discipline

The Mouth and The Giggler

by Jose 12.09.2008

I have these two students, who I’m calling the Mouth and the Giggler. Both of them have garnered notorious reputations as girls who are far too loud for their own good. They went to the same school last year, but not our school, unfortunately. For if they did, they may have learned a few things, [...]

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Soft Like Baby Talc

by Jose 06.03.2008

I keep telling some of these “educators” that they can’t tell me nothin’. John Holland recently talked about the differences between urban and suburban education as it concerns one’s demeanor. In many educators’ eyes, they think just because they have a dream that they can go into any school and magically transform children into shiny, [...]

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Curmudgeons Who Don’t Like Class Trips Huff and Puff

by Jose 05.29.2008

After that passionate imaginary letter I wrote to one of my students on Tuesday, a few questions came up about how I approached the situation. Did your administration support you through this decision? In a word, yes. Though I knew I was right and I thought about my decision clearly, I still consulted with fellow [...]

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Who’s The Savage?

by Jose 10.10.2007

This kid in my school’s about 5’10, Black Latino, raspy voice, and a good 225-235 pounds easily. The first time I ever observed him, I knew he was public enemy #1 in school. Something about hanging out in front of the AP’s office tipped me off early. In my usual cavalier fashion, I nodded my [...]

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The Not-So-Reluctant Disciplinarian

by Jose 08.28.2007

For any new teacher, I would recommend Gary Rubenstein’s The Reluctant Disciplinarian, a book of one teacher’s journey towards becoming the ultimate disciplinarian. Well, it’s not as fabricated as that, but it’s certainly worth a read. It’s hilarious, and an easy read. More importantly, it reaches a wide audience: it’s mainly for first year teachers, [...]

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