Mathsational

This winter break  @druinok is organizing a blog challenge.  I don't think I'll be accomplishing the 12 posts over the break, especially since I'm already on day 7 of a 10 day break and am just getting around to posting the first blog, but I do love a good blog prompt.  You can find more info here if you'd like to join in the fun. The first prompt that spoke to me was "What are your strategies to reach 'that kid.'"  I'm a big fan of using Love and Logic with my classes.  I've never been able to make it to an official training session, but would love to one day.  I've just gather some tidbits by talking to other teachers who have gone through the training and by reading some of the free online resources.  Here are some of my favorite Love and Logic strategies.  All of them help in dealing with all students, including the more difficult ones. First:  Neutralize arguing by going "Brain Dead."  This means that you need to b...

Some of these are from posters or signs that I hang in my room and some of these are things that I say to students.  I'm not sure of all  of the original resources, but I've shared where I first heard them. Posters: -Jillian Michaels - Meg Graig - Vince Vaughn Things I say to students: "So what your saying is..."   - I've been using this one for so long that I can't recall where I first heard it.  I have found that this is a good way to make students feel like they have been heard.  This is what I say when a student is angry and shouting and needs help deescalating.  I finish the statement with rephrasing what they just said.  For example, "So what your saying is that you are really angry with your friend because she was supposed to spend the day with you on Saturday, but she decided to hang out with her boyfriend instead."  I have also found that it works well with adults who are passionately arguing their opinion...

Classroom culture seems pretty hit or miss for me.  My kids are typically respectful of me, but some years I have kids that are wonderful to each other and other years they are a bit mean to each other.  One of my goals this year will be to try to get my students to be kind. I have really liked Love and Logic for this.  I have never gone through the official training for this, but would like to.  As with anything, I really like some of the ideas and sort of hate others, so I only use the pieces that I love. Here is a pdf on " How to Create a Love and Logic Classroom ."  I love their classroom rules of  "Feel free to do anything that does not cause a problem for anyone."   and  "If you find yourself with a problem, you may solve it by any means which does not cause a problem for anyone else in the world." This would include the student, the teacher, and any other people in the room.  I think these could easily be your...