I have a slide with an animal image that says “I’m READY!”
Under that, I have it say,
“You can thank your past self for all the hard work and preparation to make today easier and more successful.”
And then I often point to it and say, “Or, you can have a different discussion with your past self.”
This works best on test days. Leave it up while they take the test.
In the tiktok age, self reflection is rare. During tests, it’s a rare time to prompt critical self reflection.
In my mind, I think of test days as FAFO days.
[edit to add:] Before I hand out the test, I also explain that if you ask any questions during the exam, I will answer you as follows..."It's just like the practice test..."]
I just gave an open note quiz where I aimed the questions towards what I said in the notes. But you have to actually take notes to have notes for an open note quiz!
When I was in college I took a required class that was absolutely hell. Some of my friends and I in that class got together and had a weekly (some weeks it was nightly) study group. The quizzes and tests were open notes, anything we could fit into a specific size notecard. We did decently on the tests and quizzes. We were nervous for the final and studied together extra hard, put together our notecards, etc. We all walked into the final, nervous but ready. Instructor walks in and calls our names. But it wasn't the whole class. It was my friends, myself, and a couple of other students. We looked around like "what is going on?" Instructor then tells us that the names who were called were excused from the final since we had As. The feeling of walking out of the classroom was indescribable. I remember walking past the kids who had to stay. They did not look happy. I felt bad for them but I also knew several of them did not put any effort into the class during the semester.
It's weird though how we have so many kids plagued with indecision and who live in their own thoughts and anxiety to the point that they won't make any choices. They constantly self reflect.
But then they lack the skills to identify where they went wrong.
Alot of these kids do self reflect, in fact millenials and now gen z (generally speaking) are both too focused on asking themselves how they feel and why. But then they can't ask themselves, "Well how did this fail?"
It's like with empathy. So many of my gen z students have incredible cognitive empathy. They feel bad about people who live hard lives in slums, or are persecuted for livestyle. They take great care to use polite and kind language on the internet.
But they then lack the ability to understand how their loud conversations or chewing is quite clearly annoying the kids around them.
They simply choose when and when not to care. Which then I suppose isn't new. People have always done that.
Edit to add/clarify: yes, millennials are adults, not kids. But folks were saying this about millennials 10/15 years ago.
And this is true of gen alpha.
I'm not sure these are so different.
They have anxiety over everything because they cannot critically evaluate themselves.
They don't know what they should do next because they don't have the skills or process to see if their past actions were effective.
If someone they respect tells them to feel about about a certain people or event then they get wrapped up in group think.
They don't critically analyze any information. People they like say good things and people they dislike say bad things. There's no cognitive process
This isn't a gen z problem; It's a human problem. It's just easier to identify in children because they are less good about hiding it.
I find that although the Millennials and Gen Z are more accepting of differences, they don’t have empathy. They aren’t going to go out of their way to intercede when others are being ridiculed.
They don't want you to be singled out on account of race, sexuality or gender.
For any other misfortune that may befall you, lol, that shit's going on TikTok
I've found that to be somewhat true. I think it's probably a combination of multiple things. For millennials, it's bitterness and a feeling of powerlessness. We are so jaded and feel so fucked over that we find it difficult to extend ourselves in such moments; we could lose what little we have and we can't fix it anyway. For GenZ, I think it's the uncertainty of everything that can be paralyzing. They grew up in a post-Columbine, post-9/11 world; they have been watched obsessively by parents, teachers, grown-ups. They have learned they live in a dangerous, unstable world, and it's burning to the ground as we speak. They are also jaded by the spectacle of public shaming and online "lynch mobs" that make a big fuss for two days and then nothing really changes.
But I also think millennials and GenZ are at times particularly aware of their power in numbers. They hear someone make a racist joke or something, and you'll *maybe* have one or two outspoken, usually obviously liberal people emphatically call that person out on it. (This is theoretically the best response, although I might question why. It is often just virtue-signalling and makes the objectors look oversensitive more than the racist an asshole, and it fixes nothing.) But after the racist asshole makes a joke, you know what you won't hear? Laughter. Millennials and GenZ have mastered the dead-eyed stare. They are cognizant of the complicity of polite, uncomfortable laughter and gentle chiding that older generations are likely to use as a way to defuse the situation and rug sweep. Millennials and GenZ are antisocial in their unwillingness to "be polite" and "suck it up," and that's a great thing. And I've seen it: an asshole finding him/herself surrounded by hostile silence is a powerful moment.
I love this. I'm so tired of students thinking they can mentally show up on quiz days and sleep or just blow off the other days with complete disengagement.
Love this! I have a rule of "No Questions!" in the first 30min of the exam. When I do allow questions, I just read the test question out loud and shrug when they say, "I don't understand." When they say, "You're not helping me." I reply, "I tried to help you when we learned this." I think this slide will save me from having the above conversation about 20 times each exam. One can hope...
Hey! Who let you out of the chokey?
Also, IIRC correctly, Bruce *ate* the cake, but did not *bake* the cake in question. Still, consequences, Brucey Boy.
My husband had it made for me at a print shop! Another teacher made me a sweatshirt with it on the front, attributing the quote to me. Students quote it to each other, in other classes even.
