LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Greetings,
First off, this isn't really to ELEM by strict definition, but to
K-6 teachers, with a special emphasis on those who work with 6th grades.
I'm having a bit of a problem with my 6th grade and I need to know what to do.
I made an obvious error (in hindsight) when I assumed that the kids
today behave in the same manner that we did when I was a kid in elementary
school (15-20 years ago--BOY, that sounds like a long time). Anyway, maybe
I was unusual, but I knew that I'd get it if I acted up in class and EVER
got my name on the board or anything like that, so I just sat back, and like
the geek I was thought to be, soaked up everything that I could. I just
loved to read. I wanted when I became a children's librarian, and then on
to the school librarian position, to transfer my love of books and reading
to the children. I'm enthusiastic to say the least and love to act out the
roles in the stories and have the kids join in. However, now that I'm
having to teach the library skills that I know are NECESSARY for anyone to
cope with the modern world, the kids are reluctant, to say the least, to
give up the old ways and settle down and listen, especially, as I said
before, the 6th grade. They've never had real lessons in library where
someone acutally expected them to learn anything, and I think that they are
at a loss as to how to react, but their reaction is far from the learning
attitude that I had hoped for. They talk when I'm instructing, they are
disrespectful upon correction, and when I now have to let only one table out
of four get up at time to get books (which limits their time out of seat to
about 5 minutes) because they were just socializing instead of getting
books. And as I'm sure you know, when you're busy trying to get one student
a book, the rest of the class takes the inattention to mean the cat's away,
and they start to play, rather loudly and energetically I must say. I feel
like I have no real control on the older kids (4-6th grades), and am at loss
as to how to cope with it. I can give no grades, and some of the teachers I
know may not be counted on to affect their citizenship grade negatively even
when I ask them too as a consequence of a child's action.
Another problem, is that the kids in the 6th grade are only
reflecting the attitudes of the teachers because my classes are constantly
being interrupted with one of my teacher's requests for a particular student
to leave my class and make up work, take a test, or even rehearse for some
play they're working on.
I don't like confrontations and have never really been very
forceful, but I see that something HAS to be done for my peace of mind and
the peace of my classroom. HELP!!! I need suggestions as to disciplinary
measures, rules or goals for behavior for your media centers, and ways to
deal with disruptive students. I can't send anyone back to their homerooms
because that is the teacher's planning times and they DO NOT wish to be
disturbed, which I can understand. I have a limited amount of space with
which to separate the students, and I am reluctant to send most of them to
the office because we are not talking about violent behaviors, just
non-compliance with my goals (which include staying in their seat, no eating
or drinking, no talking while I am speaking, etc...the usual things). How
do you teach a child such a fundamental attitude as respect in such a
limited amount of time (45 minutes for 3-6th grades and 30 minutes for K-2)????
Hence, I appeal to my learned, more experienced professionals out
there...WHAT DO I DO??
If I sound desperate, I'm not...but I'm close. Please send any
comments and suggestions to :
Heather Clark
heclark@whale.st.usm.edu
By the by, I teach at a magnet school of about 460 children with
three classes per grade level in a smaller southern Mississippi city/town of
perhaps 60,000 people including the outlying areas.
Thanks in advance for all of your support and suggestions!!!
God bless.
Heather Clark
LM_NET
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