Gggrrrr

This week I have had several heart-to-heart conversations with my class.

First, there was the "I am a teacher so I can help you learn, not so I can give you the answers" speech. This one is brought on by the way students raise their hands immediately upon getting an assignment, saying "I don't get it" and refusing to even make an effort unless I am hand-holding them the whole time.

Then, there was the "You have to choose NOW" speech. In this one, I pointed out that people who try hard and learn end up as successful members of society, and people who don't care about their education end up living in prison. I asked them to think about what they wanted to be and make a decision.

During social studies yesterday, they required the "I'm GIVING you the answers" speech, as I realized that most of them still didn't have the answers on their papers after 20 minutes of independent work, a class discussion and me writing the answers on the overhead for them to see.

Today, it was the "If you are going to act like 1st graders, I will have to treat you like 1st graders" tirade (by this point, I am beyond the simple speech). This was as I was telling them about the card system we will be starting on Monday, because the classroom behavior has been so unacceptable lately.

It is one thing to deal with a behavior issue. A child who hits others or forgets his homework or needs a little extra TLC. But when you compound those issues with a complete lack of motivation, it just grinds you down. There are only so many ways you can attempt to interest a child. I have tried EVERYTHING.
homework - it goes home and never comes back
independent work - they sit without working unless I am standing right next to them
small group work - they fight or gossip and get nothing done unless I am standing right next to them
large group work - they play with anything they find in their desks or stare off into space unless I am speaking directly to them
artistic work - they scribble it in as fast as they can
active/physical work - they quickly lose control, screaming and flailing about
musical work - they scream, squeal, squawk or insert inappropriate words
large projects - they turn in half completed projects done with minimal effort and often completely wrong
small projects - they ignore the directions, waste their class time and turn in sloppy, incomplete work

The only thing that seems to work at all...
one-on-one work with me - they perform fabulously, completing things quickly and quietly.

I CANNOT provide constant one-on-one time for 26 students. I just can't. I CANNOT create a desire to learn where there is none. I can nurture and encourage a sagging self-esteem, and I can provide positive feedback for the desired behaviors, but if the student just doesn't care, there isn't much I can do. Especially, if there is no one at home who cares either. So I am driven to send this plea out to parents - all parents, everywhere:

PLEASE show your children how important education is by asking about what they are learning, really looking at their graded work, praising them for making and effort and following through when they aren't. Talk with their teacher on a regular basis. Check their homework nightly. Let them know that they are REQUIRED to perform to the best of their ability (note I am not saying they must get As or Bs or 100%) at all times. Because your children are only with their teacher for part of the day and no matter how strongly we feel about education (and you know we do!), children most often imitate the responses of their family members. Motivation starts at home!!