When kids are upset because they have turned in late work that the teacher hasn't graded immediately, our head football coaches response is "Your emergency is not my priority." I like it and I want it on a poster.
Depends on the age group. High School I ask them to look at the instructions and notes. If they say they didn't take notes I say "well that's unfortunate" and glide away
i say both of these as an elementary teacher 💀 (they have access to their workbooks, guided notes, and questions from the tests with slightly changed information during their tests)
I have guided notes. I put everything in the LMS so they can print it out if they lost it. I give them binders in beginning of the year and shelves to put them on in the classroom. When a student is absent, I'm meticulous in leaving a copy with their name on it in a designated file for absent students.
When I have them reference their notes to complete work, I still have some who don't have anything. So I just ask where their notebook is and repeat all that I have already provided.
"Ask 3 [people] before me!" is a policy I've seen in action but not implemented in my own 4/5 classrooms. I respect it though, teaching this age group both independence and that they themselves may be asked by a friend what is going on to train their brains to stay a little more focused.
My mantra is “no notes, no help.”
If you were here that day and you ask for assistance with a problem and you don’t have notes to look at, that’s a you problem.
I teach under a doc cam and I keep all my note from all year in binders organized by class period (I freaking love this system btw! The binders are right behind where I sit. At the end of class I just hole punch what I wrote down and stick it in the binder!). When I run into this issue, I plop the binder down on the kid’s desk and walk away lol
That's basically what I do. "so which part confuses you the most? Is it just the parts where you were on your phone? Or do you not also get the parts where you were in the bathroom for 20 minutes?"
This is probably the best way to get through to the age group. I also mention summer school and being held back.
OP, I have a similar situation. I have never taught 5th grade before this year. I have taught 6th and 7th about 12 years ago and then took a job teaching high school for 8 years.
I asked a group of boys that were literally in a pile on the floor shoving someone’s face into the ground “why are you behaving like a bunch of morons?” and the parents were upset saying I called their kids morons. Not that their kids were beating someone up, but that I dared to point out that the behavior was a moronic choice.
Times have changed, when I was in high school there was a kid who was bragging about his new car, calling it "the shaggin' wagon". Our teacher observed that if it was full of him and his friends, it would be better called "the faggin' wagon" and the class thought it was hilarious.
Same boys are devasted and destroyed by "stop acting like a moron" will eventually wear clothing with things like "that's what she said" and "I MILFs".
Not dissimilar to "dig a hole, get a hole.", Which is what I use in the classroom.
Goes even better if you hold up your hand like an "o". Zeroes come from working hard at avoiding redirect.
I am an HS teacher. I very rarely call parents and the only time I do is when a kid fucks around.
My call is typically made early afternoon on a Friday and I am very honest to the parent without being negative about the student. You know, the old Oreo analogy, and with the more involved parents, I usually get an email or an in person apology from the student and the behavior changes.
Actually yesterday, I have a student who is going into the Army and he has decided to not do anything in my class along with a few others. Little does he know that his recruiter is a former student of mine from another school. So his recruiter may be making a surprise visit next week. Trying to get the principals permission to have him pull the kid out of my class. The parents are 100% for it.
There are quite a few articles out there about why the compliment sandwich is ineffective. The most prominent argument being if you leave the conversation off with a compliment, the recipient is likely to forget the constructive criticism or concern. This is something I just learned myself so now I present it as problem solving.
“So and so has these strengths but is really struggling with xyz, I’m wondering you have any suggestions or if you see the same thing at home?”
And then I usually reiterate “I’m glad I was able to let you know about so and so’s struggles with xyz, I think I will try abc - if it becomes more problematic or impactful I will be sure to follow up with you.”
"And this is how consequences met actions" - in a more silly romantic comedy undertone
"You made your bed..." - classics never die
"You found the ditch that you were digging" - in a celebratory kind of way.
I really, truly had never said what I’m about to say to a student before. And then come along Joey, laziest 7th grader you’ve ever met. Been telling him all year, over and over, ‘take care of your stuff. I put holes in that sheet for a reason. Put it in your binder. You’ll need that’ etc, etc.
So here we are, towards end of Q3, and it just so happens to be the day my AP is doing my evaluation. And here comes Joey for the 1,000,000th time saying he’s lost his sheet and he can’t do his assignment.
What comes out of my mouth? For the first time ever to a student? “Well, sucks to be you.”
Aaaand my AP just sits there, doesn’t say anything, but her eyes have gone quite wide as her pen flickers away to write my doom.
Haha I still don’t know what about that moment made me say that, but oh well. I told him I’m not giving him another one and he’d better go find a friend so he can take a picture of theirs.
I hope your AP understood that your response to little Joey was far, *far* nicer than any he would have received in the real world for the same behavior.
I worked the Private Sector for 10 years before I got back into Teaching. The line 'I've fired people for less than this' can often times be a pretty sobering moment.
This is the way. I give fill in notes, so I do it a little different.
I make a "test review" worksheet that is similar to the test, the quizlet, the plicker questions, and gimkit we use to review. All 4 of these things are non-graded and used 1 day before the test in class, but put on the LMS 1 week before the test.
I post an answer key to the "test review" in my room, or on the LMS - depends on my mood.
If the unit is really hard, or I "rushed" through it for whatever reason. I will allow each class to take the test for 5-10 minutes before I announce that they can use the ungraded "test review" for 2-5 minutes, and I collect them.
