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November 17

 I am off to Spartanburg where I am speaking to Induction Teachers.  Geneal, the Teacher to Teacher Coordinator for Furman University, asked me to speak to the group.  It is a wonderful assortment of teachers from elementary school to high school, from traditional four-year educational programs to PACE teachers. 
 
Some teachers there want the “Three, easy, non-fail methods of Classroom Discipline.”  I hate to tell them that while there are techniques and methods with solid research backing, there is no silver bullet for all teachers in all classes.   Consistency and knowledge are a part of all, however.  Consistent application and knowledge of the rules makes life easier for teacher and student alike.  I share my belief that when you know your students well and they know you care about them, then classroom discipline is much easier. 
 
I talk about my experiences as a new teacher and some of the mistakes that I have made…(or is that the mistake I made…no I am quite certain the plural form is correct.)  I talk about the real reasons we teach… the students.  The odd thing for me over the years has been that I have never been quite able to determine which students I am able to make a big difference for.  By that I mean, there are times you get instant feedback and there are others that take years before you find out what difference you made.  So you are always planting seeds.  Some are quick Johnny Jump-up plants that flower quickly and spread and make you feel great.  Some are like Silver Queen corn where it may take 92 days to see the results.  And others are like oak trees, where it takes years.  I think I still have a few Sequoia’s waiting out there somewhere too.  My grandchildren may be the first to see them mature.  They are all special… each has a different purpose and takes various amounts of time to mature.  Unfortunately our students do not come in packets that tell you what type of seed you are working with and how long they take to mature.  So just keep planting, watering, and fertilizing (I am particularly good at this) and sit back and enjoy watching what grows. 

 

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