Another #TeacherJoy story:
As a very young teacher of a before-school maths extension program, I had a small group of ~9 to 12 year olds with two very enthusiastic and boisterous best buddy boys.

Since I was not a school teacher, but employed externally, *and* the group was voluntary, I wasn't going for traditional school discipline, but a basic level of engagement and learning.

I regularly threatened to separate the two best buddies, and this threat always got them to settle down.

Half-way through the term another young boy joined us. Alone and carrying a lot of anger, it was clear this kid was in trouble a lot.
He was mostly ok in the class - voluntary, fun, challenging maths puzzles - who wouldn't be? but sometimes struggled to follow instructions or bothered the others.

During one of the sessions, the new kid, alone as usual, was doing (or not-doing) something the rest of the group noticed as non-compliant.

Since it is clearly against the Rules(TM) to allow a classmate to get away with behaviour you would be chastised for, the two buddies gleefully started shouting

"Separate him, Miss. Separate him!"

To this day I don't know what they thought that meant - I fear that all term they must imagined I was threatening to rend them limb from limb!

Using the correct strict face was totally beyond me! I was laughing so hard I had to turn away and face the board!

I still wonder what they told their parents about me. It gave me a lasting appreciation for the effectiveness of violent-sounding but clearly ridiculous and impossible threats as a class management tool.

#tweens #TeenageHumour (Edited for typos and grammer)

I love teaching teenagers - sometimes their sense of humour is just 👌

A while back the class was playing an online quiz and one specific kid kept losing. He got cross, so he slammed his laptop shut, got up and started packing his bag.
I said "Dude, you can't just rage quit my class!"
He calmly continued packing up and replied "I'm too far into the bit to stop now." 🤣

The whole class, including me, collapsed laughing and the kid did, indeed, get to rage quit the class.

#teaching #teenagers #TeacherJoy

Sharing some #TeacherJoy !
Our December unit in my 8th grade #ELA class is rolling along! I mapped out 4 weeks of classwork to introduce terms (Explanation, Description, Anecdote), practice low-risk writing, identify examples in real-world models, followed by students creating their own "This I Believe" essay, modeled on the NPR program

Our 1st week is a success! Planning the right amount of work can be a challenge but kids are getting the content and on task

#ActuallyAutistic
#TeacherLife