OH - Teacher accused of quieting students with clothespins

[angelmom]

Maybe you don't have the gymnast part? And surely you don't have to wipe their nose or take them to the bathroom? And do you have to buy cotton balls at the grocery store on the way home, so they can make snowmen or clouds?

The glitter is my favorite though; when they hold it too upright and shake hard and a huge pile of green glitter comes out all over the glue.

So then you have to go into "glitter conserve" mode. I'm the BEST glitter recapture expert EVER.

I guess I'd better stop here. :crazy:

How often do you have to make butterfly wings or a stingray costume for a college freshman? Was there a tooth chart or a weather station in the college classroom? How about a rotating job chart, complete with "door holder," "line leader," "zoo keeper" (fed the pets), "gardener" (watered the plants) and so on?

Kindergarten is a unique moment in life. Quiet is not the adjective that describes it best.

 

[Marthatex]

My point above is that if teachers/principals/superintendants enforced the rules already in place, there would be a lot less bad behavior.

If zero tolerance really meant zero tolerance and weapon wielding/bullying/gang banging kids were expelled on their first offense, I believe it would make a huge statement and deter other students, not to mention, create a a better learning environment for the other children.

Instead we have principals and district officials too chicken to stand up to the parents and expel the problem children. I have seen this happen repeatedly in our district and it infuriates me. It took me 3 years to resolve a bully problem at our school and it was only after I threatened to notify the state board of education and the local media. Yet, the district handbook that each parent and student signs and agrees to abide by clearly states that there is a process for harrassment which after the 3rd offense results in suspension/expulsion.

Until the administrators are willing to enforce the rules and laws, the kids will continue to treat them with disrespect.

I agree with you on this, too, especially for the older grades. A good school is run by a good prinicpal who backs up and supports his teachers unless they are truly doing a poor job and can't change; who sets the rules down for the kids and knows how to deal with the parents.

Unfortunately, you wouldn't believe the ridiculous lawsuits that are coming before principals and teachers. It's alot worse than it used to be; and they're afraid of the lawsuits. And everything has to be handled to a "t", and politically correctly.

When I grew up the parents never questioned the teacher. Sometimes they should have; but it just wasn't done much. Somehow we managed to survive our "different" and poor teachers. Even got into college. Amazing. And we never dared disrespect an adult; and we were paddled starting in Jr. High. (I wasn't but the really bad boys sure were). I realize that that can be carried to far and probably isn't a great idea.

 

[Marthatex]

How often do you have to make butterfly wings or a stingray costume for a college freshman? Was there a tooth chart or a weather station in the college classroom? How about a rotating job chart, complete with "door holder," "line leader," "zoo keeper" (fed the pets), "gardener" (watered the plants) and so on?

Kindergarten is a unique moment in life. Quiet is not the adjective that describes it best.

Well, I believe Nova teaches Dramatic Arts, Angelmom, so he probably does.

But we could go on and on with this, couldn't we? Has he ever scraped out the inside of a pumpkin and separated the seeds? Pretty slimy, but nothing like the restroom issues.

Splash day is fun, isn't it? We kindergarten teachers are definitely underpaid.

 

[Marthatex]

No doubt in my mind, MarthaTex!

Let's face it; that nurse would put a clothespin on MY lips.

She should be arrested; she's a danger to teachers.

 

[poco]

I was the chatty cathy in our elementary school

I had to sit with one of those wooden rulers - lengthwise - in my mouth.

 

[IrishMist]

I was the chatty cathy in our elementary school

I had to sit with one of those wooden rulers - lengthwise - in my mouth.

Cracked me up! I got a visual on this, and almost choked on my lunch

 

[txsvicki]

My husband had a mean principal who put horrible bruises on him and his brother went to the school and chased him around his office and threatened to beat him up. Schools around here still have paddling but they should never hurt or bruise a child. Now there are also time outs, in school detention, grounding from school trips and activities, alternative schools, school district police, juvie, detention, state laws requiring transfers to be given to victims of bullying, and they make use of all these if they want except the transfer part. They don't always tell people that they can get a transfer. Something should work with a toddler besides hurting their mouths for talking.

 

[GlitchWizard]

When I was homeschooling six preschoolers (not all mine!) I saw an ad for a product that I did not buy - but the "phrase" always stuck with me. It said "God put the wiggle in little children, don't you DARE try to take it away from them!"

And.. when I started teaching, my Mom made me a plaque that said "Whoever tries to take the fun out of learning, doesn't know anything about either one of them."

I was just thinking of this clothespin thing the other day, and recalling fondly how I volunteered at "Annesworth Academy" (catered to little rich kids) and I was disciplined for having a noisy table of children at lunchtime! Hey, we were having FUN! Oh well. I guess rich kids are supposed to eat quietly. :-(

 

[angelmom]

When I was homeschooling six preschoolers (not all mine!) I saw an ad for a product that I did not buy - but the "phrase" always stuck with me. It said "God put the wiggle in little children, don't you DARE try to take it away from them!"

And.. when I started teaching, my Mom made me a plaque that said "Whoever tries to take the fun out of learning, doesn't know anything about either one of them."

