Computer Class

Back in the day we loved hitting up the computer lab to play some Oregon Trail and Number Munches. But oh how the times have changed. What's popular now you ask?

Well other then the math game websites we make the children visit there is always accessing a local radio station (if 10 kids access 10 different websites that play music it makes the ambiance all the more enjoyable). There is also attempting to access blocked sites (ahemFACEBOOKahem) and then some kids are able to access some Call of Duty like game (maybe it's the actual game just an online version). It's tough keeping those kiddos on the math websites these days...

Perhaps the oddest thing that kids sneak off to do (as in they sneak off in the world wide web... not the bathroom or anything). Is they go to a translator website. It's not a regular translator though that would for example translate French to English. No, no, no... this one reads out what you write. But writing out normal words for the translator to read is no fun at all. So what do kids type out for it to read you ask?

alkfdsjnzksd kldjhg kdls dsk

No I did not just sit on my keyboard. That is what they type out.

What makes computer class all the more enjoyable is when 5 or more students are doing this... basically just a bunch of random sounds.

Of course one student is always typing about Charlie (the boy sitting next to him) and getting his computer to say things like "Charlie smells" but the rest... they are all doing the gibberish.

Always a fun time when you get to head to the computer lab!

Incentives

I've already discussed one incentive that you can use: games. But what if you don't have a ball for silent ball, or tables/desks for heads up 7up, or a large area to sit in a circle for duck, duck goose. Well then, you best be packing some stickers with you friend. 

We are only substitutes. We aren't teachers or doctors or lawyers. So leave the drippy diamonds at home (and sell them - don't give them away to children!). You can't afford mini chocolate bars for an entire class. Plus, with all this healthy living talk and encouraging kids to eat healthy snacks providing them with chocolate may not go down so great. Also, where would you stash them all while deciding if the class was good enough for the chocolate? AND... if the class sucks and doesn't get it then you are stuck with all this extra chocolate which means you may as well buy yourself bigger pants now. No, no, no... let's not get crazy. Let's just go to the Dollar Store and stock up on teeny tiny cheap erasers, pencils, and stickers now. 

My go to items as giveaways are: sticky notes, pencils, erasers, notebooks, and of course, stickers. I'm pretty proud to say I've hardly paid for any of them either. And no, I did not 5 finger discount them. I find being a teacher we acquire a lot of certain things and pencils, erasers, and sticky notes are hot items that I've often received. Since I don't need drawer fulls of any of these items I just stick them in a bag and give them away. I should state that I do pay for the stickers. They cost a dollar for basically an endless supply. 

I give away all these goodies at the end of the day. It can be to the entire class, to anyone who didn't get their name on the board that day, or anyone you didn't have to talk to more than twice about their behaviour. It can also be a draw. Everytime you catch a student doing something good and helpful write their name down on a piece of paper and draw for a few items at the end of the day (of course, let the students know about the draw at the beginning of the day so they have that incentive to be good). 

I know what some of you are going to say: "I don't believe in incentives", "kids should be good without the use of prizes" or "children should not be rewarded for doing what they should be doing anyways" and that's fine. You can say that. But I clearly do not live in your fairytale land of rainbows, butterflies, and unicorns. Kids are not always good where I am from and this works so I'm going to use incentives.

Examples of some of the incentives I have on hand that I also use for "mystery messes"

A Visit to the Vet

Nope, no one panic. One of my students was not sick and I did not take them to the vet to get better. 

On a sidenote... is it normal for schools to have school nurses elsewhere? I don't think I've been to a single school where there has been a school nurse. Is this just a thing that happens in movies? 

Anywho, I was in a kindergarten classroom and it was play time. Some of the kids were obviously playing vet and this happened. 

I guess the bunny had a bump on its head. I thought it was super adorable. 

So I'm chatting with the kids asking about what kind of services they offer. 

"Well I'm the vet and I can do operations, and Robby is the anesthesiologist... he will make sure your pet is asleep before we operate. Clara, she euthanizes the animals and Frank, he'll dispose of them in a humane manner." 

Ok... so I don't remember what we were talking about. 

Anyways, they tell me I need to bring an animal into the vet. So I go over and take a gander at the stuffies that are available to be my pet. There are dogs and cats and likely bears and other normal pets (yes, I know I said bears and bears are not a normal pet) but there is also a lobster. Naturally, I choose the lobster and head over to the vet. 

"What's wrong with your pet" Monica, the receptionist and head vet asks. 

"It's left pincher won't pinch anymore and he stopped growing ages ago even though I have been feeding him marshmallows and creamed corn" (so maybe I just went with the pincher story in real life). 

So Monica takes little Lobby the Lobster to the back (which is actually also the front of the vet's office... no privacy for those animals that's for certain!). About a minute later little Lobby is good as new. His pincher is pinching and he is just all smiles and redder than ever. 

Another satisfied customer at the veterinary clinic!

No Nonsense

Just for fun...

Last week I showed you this video

Here is another one.

So this has never happened to me.

But I think it's funny...

He was trying to be so serious.

How embarrassing!

There is something that I do agree with in this video though.  

Although I do think that it is important for you to be the kids friends and for them to like you (you want to be invited back after all and the kids usually do have a say in who comes back) I also believe that as the grade increases so does the amount of seriousness.  A classroom can become chaotic quickly if the kids discover they can get away with all kinds of stuff.  You will not get invited back if the teachers or principal complains to the teacher about the substitute they had.

I think this guy had the right idea.

What about you?