I was just talking to a friend who has worked as an administrator in Compton and other places. We were discussing middle school kids and the best course of action with the really tough nuts to crack. I told him about my summer and the 8th grade classes I labored through and he asked me if my techniques worked. I guess they did because I am still standing and I finished the summer out but really I don’t know if my idea would work for everyone.
I think we as teachers need to be open to what has worked for other people and even be hungry for the information we can get. At the same time, it is very clear to me that there is no snake oil program to control behavior. Sometimes controlling behavior through a dynamite lesson plan is possible. Other times, if it works it works and if it don’t, well ya know. And then other times you take it all in and cut the pieces out that work for you. It becomes like your quilt.
