There's nothing that I like more than to help children learn, however what's less enticing is the work that needs to be done to make sure everyone is contributing to the general duties of classroom life, duties such as clean-up, putting your things away, turning in assignments on time, and staying on task during learning times. It's the general sense of good discipline that's needed to make sure teachers have the kind of teaching time they need to help everyone get ahead.
Teachers employ all kinds of strategies to foster that sense of discipline and with some children and on some days that's easier to do than with other other students and/or on other days. What's a teacher to do?
First, as I think of this situation, I realize that the first step is to give a little more time for clean up and transitions. Second, it's important to review what's expected with the entire class, and it's important to look for opportunities to continue to build the level of responsibility needed to be a fully integrated member of classroom life--a student who contributes and also accesses the supports available. Classroom life requires that we all do our part, and that's important learning for the kinds of teamwork students will have to do throughout the personal and professional lives. Onward.
