1st day of school

First day of school went fairly well. Using the model I learned at Capturing Kids Hearts worked nicely. The "time-out" signal gets their attention and I think they are beginning to understand what we discussed about the way we treat each other. There were 2 who chose to go to classroom time-out. One 3rd grader, after going through the 4 questions with him because he was talking, straightened up right away. The four questions are:
1. What are you doing? --if you don't get the right answer, ask it again--sometimes "nothing" IS the right answer.
2. What are you supposed to be doing?
3. Were you doing that? --the answer to this one is always "No."
4. What are you going to do about it?

I am working on social contracts with all classes and , hopefully, by the end of their second class with me, the contracts will be completed and signed.

to be continued....

Is it August already?!

August is definitely here in all its hotness. I really feel sorry for the band folks who started summer band practice today. Glad I'm not one of them.
As for me, I head back to school in about a week. I am encouraged by the things I've learned this summer at my workshops and look forward to putting them to the test. I have in my mind to write down some "ponderings" from each day so I can measure how I am doing. Whether or not it will be in this blog or in a notebook has not been decided. I suppose sharing these things would be what this blog is all about. Check back with me towards the end of the month.
God bless.