Discipline Journal #1

Discipline Journal #1
SHED Cohort—Fall 2008

NAME: Laura Michelle Weed Instructor: Dr. Sharon Johnson
I. Data Collection: On additional page(s) (to be attached), document at least 10 discipline situations encountered in your classroom. Journal each incident and include:

Incident #1
A. 10/20, 8:20

B. 8th grade PFD

C. Description of the incident: I was trying to explain the assignment. The class was talking. I said, “Students I need your attention. Excuse me. 3…all eyes on me…2…all mouths shut…1.” Students put all eyes on me and all mouths were shut.

What were the precipitating factors and what (if anything) could have prevented the incident? I had just returned from maternity leave. I had to retrain my students on my expectations.

D. Consequences:
The students responded well, especially since they were glad to have me back from maternity leave. II do feel that the consequence fit the crime because it did not take long for the students to remember what I expected of them.

E. Reflection:
I hadn’t had much time I thought to develop a relationship with my students. I was surprised that they responded so well and I didn’t get too much of a fight from them.

Incident #2
A. 10/20, 8:55

B. 8th grade, PFD

C. Description of the incident: John hit John with a pencil. I was across the room helping another student with the assignment. I said, “Hey!” They continued. I walked over, smiled at them, and said, “If this continues, I will have to do something.” The students stopped.

What were the precipitating factors and what (if anything) could have prevented the incident? Students were working as a group and I was on the other side of the room working with another group. I had my back to the students. If I had been working with the group but still facing the rest of the class, this might not have happened.

D. Consequences:
Students were warned. From then on, I did not sit them at the same table and therefore has not been an issue again.

E. Reflection:
Since I had just returned from maternity leave, I did not have much opportunity before I left to build a relationship with the students. The students needed to be reminded where I stood. They were able to see that that was not okay in my classroom.

Incident #3
A. 10/20, 9:00

B. 8th grade, PFD

C. Description of the incident: Jane was talking while John was presenting for his group. I went and stood next to her and the Jane stopped talking.

What were the precipitating factors and what (if anything) could have prevented the incident? I did not present my expectations to the students before they started presenting.

D. Consequences:
Once I realized I had not presented my expectations, I stopped the presentations and reviewed what we do while someone is speaking.

E. Reflection:
Through this situation, I was able to set up a situation for the students to be successful in my room. I was able to explain my expectations and the students rose to those expectations, thus building the relationship between teacher and students.

Incident #4
A. 10/20, 11:00

B. 8th grade, PFD

C. Description of the incident: John was talking over me. I said, “Don’t interrupt!” Student stopped talking.

What were the precipitating factors and what (if anything) could have prevented the incident? I was trying to transition from the warm up to the lesson. There was wait time and therefore time for the students to get distracted.

D. Consequences:
The student stopped talking not because of what I said but due to embarrassment. The consequence of humiliation was definitely not appropriate.

E. Reflection:
Thankfully my students are very forgiving and understand that people make mistakes. This situation could have damaged the relationship that I had with the student, but the student chose to look past the situation. Now we get along well.

Incident #5
A. 10/20, 11:15

B. 8th grade, PFD

C. Description of the incident: Jane was chewing gum. I walked over to her and whispered, “By the time I come back over here, I expect the gum to be spit out.” Jane said, “I don’t have any gum!” I responded, “Thanks for sharing!”

D. Consequences:
The student spit out her gum. I gave her a warning and I feel the consequence fit the crime. It is a school rule, but I have to remember that these students are still kids and are going to test limits. I would have given a detention had the student not spit out the gum or had it in her mouth again.

E. Reflection:
The student knew I was not okay with having gum, but I was able to show the student that sometimes we just need second chances.

Incident #6
A. 10/20, 11:30

B. 8th grade, PFD

C. Description of the incident: I was at my computer getting stuff from the printer. "Miss! He hit me in the back of the head!" "He called me a fat a!" "Boys!" "John outside!" The boys get chest to chest. "John! Outside now!" "Miss he hit me and I didn't say anything to him!" "Okay. You go back to class. John come back inside. Did you hit him?" "Yes, but he called me a fat a!" Another student pipes in, "Not to intrude, but he didn't call you anything. I was sitting right next to him. You need to not lie about people!" I responded, "John. I have to do something about this. I will talk to the assistant principal and see what I have to do about this." "Can't you just move me to another class period?" "I have to talk to the principal and I will let you know later what is going to happen."

