When feeling down...try this...

This Monday I woke with with a pretty severe sore throat. I had some tea with breakfast, and figured that I could make it through the day. I didn't want to call in sick because I was responsible for 3 of the 4 classes that day.

My first class of the day is typically a little rowdy and I often have to get after some of the students for excessive talking or getting off task. As the students were working on their brain teaser for the day, I told them that today I wasn't going to talk over them because I simply couldn't. Normally my voice is pretty loud and carries very easily. But, that day I could barely get a sentence out. I also told the students that if I had to talk with them more than once about being loud or off task that I would keep them for their morning break.

As we got the first few things out of the way that morning and the students began working on their projects, I was amazed at their behavior. The classroom was the most quiet it's been all year long. None of the students were chatting with each other or getting off task. Because we have block schedule, and that first class is nearly two hours long because of silent reading time added on to the end of that period, I praised the students about halfway through and let them take a break. I have given the students breaks before in that class if they are exhibiting good behavior, and after their break they normally get a little rowdy and off-task. But, after their break this time, the students came right back in to the classroom and worked hard the rest of the period.

I was very proud and relieved that the students acted the way they did. I have never asked the students to do something like that for me before, and I wasn't sure if it would work. I do know that this is something I can use in class when I do become a teacher, but I will have to use it sparingly. If the students constantly heard me saying I didn't feel good and asked them to be good that day, I am sure they would finally just ignore my pleas. This was a great learning experience, and I am still very proud and appreciative of my students!