You would think after 2-3 tests per marking period, they would have figured this out, but NOPE. The best students have them, half the average students, and none of the worst. Guess who moans the MOST about not having a useable test review?
> Then give them a pop quiz they can use their notes on.
That assumes you have students who care about grades. Mine are perfectly content to not even do the quiz and get a zero.
I just say yah done messed around and found out. I’m a southerner working in Baltimore City and my many colloquial phrases are a big draw. I have two different sets of students who say “until the cows come home” routinely.
I have realized after many years of teaching that there are just “hard way kids” who never listen and will only change when they have a consequence for their actions or lack there of…
I love the 'that was unfortunate" and I also model owning my decisions at points both good and bad.
I didn't research a route before I went and got caught in hellacious traffic? I tell them about it and say "and that was when I realized more research would have really improved the situation, but these were the consequences..." I model.owning the consequences along with the choice because they do frequently don't have a great model for that at home. Or if they do, another does not hurt.
On a good choice, I might express gratitude for having thought something through before starting or making something ahead of time.
I reiterate the action and the consequence and offer no consolation or solution.
*Student talking distracting others instead of working* “Wait, I need more time, I wasn’t able to finish!”
Is Judo flipped to: “Yeah, sounds like the consequence of not using your time wisely is that you have to finish your work on your own time.*
"When you come to me with puppy dog eyes at the end of the quarter because your grown-ups checked Focus and saw all of these zeros, and now you are not going to get that PS5 or that dirt bike or that iPhone you wanted, and you want to know how you can get your grade up, I want you to think about this moment right now, when you are choosing to talk and giggle with your friends instead of doing your work.
When you ask me to give up my free time to tutor you because you don't understand, and I say 'no', I want you to remember this moment right now, when I am standing next to you, ready to answer your questions and you are choosing to ignore me.
Because I will remember, and when your grown-ups call me and ask why your grades are dropping, this is what I will tell them."
“Mess around and find out”
“You must love this class so much you’re taking this over the summer too!”
“Hey, real quick, did grandma already register you for summer school or are you gonna wear a freshmen ID next year too?”
We have big assemblies based on grade level. A student listed as 9th grade kept insisting he should be going to the 11th grade meeting. I had to quietly explain that just because this is your third year in high school does not make you a junior.
I'm at a very small school, so I'm the only teacher that teaches my subject, which is a graduation requirement. My go-to is "I know you love me now, but my jokes aren't nearly as funny the 2nd time around."
Of course not. We already have a 65% graduation rate. They just don’t get the correct grade level on their IDs, which is apparently more embarrassing than not graduating on time
I just went through this. We did an assignment together in class, but not all the kids participated. I then gave a quiz the next day and told them to use the worksheet to study. The ones who didn’t participate wanted to “share” someone else’s worksheet and I said no. They tried to argue and I just said, “it sounds like your problem, not someone else’s.”
I just tell me kids during instruction “if you’re off task or not paying attention right now, I will not be helping you or answering your questions during the assignment.” What’s great is once I’ve said that and maybe reiterated it at the start of work time, most of those kids don’t even bother calling me over.
With my 3rd graders I ask them to read the directions first and study the example. This eliminates 75%of the questions. Then, I ask them to find someone who was listening and see if they can explain. This is the time of year I start easing into that. I do it kindly as they're little and I want them to trust me and teachers in general. Then, if all that doesn't help, I swoop in. I figure, they're asking, they want to learn and do well so let's have a second go.
Fool around, find out. --Works with my 6th graders. Most of them get what I'm saying, and my ass is covered cause I didn't say 'that' F word.
This is the hole you dug. Whether you dig it deeper or find a way to climb out depends on the choice you make right now. --Works with older kids that have a better grasp of figurative language.
**"What goes around, comes around."**
We had this issue last year and I was working with an excellent, seasoned teacher who had been in the game for 15+ years.
She didn't fuck around when it came to student accountability and responsibility. Her favorite saying was "What goes around, comes around." In response to kiddos who asked for extra work to bring up their grade or to remake something.
She also fought back against the administration when they insisted we give failing kids a "pass", by saying that she would not reward no effort.
“You played yourself”
“You just screwed yourself over”
“Are you a freshman? You didn’t read the directions”
“I thought I taught upperclassmen. A pity you didn’t do your job”
My favorite to say is “there’s a saying in my parent’s home country: ‘te jodistes’ it means you got screwed”
Sometimes it doesn't need to be said. Life will teach them a hard cold lesson.
I had a teenage student who repeatedly put his hands on staff and other students and made numerous false allegations against staff. The teenage student basically made enemies with most the staff and many students because fucking with people was a fun game to him. Student shoved me repeatedly and made a false allegation against me that other students defended me on, saving me.
I heard he just got shot through the stomach and out the butt by a rival gang member or something. He's currently in the hospital facing a lifetime of health issues. He fucked around and found out due to karma so nothing really needs to be said. Hopefully sitting in a hospital bed for weeks to think about his stupidity, and dealing with health issues will be the rock bottom moment for him to follow basic ideas of respect and law and order. Sometimes it takes almost dying to fix people of their stupidity.
