Crackdown in the classroom

Last Friday was the first day of the new month so students who had gone away for the summer returned and my elementary class increased in size a little bit. My already badly behaved elementary class.

I decided to start off the new semester with some tough love. Specific rules and specific punishments. I enforced a boy-girl-boy-girl seating plan and generated rules from the class which were then posted for all to see. The system is this: each child begins the class with four stars. If they break any of the rules (talking when the teacher is talking, walking around, being rude, etc. etc.) they will lose one star. If they lose all four stars they must go into the hall and get a talking to from Alice.

The first period was like a slice of heaven. Everyone was obeying the rules and I was thrilled. The second period was less perfect.

Then Monday rolled around and they were hellians. Matthew in particular. In fact he lost all four stars and then cried and refused to leave the classroom. I didn't want to physically 'impose' on him or anything so I got Alice who did talk to him but did not force him out of the class. Dang! There goes all authority.

I hate this class and I have to teach them every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 2:30 - 4:30. It bites. I don't want to yell. I don't want to punish. I just want to get through our work in a comfortable fashion and then have some fun. Why oh why!?!