rules and consequences. In my opinion, nothing works better than a certain type of psychology on kids who won’t behave. It is called “Choice, and Consequence” teaching. Let me explain:

When a kid misbehaves it is either because 1) They don’t realize it and are just being “slap-happy.” -or- 2) They know it’s wrong and they do it hoping they won’t be seen or caught. In order to avoid punishing a kid for just being slap-happy, you should only punish if the child disobeys or is defiant, give them a warning. Make sure you state clearly the rule they have broken. ie;

Johnny, you kicked someone’es leg and they complained to me. You did not respect your classmate and that is rule 3 on our list on the wall. If you do it again, you will lose your recess.

Now the child knows what is wrong to do. If he continues, it is defiance. Well, as I have been telling you, I’m familiar with these kids who still do it. At that point, when they do it again, here is the only thing you can and should say:

Johnny, what you have done gives me only 2 options: Write a referral for which you will be suspended for physically kicking another student. -or- make a phone call to your parents in front of everyone asking them to help me teach you this is wrong.

Now you don’t have to use those 2 choices, but that is where teaching creativity comes in. the key is getting them to see the consequences are as a result of their actions not yours and then continue giving them choices until the issue is out of your hands with the office or with their parents.

You can keep up with my ongoing notes on teaching and life in the classroom at my teaching “edublog”: entitled: Dynamite Lesson Plan

What do you think of the choice/consequence method?

I have music around me as much as possible. It lifts my spirit and makes me more human, I think. Someone might say that I am in my own la la land because I have a playlist for before the kids get here called “Feelin’ Good Classroom Music.” To that voice I say: “No, it took effort to get those songs loaded and it takes effort to press play when I get to work.” I put music and meditation on a high pedestal when it comes to work. In a given day I am barraged with requests from the administration, parents, and of course the kids have many needs. As an educator, it is easy to get caught up in my “to do list” and stress over it. When I stress out, the first casualty is my creativity and that ironically is that can solve most these professional issues of stress.

In short: I need music at the beginning of the day.

I’ve read that every one of the 5 senses has a different component related to memory. Scent, for example, has hedonic component where if you smell something you haven’t smelled since you were a kid, you might recall volumes of memories … it can even be overwhelming causing people to pass out I have read. Music is like that as well.

I have on this songlist music that takes me away to a place where I feel free and open to create and innovate my work. I also have a big comfy desk chair that I bought years ago at a discount furniture. It helps the musical effect, let me tell you! I am a moody person, to put it simply. For me, music is just as important as a drug would be. Recognizing that and being responsible to have a boombox or computer playlist in my work area is a facet of responsibility, no la la land here ;)

There are meditation actions one can take such as TM, prayer, mantra repetition and others. These are also important. There are so man things I can do proactively to have a great day at work. Nothing, however, prepares me better for my job of creativity and patience than quality time hearing musical notes and melodies being played in the morning. Whether it’s Theme from a Summer Place or DEVO singing Girl You Want from the Tank Girl soundtrack, playlist rules and I know it makes me a better teacher in a good mood every day.

Have you made a “Feelin’ Good” playlist?