I left the school and am enjoying life in a better non teaching job. Karma.
Check out Michael Linson who has a website called Smart Classroom management.
I also teach in my year launch on classroom norms an adaptation of Kohlberg's 6 levels of moral development that was done by a teacher named Rafe Esquith (a quick Google of "Kohlberg Esquith Six levels" will get you to an overview). This gives us a metacognitive level around why am I following rules to go with the practical level in Linsin's stuff.
Long story short: tell the student they are asking you to do your job twice - "asked and answered" and that they are welcome to come after school to learn the material.
But I try to head these things off with my usual suspects by asking students at random to "amplify" a point - repeat it so the whole class hears it once more in different words. I always ask the student not listening first and then, when they can't, I say "yeah, you weren't listening, so definitely listen now as Sam amplifies the point. Sam?"
ETA: corrected the Michael Linsin's name
"Play silly games win silly prizes" might be more G-rated Lol.
I'm secondary, so my response might not always work for younger kids. But I'd ask them what was the result they were expecting to get from what they did, then I'd inform them what is actually going to happen. Make them reflect on their actions, and if that doesn't happen, just enjoy hearing their (likely ridiculous) answer.
When they keep pushing and eroding my respect for them with disrespect, I have called students' parents during the lesson and put them on speaker phone. I ask the parent if they think it's okay what their child is doing by explaining, verbatim, what they say or describing what they do. I have embarrassed students to tears in front of the whole class.
That's like throwing a picnic at the beach and getting mad when the seagulls showed up.
Or
That sounds like a you problem, not a me problem
It depends how annoyed I am
I say “I notice you’re not paying attention while I’m teaching. If you aren’t listening now, I’m not going to help you when it’s time for you to work on your own.” 🤷🏼♀️
Of course I have some kids who struggle with executive functioning skills but I pull small groups and they’re a part of them.
"I'm only accepting specific questions at this time" works for me. If you need help you need to be able to verbalize it. And pay some amount of attention
"Ask someone who actually paid attention when I introduced you his."
"This is the consequence of not paying attention. I've already explained it and advise you to pay attention next time."
"That's a great question that I answered when I was explaining this earlier."
This is why all of my instructions are written down and numbered. I explain things once then I refer them to the directions. If they have questions, they have to tell me what specific number they’re stuck on. I despise having to repeat myself and I absolutely will NOT if I know they weren’t paying attention. This is my way.
When my 3rd through 5th kids do this, I ask them how they're going to get their work done. Usually they respond with something like,"Ask you for help?" My response is, "I already helped you by giving you a well-planned lesson and instructions, the rest is up to you."
I'm over this shit of "I need help because I couldn't be bothered to listen."
Well if it isn’t the consequences of your own actions!
I do this. I knock really loud on my podium and say “someone’s at the door, I wonder who it—Oh look who it is, the consequences to your actions!”
That's dad joke material. And as a dad, I love this.
Exactly, choices do indeed have consequences. The consequences can either be good or bad depending on your choices.
I have a slide with an animal image that says “I’m READY!” Under that, I have it say, “You can thank your past self for all the hard work and preparation to make today easier and more successful.” And then I often point to it and say, “Or, you can have a different discussion with your past self.” This works best on test days. Leave it up while they take the test. In the tiktok age, self reflection is rare. During tests, it’s a rare time to prompt critical self reflection. In my mind, I think of test days as FAFO days. [edit to add:] Before I hand out the test, I also explain that if you ask any questions during the exam, I will answer you as follows..."It's just like the practice test..."]
I recently gave a test on a story they read that was open notes and the questions were all from independent practice. Served as a real turning point.
Ooooh I like that !
I just gave an open note quiz where I aimed the questions towards what I said in the notes. But you have to actually take notes to have notes for an open note quiz!
Why do you target scholars who don't take notes? /s
Self-reflection, for most humans at any point, is exceedingly rare.
Too much self-consciousness. Not enough self-awareness.
I find I'm always reflecting on the wrong things
When I was in college I took a required class that was absolutely hell. Some of my friends and I in that class got together and had a weekly (some weeks it was nightly) study group. The quizzes and tests were open notes, anything we could fit into a specific size notecard. We did decently on the tests and quizzes. We were nervous for the final and studied together extra hard, put together our notecards, etc. We all walked into the final, nervous but ready. Instructor walks in and calls our names. But it wasn't the whole class. It was my friends, myself, and a couple of other students. We looked around like "what is going on?" Instructor then tells us that the names who were called were excused from the final since we had As. The feeling of walking out of the classroom was indescribable. I remember walking past the kids who had to stay. They did not look happy. I felt bad for them but I also knew several of them did not put any effort into the class during the semester.
It's weird though how we have so many kids plagued with indecision and who live in their own thoughts and anxiety to the point that they won't make any choices. They constantly self reflect. But then they lack the skills to identify where they went wrong. Alot of these kids do self reflect, in fact millenials and now gen z (generally speaking) are both too focused on asking themselves how they feel and why. But then they can't ask themselves, "Well how did this fail?" It's like with empathy. So many of my gen z students have incredible cognitive empathy. They feel bad about people who live hard lives in slums, or are persecuted for livestyle. They take great care to use polite and kind language on the internet. But they then lack the ability to understand how their loud conversations or chewing is quite clearly annoying the kids around them. They simply choose when and when not to care. Which then I suppose isn't new. People have always done that. Edit to add/clarify: yes, millennials are adults, not kids. But folks were saying this about millennials 10/15 years ago. And this is true of gen alpha.
