Scaffolding DISCIPLINE

I include a lot of rituals in my class.

1) Sit up straight and be MINDFUL for a minute.

2) Really PRAY. Call God's name. Than Him for 3 small things. Pray for someone not in the class. Pray for the class.

3) Make the GREETING lively.

4) Shout out a MANTRA which I or one of the students made.

5) LOOK at anyone who is speaking.

6) Bring your OWN PAPER and PEN They are not allowed to give or lend school materials to classmates.

7) Arrive ON TIME. For those classes who transfer rooms. Or else you give me a written explanation on a half-sheet that's full back-to-back.

8) I do a SIGNAL CLAP. They respond. And then all eyes shoould be on me.

9) Speak ONLY FILIPINO in my class (because that's the language I teach). Students should make a BUZZING SOUND whenever anyone uses a different language, this goes even for the teacher.

10) If I WRITE IT DOWN on the board, you are obliged to know it. If you ask me questions about it or ask me to repeat it, you won't get anything. This goes for class notes and also ASSIGNMENTS.

Sounds good right?

But as always, the problem is in the doing. If I don't scaffold this right, these rules will be just like your usual new year's resolutions--you make a lot of them but never follow-through.

MISTAKES

This year:

1) I tried EXPLAINING. Important at the start. But has to end sometime.

2) I tried making them EXPERIENCE THE EFFECT of not following the rituals. But some effects are long-term and won't be felt ever if they don't try it.

3) I EXPLICITLY TAUGHT every minute detail of what I mean by totally quiet. We practiced tracking with the eyes. I taught them how to straighten their backs and meditate.

These were important but not enough. Because I didn't INSIST that these be FOLLOWED RELIGIOUSLY.

So despite having onky 2 onths left, I changed tack.

4) I MADE CLEAR that they should follow the rituals. And also the CONSEQUENCE of not following.

5) I CUED students on what they had to do next. A few mins before. A minute before. 30 secs, 15, 10, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

6) I CALLED OUT INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS who forgot to follow.

7) I FOLLOWED through on the consequences. For even the SMALLEST VIOLATION.

Well, I'm still working on #7. Sometimes the fun gets to me. Or I'm too tired to get angry. But I think it's getting there.

Now I only have to start earlier. The first few days of school perhaps.

One last thing.

I feel the most important thing is that the students know I understand them. My lessons are prepared. Class is fun. I laugh with them. I'm interested in what they like. I make adjustments when they really need it.

I remember reading that Saint John Bosco said:
I seek to win the love of students so I can lead them to love what I love.

Or something like that.

DISCIPLINE=TOUGH+LOVE