We don't argue

I believe it is very important NOT to argue with students. However, they can be very good at engaging teachers into arguments about just about everything. Here is some good advice someone once gave me about not arguing with your students. Just don't do it!

Let's say you catch a student cheating on a test and you call them on it. They say they weren't cheating (even though you caught them red-handed). You tell them you will have to give them a zero on the assignment, or whatever your normal discipline would be. They want to argue about it? Don't fall for it. Just repeat your observations, tell the student you will not argue, and move on.

"Johnny, I observed you looking off of Amanda's paper and your answers are all the same. I'm sorry you made this choice, but you will receive a zero on the quiz, and I will have to call your parents."

"I was not cheating," says the student. "I was looking over that way because the sun was shining through the window in my eyes. You are always picking on me. Suzy cheats all the time."

"Johnny, I clearly saw you looking off of Amanda's paper. I will have to give you a zero. I'm not going to argue with you about this. If you wish to discuss this further, see me after class."

Paper wads in the classroom!!!

Please note: As with all of my posts here, names are changed to protect privacy!!

As a first year principal, I knocked on Mrs. Gregory's classroom door and didn't have a clue as to what was about to happen. I had been regularly visiting this teacher's 9th grade English classroom to read to her students. She had been struggling with a variety of classroom management issues, and I was glad to have the opportunity to visit so I could offer any assistance. However, when I opened the door this particular day, Mrs. Gregory's students unleased a barage of paperwads that pelted me viciously from head to toe.

I remained completely stoic throughout the entire episode, calmly said, "I don't think I feel like reading today," shut the door firmly and walked back to my office fuming on the inside. I waited patiently. I waited for Mrs. Gregory to come visit me in my office. Sure enough, she walked in with a big smile later that day.

She said, "I am so sorry about what happened this morning. That was just part of my lesson plan. I had the students write down their vocabulary words and then I told them to wad them up to throw at you. I respect you so much and how you make the students smile and I just knew you would know what was best."

This incident was one of several bizarre situations that occured in this classroom. For our student's sake, I'm thankful this teacher moved on from our building.

By the way, I was later informed that several of the students in Mrs. Gregory's class questioned whether throwing paperwads at the principal was a good idea or not. She told them if anyone didn't throw paperwads at me, then the rest of the class was to throw paperwads at them. Help, this teacher is driving me crazy!

Dealing with underhanded comments...

"Boy, did somebody wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" This comment is just one of many wiseguy comments I have heard from my students. Sometimes they are harmless and the student is just showing they are really comfortable with me and feel they can be casual in their conversations. Still, I try to make it very clear to my students the line between respect and disrespect. If this type comment is from a student I know is not intending to be adveserial I would probably just ignore it. But, if this comment was from a student intent on showing his or her bad attitude I would stop what I was doing, walk over to the student, pause again for extra dramatic effect, and simply ask, "Exactly what did you mean by that comment?" Typically, the result is the student is backpedaling at this point, and you have established you as the teacher are clearly in control of the situation in a nonthreatening way. Here's what usually happens next: The student says "I really didn't mean anything by it," or "nevermind," or even "I'm sorry." I'm always prepared; however, for the student who might say "I meant you're in a terrible mood," or "you're acting like a real jerk today." To that I would simply remain calm and ask another question, "In that case, was your comment courteous and polite?" The student will say no, and I will remind them that all comments in class to students and teachers should be courteous and polite. I realize I am teaching more than communication arts, or math, or science, I am teaching them the acceptable behaviors for the classroom.