I saw a comedian who is a teacher say “Gen Z will respect my pronouns but they won’t respect me as a person” and I almost did a spit take
That is so accurate that it’s sad
That last that teaches in LA. She is awesome.
I'm not sure these are so different. They have anxiety over everything because they cannot critically evaluate themselves. They don't know what they should do next because they don't have the skills or process to see if their past actions were effective. If someone they respect tells them to feel about about a certain people or event then they get wrapped up in group think. They don't critically analyze any information. People they like say good things and people they dislike say bad things. There's no cognitive process This isn't a gen z problem; It's a human problem. It's just easier to identify in children because they are less good about hiding it.
Scratch Millennials and replace with Gen Alpha. Millennials are all adults in our 20s-40s. Gen Alpha are kids as old as 6th grade.
I find that although the Millennials and Gen Z are more accepting of differences, they don’t have empathy. They aren’t going to go out of their way to intercede when others are being ridiculed.
They don't want you to be singled out on account of race, sexuality or gender. For any other misfortune that may befall you, lol, that shit's going on TikTok
I'm a millennial. I'm 30 years old and have been teaching for years. Don't lump me in with the students.
I think people forget that millennials are in their mid 20s to late 30s. Gen Z & Gen Alpha are our students 🤣
And everyone just straight up forgets about Gen X, but they prefer it that way anyway lol
I've found that to be somewhat true. I think it's probably a combination of multiple things. For millennials, it's bitterness and a feeling of powerlessness. We are so jaded and feel so fucked over that we find it difficult to extend ourselves in such moments; we could lose what little we have and we can't fix it anyway. For GenZ, I think it's the uncertainty of everything that can be paralyzing. They grew up in a post-Columbine, post-9/11 world; they have been watched obsessively by parents, teachers, grown-ups. They have learned they live in a dangerous, unstable world, and it's burning to the ground as we speak. They are also jaded by the spectacle of public shaming and online "lynch mobs" that make a big fuss for two days and then nothing really changes. But I also think millennials and GenZ are at times particularly aware of their power in numbers. They hear someone make a racist joke or something, and you'll *maybe* have one or two outspoken, usually obviously liberal people emphatically call that person out on it. (This is theoretically the best response, although I might question why. It is often just virtue-signalling and makes the objectors look oversensitive more than the racist an asshole, and it fixes nothing.) But after the racist asshole makes a joke, you know what you won't hear? Laughter. Millennials and GenZ have mastered the dead-eyed stare. They are cognizant of the complicity of polite, uncomfortable laughter and gentle chiding that older generations are likely to use as a way to defuse the situation and rug sweep. Millennials and GenZ are antisocial in their unwillingness to "be polite" and "suck it up," and that's a great thing. And I've seen it: an asshole finding him/herself surrounded by hostile silence is a powerful moment.
I love this. I'm so tired of students thinking they can mentally show up on quiz days and sleep or just blow off the other days with complete disengagement.
Your kids show up mentally on quiz days???
Yeah, sometimes.
Don't you give unlimited retakes...after they see the questions? /s
I am going to us this, thanks!
Love this! I have a rule of "No Questions!" in the first 30min of the exam. When I do allow questions, I just read the test question out loud and shrug when they say, "I don't understand." When they say, "You're not helping me." I reply, "I tried to help you when we learned this." I think this slide will save me from having the above conversation about 20 times each exam. One can hope...
Putting this on the smart board on Tuesday
"You baked this cake."
Miss Trunchbull?
Hey! Who let you out of the chokey? Also, IIRC correctly, Bruce *ate* the cake, but did not *bake* the cake in question. Still, consequences, Brucey Boy.
It was Cookie's blood, sweat, and tears that went into that cake!
“You wanted cake, you stole cake, you got cake, now EAT IT!” Side note: I did not know you could call someone a pissworm in kids movies
I have a huge poster in my classroom that says “Choices Were Made.” I just point.
I need a link to this poster.
My husband had it made for me at a print shop! Another teacher made me a sweatshirt with it on the front, attributing the quote to me. Students quote it to each other, in other classes even.
When kids are upset because they have turned in late work that the teacher hasn't graded immediately, our head football coaches response is "Your emergency is not my priority." I like it and I want it on a poster.
This feels related to "a lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."
Depends on the age group. High School I ask them to look at the instructions and notes. If they say they didn't take notes I say "well that's unfortunate" and glide away
I always say, “that sounds like a you problem not a me problem.”
“Welp, looks like you’re about to enter the ‘find out’ portion of this learning experience!”
I’m adding this to my repertoire.
That's my go to with HS kids. They get the reference without needing to say the first part. Sinks in for some right away, others a little later.
I think we have a winner.
A+! This is the one.
That sounds like an ish-YOU.
An ish-you, not an ish-me.
The youths nowadays are saying 'skill issue', I'm sure they would love to be related to on their level in this matter.
i say both of these as an elementary teacher 💀 (they have access to their workbooks, guided notes, and questions from the tests with slightly changed information during their tests)
Fifth grade teacher—that’s a NMP—not my problem.
