Return from Spring Break

Unfortunately I had to be gone the first day back from Spring Break and the kids were forced to have a substitute teacher.  Fortunately, they are a great group of kids and I expected nothing less than the note telling me how great they are from the sub.  What I didn't expect was to find the clip chart filled with 5 students who moved their clip down.  After looking over who moved their clips down, 3 of them wasn't a big surprise as they are some of our more active boys and I've just learned to work with them.  Two of the students was a bit of a shock so we talked about what moved these 5 students down ~ nothing major, parents don't need to worry, no tags, no bench time just behavior reminders.

Here's what I loved during our talk!  The entire time I had a certain boy with his hand up and I kept telling him hold what he's thinking.  I'm imagining him telling on the boy I'm talking to and giving more information than what the "guilty" party is saying.  As I'm wrapping up our talk I find one of the clip down offenses was running back to class.  One girl says, "I was running with them too but I got to move my clip back up later so I wasn't down with them."  The boy with his hand up quickly nods his head and says, "Me too!"

I LOVE that these 2 kids ratted themselves out!  I would have never known their clips were moved down except they took responsibility and ownership of their actions and admitted it to me!  This is why I love this group of kids!  They are honest and ready to fess up their mistakes not knowing if consequences will be there or not.

The 5 who were on the "Verbal Warning" section of the chart were all worried and I could see the panic on their faces ~ I have to admit, I kind of enjoy that too!  I did draw it out a little as they waited to see if I was going to give a tag or bench time ~ of course I didn't; but, it was fun watching them sweat it out.

Yes, I love their honesty and responsible behaviors; but, I also love torturing them <insert evil laugh>!  In seriousness, parents, you have amazing kids and I am blessed to have the chance to be their teacher.  One even asked why I just don't move up with them next year to 3rd grade ~ some days I wish I could!