At my previous school, I attempted to cultivate an image as a strict teacher. I encouraged my students to make comments about me to the 6th graders, and my 6th grade colleagues joined in as well with comments like, "Oh, Mrs. Chandler is really strict. You can't do that in her class next year." From a behavior management standpoint, this worked quite well for me. The students would come into my class as 7th graders prepped to follow a lot of rules from a really strict teacher. It was almost a shock to some of them when I turned out to be a little fun as well.
This year, quite by accident, I have developed a completely different reputation. I still operate with all of the same classroom rules that I had at my previous school, and I'm still just as kooky in the classroom as I have ever been. But I am not known for this. Apparently I am known for being a more academically rigorous teacher. My students don't necessarily know this unless they've been talking to students from other teams. But I heard 6th grade students talking about next year and advising other students that they should try to get into the upstairs team because "the downstairs team makes you work harder." I gained several students from another team this year, and a few of them like to remind me that they did not have me last year. Whenever I bring up concepts we covered in 7th grade, one of them will say, "We had [this other teacher] last year, remember? We didn't learn that." (I had to have a little chat with one of them because he started the year by saying, "[This other teacher] didn't teach us anything last year. We just colored maps." So now we've changed it to sound less like a deficiency and more like a choice on the part of the teacher. Not that a deficiency isn't also a choice on the part of the teacher--because it is--but that's a topic for another time.) At any rate, I feel more strongly than ever that my mission of preparing my students for high school is vitally important, especially when I hear what they do NOT know. So I push them academically, and this inevitably leads to quite a bit of homework for them.
My last post received a comment from Swanie Boy, who I happen to know is a middle school student himself. I was not surprised that he was amused by my students' lack of attention. Oh, yes, I've heard stories about you, Swanie Boy. I've heard stories. And now let me tell you a little story that will probably make your middle school blood run cold...
My 6th grade teacher friend came to laugh with me about a student assistant of hers who I have in LA/SS class. Yesterday, with the ominous-sounding snow forecast looming and the potential for a snow day today stirring through the school and making it impossible for students and teachers alike to concentrate, I shifted some things around in my plans and managed to send my students home with an assignment that I would normally have reserved for a weekend. My teacher friend said her student assistant was bemoaning the fact that I had given them extra homework just in case there was a snow day -- quite loudly, in front of the 6th grade students. My teacher friend said her students' faces showed their worry and fear when she told them, "That's right, and that's who you will all have next year."
Hey, Swanie Boy, why don't I send Mr. Chandler to school tomorrow with some extra homework for you?
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