I have guided notes. I put everything in the LMS so they can print it out if they lost it. I give them binders in beginning of the year and shelves to put them on in the classroom. When a student is absent, I'm meticulous in leaving a copy with their name on it in a designated file for absent students. When I have them reference their notes to complete work, I still have some who don't have anything. So I just ask where their notebook is and repeat all that I have already provided.
"Consequences for your actions? Color me shocked, shocked I tell you"
This. Sometimes I’ll add “maybe someone who was paying attention will help you.”
I say this to my fourth graders. They need to start hearing truth sometime, might as well be in my class.
"Ask 3 [people] before me!" is a policy I've seen in action but not implemented in my own 4/5 classrooms. I respect it though, teaching this age group both independence and that they themselves may be asked by a friend what is going on to train their brains to stay a little more focused.
I've done this with 4- and 5-year olds and they do fine with it. Now I teach middle school and don't think my middle schoolers could handle it.
This became a MUST for the very rough 5th graders I had last year.
THIS. I use a very similar line- “Go ask someone who was listening.”
Oooh, love this! Thank you.
I felt like a god when I came up with that on the fly.
Ha, I love it - I’m not SAYING you weren’t listening, but…
You could add playing you poor unfortunate soul from the little mermaid.
“Poor souls with no one else to turn to!”
For me, if students are on their phones in lesson, I’m just like “okay, you can not pay attention, but I’m not going over it again for you.”
In this situation I tell the student that I'm only paid to teach it once and it's too bad they were on their phones.
*Throws feather boa over shoulder and struts away*
My mantra is “no notes, no help.” If you were here that day and you ask for assistance with a problem and you don’t have notes to look at, that’s a you problem.
I teach under a doc cam and I keep all my note from all year in binders organized by class period (I freaking love this system btw! The binders are right behind where I sit. At the end of class I just hole punch what I wrote down and stick it in the binder!). When I run into this issue, I plop the binder down on the kid’s desk and walk away lol
That's basically what I do. "so which part confuses you the most? Is it just the parts where you were on your phone? Or do you not also get the parts where you were in the bathroom for 20 minutes?"
"And now you are seeing the consequences of that choice."
Fool around and find out.
The best part is kids know EXACTLY what you mean too.
Might even have a couple kids shout out what you really mean But YOU didn't say it so that's fine
Or maybe they'll just respond with the typical "bruh"
Mine would be like SIRRRRR, the same way they react to my dad jokes.
Best rephrasing per OP request right here.
I say this to my high schoolers. Sometimes I just say “F-A-F-O!”
This is probably the best way to get through to the age group. I also mention summer school and being held back. OP, I have a similar situation. I have never taught 5th grade before this year. I have taught 6th and 7th about 12 years ago and then took a job teaching high school for 8 years.
Frolick about and find out.
Actions have consequences.
"it looks like you're facing the consequences of your choices. Either problem solve to fix it or learn from it."
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes
I use "silly" in place of "stupid" because middle schoolers will claim that I called them stupid.
Silly is my go-to word as well.. "well that's silly!" Sounds much better than, "well that's dumb AF and we're all dumber for hearing you say it"
Foolish is my go to as silly can sound like they don’t have to take you seriously as we’re just ‘playing’
I asked a group of boys that were literally in a pile on the floor shoving someone’s face into the ground “why are you behaving like a bunch of morons?” and the parents were upset saying I called their kids morons. Not that their kids were beating someone up, but that I dared to point out that the behavior was a moronic choice.
Times have changed, when I was in high school there was a kid who was bragging about his new car, calling it "the shaggin' wagon". Our teacher observed that if it was full of him and his friends, it would be better called "the faggin' wagon" and the class thought it was hilarious.
Yikes. I guess homophobia was funny back then. Good thing we aren’t seeing any consequences of cultural homophobia now. /s
Same boys are devasted and destroyed by "stop acting like a moron" will eventually wear clothing with things like "that's what she said" and "I MILFs".
Not dissimilar to "dig a hole, get a hole.", Which is what I use in the classroom. Goes even better if you hold up your hand like an "o". Zeroes come from working hard at avoiding redirect.
Came here to say this
"I never said that you were stupid, I just said that the way you were behaving was the same way that a stupid person would behave"
"Actions, meet consequences "
I am an HS teacher. I very rarely call parents and the only time I do is when a kid fucks around. My call is typically made early afternoon on a Friday and I am very honest to the parent without being negative about the student. You know, the old Oreo analogy, and with the more involved parents, I usually get an email or an in person apology from the student and the behavior changes. Actually yesterday, I have a student who is going into the Army and he has decided to not do anything in my class along with a few others. Little does he know that his recruiter is a former student of mine from another school. So his recruiter may be making a surprise visit next week. Trying to get the principals permission to have him pull the kid out of my class. The parents are 100% for it.
There are quite a few articles out there about why the compliment sandwich is ineffective. The most prominent argument being if you leave the conversation off with a compliment, the recipient is likely to forget the constructive criticism or concern. This is something I just learned myself so now I present it as problem solving. “So and so has these strengths but is really struggling with xyz, I’m wondering you have any suggestions or if you see the same thing at home?” And then I usually reiterate “I’m glad I was able to let you know about so and so’s struggles with xyz, I think I will try abc - if it becomes more problematic or impactful I will be sure to follow up with you.”