I was just thinking of this clothespin thing the other day, and recalling fondly how I volunteered at "Annesworth Academy" (catered to little rich kids) and I was disciplined for having a noisy table of children at lunchtime! Hey, we were having FUN! Oh well. I guess rich kids are supposed to eat quietly. :-(

Okay, now I want to know what the product was.

Sounds like you are a great teacher. I always preferred the floor to desks myself, and a little buzz to total silence. The only thing that grates on my nerves is repetetive noises. Unfortunately my oldest has taken up the drums. :bang:

 

[IrishMist]

When I was homeschooling six preschoolers (not all mine!) I saw an ad for a product that I did not buy - but the "phrase" always stuck with me. It said "God put the wiggle in little children, don't you DARE try to take it away from them!"

And.. when I started teaching, my Mom made me a plaque that said "Whoever tries to take the fun out of learning, doesn't know anything about either one of them."

I was just thinking of this clothespin thing the other day, and recalling fondly how I volunteered at "Annesworth Academy" (catered to little rich kids) and I was disciplined for having a noisy table of children at lunchtime! Hey, we were having FUN! Oh well. I guess rich kids are supposed to eat quietly. :-(

Along these lines, my youngest daughter was a "difficult child." The label they slapped on her was an emotional impairment. Every single year starting in first grade I had to fight with the school against putting her on Ridalin. (sp?)

We'd have our IEP meeting. They even went so far as to give me a doctor's name that was known for handing out the scripts!

I will admit that she was a strong-minded child, but IMO, that was a double-edged sword. It may have caused some grief during her childhood, but started being a strength in her early teens.

I absolutely refused to let them drug my child into submission. It made it far more challenging to raise her, and for the teachers to teach her, but in the long run I made the right decision.

(That's not to say that there aren't children who benefit from Ridalin. One of my daughter's friends did. But, overall, it's over prescribed, IMO.)

 

[eve]

It was different back then. My second grade teacher would tape our mouths shut when we wouldn't be quiet! One time, she wouldn't let me remove it until I was on the bus to go home!

Would it surprise anyone here to know that on the little box on our report cards that said "talks too much" was ALWAYS checked on mine??

I don't think they could even put such a thing on a report card now.

My sixth grade teacher called me "motor mouth" in front of the class. I was always cited for "Too social," "Talks too much" and my personal fav "Visits excessively with her neighbors." That being said, it didn't change my talking, even though the Motor Mouth Moniker was humiliating. I got very good grades and was a leader and a participator. Luckily. Or I'm sure they would have sent me to "Child Guidance." LOL! Oh and BTW, my parents had absolutely no sympathy for me.

What bugs me (as a teacher, parent and taxpayer) is that kids have been expelled in my district for ludicrous (imo) fake weapons and allowed back in after real knives and what not have been found. "Zero tolerance" is a myth. Outcomes depend on many factors, some political (parental influence), some random (how the principal decides to pursue it).

And believe me, as a teacher, our hands are often tied. Mostly by wimpy administrators who are scared pea green of parents! It is unreal! Also, parents whose lil darlings can do no wrong are always the first to point out the wrongs of the other kids while ignoring their kids' own! Their kids are classic tattlers and of course, so are they! Sometimes I feel like I never grew up - I'm still in elementary school on the playground. But the rules have all changed.

Eve

 

[GlitchWizard]

Okay, now I want to know what the product was.

Sounds like you are a great teacher. I always preferred the floor to desks myself, and a little buzz to total silence. The only thing that grates on my nerves is repetetive noises. Unfortunately my oldest has taken up the drums. :bang:

I personally do think I was a great teacher, thanks!--- but the more you knew - you might change your mind! When my daughter and another little boy tried to cut the head off of a dead bird with a plastic spoon... most teachers would have told them to get away from it and wash their hands.

Not me. Nope, we brought it in and had an impromptu science lesson on what it looks like in there! That is what they wanted to know, when they wanted to know it. Teachable moments aren't always pristine! ha ha!

The product was a Christian Homeschool lesson plan that I loved the quote from, but it had too many workbooks. My kids didn't do workbooks. I spent my money on $300 dollars worth of some awesomely cool math program that was based on what the kids knew as individuals, and where I could take each of them to the next level, rather than based on workbooks and hard and fast pencil paper work based on age/grade. (My kids were treated as accelerated, and often were unable yet to write - yet could still do math with manipulatives and physics with their bodies!)

My FAVORITE part of one program (I am rambling) for example, was a lesson on introducing the math manipulatives that were little flat squares. The instructions were for the kids to make something with the manipulatives and then draw what they saw. (They were age 3)
Tyler - used his blocks to make a two dimensional house, complete with roof and chimney.
Donna - used her blocks to make a two dimensional horse.

When they drew the pictures - Tyler drew EACH SQUARE in the correct position that he put them on the table. Donna drew a horse.

Public schools often will say Tyler is smarter (or gets a higher grade) than Donna because he drew what he made. HOWEVER - Donna drew what she made, too. She made a horse. It's not her fault the manipulatives were square and horses aren't. ;-)

 

[hipmamajen]

And.. when I started teaching, my Mom made me a plaque that said "Whoever tries to take the fun out of learning, doesn't know anything about either one of them."

I love this! I totally agree