What were the precipitating factors and what (if anything) could have prevented the incident? The students were all working on a project. Many students were up and moving about and I thought it was organized chaos. Apparently not.

D. Consequences:
The consequence is that the student who hit the other student will have a detention since I didn't see what actually happened. I also pointed out to the student using the Administator's Code of Conduct of what can happen next time that he assaults another student. I also talked to John's parents and the registrar to see about moving him to another class period.

E. Reflection:
The student is one that is always an issue. He is a brilliant child with a lot of potential that unfortunately does not rise to his potential unless he is forced. This brings a lot of opposition because he does not do it his way. I am trying very hard to be patient with this child and to build a positive relationship.

Incident #7
A. 10/20, 1:21

B. 8th grade, PFD

C. Description of the incident: Student in the hallway had his shirt untucked. I stopped him in the hallway and said, “Hey! The coolest thing just happened! Your shirt was tucked in and it just jumped out of your pants! I would either get it under control or sell it to the circus!” The student gave me a strange look and walked away while tucking in his shirt.

What were the precipitating factors and what (if anything) could have prevented the incident? School hadn’t begun yet but the rule is that your shirt is tucked in when you walk in the door.

D. Consequences:
I gave the student a warning by telling him the story. Later that day I saw him and told him directly to tuck in his shirt or he would see me later that afternoon. He got the picture.

E. Reflection:
I do not have the student, but the student now knows when he walks past my room that he better have his shirt tucked in.

Incident #8
A. 10/20, 3:00

B. 8th grade, PFD

C. Description of the incident: John had gum in his mouth. I gave him the big eyes and he spit it out.

D. Consequences:
Nonverbally, I communicated with the student that he needed to spit out his gum. I reminded him later that he needed to not have gum in my classroom.

E. Reflection:
Student was understood that gum was not okay in my room, but I let him know in a way that did not draw attention to the student and give him the negative attention he was striving for.

Incident #9
A. 10/21, 8:10

B. 8th grade, PFD

C. Description of the incident: John did not have a pencil. He asked another student to steal a pencil from another student’s binder for him. I called the student over to my desk privately and told him to never let me catch him doing that again. In my class, that is not acceptable, and I reminded John that I provide pencils for him to use in my class.

What were the precipitating factors and what (if anything) could have prevented the incident? The reason the binders were left unattended was because we were having a pep rally that day and the students left to go to their lockers for the day. I was trying to enter attendance on the computer. I need to have the students immediately working on their warm up as they are walking in the door, while I enter attendance on the computer.

D. Consequences:
The student had come from another country, so I stressed to the student the seriousness of the issue and how it was not okay to steal.

E. Reflection:
I think I might have scared the student at the time with how serious I was about what had happened, but since, the student has been able to see how much I care and wouldn’t let someone else do that to his stuff.

Incident #10
A. 10/21, 1:45

B. 8th grade, PFD

C. Description of the incident: Jane was walking down the hall while hitting a male student. The John hit her back. I stopped them both and told the John that it was not appropriate to hit a girl. I then sent him to class. To Jane, I explained a situation that happened at another middle school. A girl was hitting a boy and he finally got tired of it. He hit her back out of anger and he hit her just right that it broke her nose. The male student then was sent to an alternative school and the female student had to go to the hospital. Jane was shocked that had happened. I explained that although not all boys are gentlemen, the ones that are don’t need to be pushed into situations to cause them to not act like gentlemen.

What were the precipitating factors and what (if anything) could have prevented the incident? I later found out from some of my other students that the Jane had a crush on John.

D. Consequences:
I fell that the consequences were appropriate. I could have sent the student to the office but this would have taught the student that there are no second chances.

E. Reflection:
I think this was the best way to handle this situation because although the student is not mine, she still says hi to me as she walks down the hallway.

II. In the space provided, describe one situation you handled well.
Description of incident: I feel I handled the situation with the female student and male student well.

Specific steps: I stopped and talked to them and gave them the benefit of the doubt that they had a moment of forgetfulness.

Reflection: By giving her a second chance, I was able to set an expectation and she rose to that expectation.

III. In the space provided, describe one situation you did not handle well or could’ve done better.
Description of incident: The situation that I did not handle well was the one where the student interrupted me while I was talking.

Specific steps: I could have given the student “the look”, and they would have understood that their behavior was not okay.

Reflection: If I could do it over again, I would…have given the student the look instead of humiliating him in front of the other students.