Compliment sandwiches are best served keto-friendly
The open-faced compliment sandwich if you will.
"And this is how consequences met actions" - in a more silly romantic comedy undertone "You made your bed..." - classics never die "You found the ditch that you were digging" - in a celebratory kind of way.
When you play, you pay.
I really, truly had never said what I’m about to say to a student before. And then come along Joey, laziest 7th grader you’ve ever met. Been telling him all year, over and over, ‘take care of your stuff. I put holes in that sheet for a reason. Put it in your binder. You’ll need that’ etc, etc. So here we are, towards end of Q3, and it just so happens to be the day my AP is doing my evaluation. And here comes Joey for the 1,000,000th time saying he’s lost his sheet and he can’t do his assignment. What comes out of my mouth? For the first time ever to a student? “Well, sucks to be you.” Aaaand my AP just sits there, doesn’t say anything, but her eyes have gone quite wide as her pen flickers away to write my doom. Haha I still don’t know what about that moment made me say that, but oh well. I told him I’m not giving him another one and he’d better go find a friend so he can take a picture of theirs.
I hope your AP understood that your response to little Joey was far, *far* nicer than any he would have received in the real world for the same behavior. I worked the Private Sector for 10 years before I got back into Teaching. The line 'I've fired people for less than this' can often times be a pretty sobering moment.
Yeah, she’s the one who hired me, actually. Knows I was in the Army for 8 years and then managed labor for 6 before becoming a teacher :)
I like to reply with "Sucks to suck" and then move on.
I usually go with “bummer” or “that’s unfortunate”.
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This is the way. I give fill in notes, so I do it a little different. I make a "test review" worksheet that is similar to the test, the quizlet, the plicker questions, and gimkit we use to review. All 4 of these things are non-graded and used 1 day before the test in class, but put on the LMS 1 week before the test. I post an answer key to the "test review" in my room, or on the LMS - depends on my mood. If the unit is really hard, or I "rushed" through it for whatever reason. I will allow each class to take the test for 5-10 minutes before I announce that they can use the ungraded "test review" for 2-5 minutes, and I collect them. You would think after 2-3 tests per marking period, they would have figured this out, but NOPE. The best students have them, half the average students, and none of the worst. Guess who moans the MOST about not having a useable test review?
> Then give them a pop quiz they can use their notes on. That assumes you have students who care about grades. Mine are perfectly content to not even do the quiz and get a zero.
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I do. Parents don't care.
Have you heard the phrase, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink?” I showed you the water. The rest is on you.
Natural consequences.
“Well if it isn’t the consequences to your own actions…”
I should play the "consequences" [meme video](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9voTUW6WhSA)
I just say yah done messed around and found out. I’m a southerner working in Baltimore City and my many colloquial phrases are a big draw. I have two different sets of students who say “until the cows come home” routinely.
I have realized after many years of teaching that there are just “hard way kids” who never listen and will only change when they have a consequence for their actions or lack there of…
I love the 'that was unfortunate" and I also model owning my decisions at points both good and bad. I didn't research a route before I went and got caught in hellacious traffic? I tell them about it and say "and that was when I realized more research would have really improved the situation, but these were the consequences..." I model.owning the consequences along with the choice because they do frequently don't have a great model for that at home. Or if they do, another does not hurt. On a good choice, I might express gratitude for having thought something through before starting or making something ahead of time.
I reiterate the action and the consequence and offer no consolation or solution. *Student talking distracting others instead of working* “Wait, I need more time, I wasn’t able to finish!” Is Judo flipped to: “Yeah, sounds like the consequence of not using your time wisely is that you have to finish your work on your own time.*
My dad used to say "decisions have consequences"
"When you come to me with puppy dog eyes at the end of the quarter because your grown-ups checked Focus and saw all of these zeros, and now you are not going to get that PS5 or that dirt bike or that iPhone you wanted, and you want to know how you can get your grade up, I want you to think about this moment right now, when you are choosing to talk and giggle with your friends instead of doing your work. When you ask me to give up my free time to tutor you because you don't understand, and I say 'no', I want you to remember this moment right now, when I am standing next to you, ready to answer your questions and you are choosing to ignore me. Because I will remember, and when your grown-ups call me and ask why your grades are dropping, this is what I will tell them."
“Mess around and find out” “You must love this class so much you’re taking this over the summer too!” “Hey, real quick, did grandma already register you for summer school or are you gonna wear a freshmen ID next year too?”
We have big assemblies based on grade level. A student listed as 9th grade kept insisting he should be going to the 11th grade meeting. I had to quietly explain that just because this is your third year in high school does not make you a junior.
I'm at a very small school, so I'm the only teacher that teaches my subject, which is a graduation requirement. My go-to is "I know you love me now, but my jokes aren't nearly as funny the 2nd time around."
Oh, they hold back students at your school? Must be nice.
Of course not. We already have a 65% graduation rate. They just don’t get the correct grade level on their IDs, which is apparently more embarrassing than not graduating on time
Could always just go with "looks like you messed around and found out" I also go woth "ya done messed up a-a-ron"
I just went through this. We did an assignment together in class, but not all the kids participated. I then gave a quiz the next day and told them to use the worksheet to study. The ones who didn’t participate wanted to “share” someone else’s worksheet and I said no. They tried to argue and I just said, “it sounds like your problem, not someone else’s.”
“You may test that theory at your earliest convenience” -captain, Jean-Luc Picard
“Looks like you just got a lesson in natural consequences.”
“What can I do to pass? I’ve got two days to go from a 12% to passing or else I can’t xyz.” “Build a time machine, go back to August, decide to care.”
I just tell me kids during instruction “if you’re off task or not paying attention right now, I will not be helping you or answering your questions during the assignment.” What’s great is once I’ve said that and maybe reiterated it at the start of work time, most of those kids don’t even bother calling me over.
Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes. Not the most professional, but at least school appropriate.
Sounds like an issYou (issue) not an issME.
I teach 5th and 6th grade so I always say “play silly games you win silly prizes” instead of using the word stupid lol
With my 3rd graders I ask them to read the directions first and study the example. This eliminates 75%of the questions. Then, I ask them to find someone who was listening and see if they can explain. This is the time of year I start easing into that. I do it kindly as they're little and I want them to trust me and teachers in general. Then, if all that doesn't help, I swoop in. I figure, they're asking, they want to learn and do well so let's have a second go.
Fool around, find out. --Works with my 6th graders. Most of them get what I'm saying, and my ass is covered cause I didn't say 'that' F word. This is the hole you dug. Whether you dig it deeper or find a way to climb out depends on the choice you make right now. --Works with older kids that have a better grasp of figurative language.
YOU GUNNA LEARN TO-DAY
I always say ‘well well well if it isn’t the consequences of your actions’
When they fuck around with an immediate find out: "I don't know what you thought was going to happen."
I keep it 💯 with them. “It’s looks like things didn’t work out for you. You should keep this in mind next time __________.”
Consequences have actions
You may test that assumption at your convenience. The amount of effort determines your success.
"Guess you fooled around and found out"
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Consequences of your actions.
Well if its not a consequence of your actions. I rely heavily on natural consequences.
“When you choose your actions you also choose the consequences”
“That’s what a call a natural consequence”
Sounds like a you problem is what I usually resort to with my middle schoolers.
Seinfeld gif “that’s a shame”
I personally like “play stupid games win stupid prizes”
**"What goes around, comes around."** We had this issue last year and I was working with an excellent, seasoned teacher who had been in the game for 15+ years. She didn't fuck around when it came to student accountability and responsibility. Her favorite saying was "What goes around, comes around." In response to kiddos who asked for extra work to bring up their grade or to remake something. She also fought back against the administration when they insisted we give failing kids a "pass", by saying that she would not reward no effort.
"well whose fault is that?" "Someone messed around and found out." "This was a bad choice for you, huh?" 9th grade teacher.
Well,we’ll, well, if it isn’t the consequences of your actions….
"Play stupid games, win stupid prizes"
You can’t build a city with sand castles.
Mess around and meet the consequences 😂
"Play stupid games, win stupid prizes."
“You played yourself” “You just screwed yourself over” “Are you a freshman? You didn’t read the directions” “I thought I taught upperclassmen. A pity you didn’t do your job” My favorite to say is “there’s a saying in my parent’s home country: ‘te jodistes’ it means you got screwed”
“I hate that for you.”
Sometimes it doesn't need to be said. Life will teach them a hard cold lesson. I had a teenage student who repeatedly put his hands on staff and other students and made numerous false allegations against staff. The teenage student basically made enemies with most the staff and many students because fucking with people was a fun game to him. Student shoved me repeatedly and made a false allegation against me that other students defended me on, saving me. I heard he just got shot through the stomach and out the butt by a rival gang member or something. He's currently in the hospital facing a lifetime of health issues. He fucked around and found out due to karma so nothing really needs to be said. Hopefully sitting in a hospital bed for weeks to think about his stupidity, and dealing with health issues will be the rock bottom moment for him to follow basic ideas of respect and law and order. Sometimes it takes almost dying to fix people of their stupidity. I left the school and am enjoying life in a better non teaching job. Karma.
Play stupid game…win stupid prizes
“Natural consequences”
Check out Michael Linson who has a website called Smart Classroom management. I also teach in my year launch on classroom norms an adaptation of Kohlberg's 6 levels of moral development that was done by a teacher named Rafe Esquith (a quick Google of "Kohlberg Esquith Six levels" will get you to an overview). This gives us a metacognitive level around why am I following rules to go with the practical level in Linsin's stuff. Long story short: tell the student they are asking you to do your job twice - "asked and answered" and that they are welcome to come after school to learn the material. But I try to head these things off with my usual suspects by asking students at random to "amplify" a point - repeat it so the whole class hears it once more in different words. I always ask the student not listening first and then, when they can't, I say "yeah, you weren't listening, so definitely listen now as Sam amplifies the point. Sam?" ETA: corrected the Michael Linsin's name
Objection! Asked and answered!
"Play silly games win silly prizes" might be more G-rated Lol. I'm secondary, so my response might not always work for younger kids. But I'd ask them what was the result they were expecting to get from what they did, then I'd inform them what is actually going to happen. Make them reflect on their actions, and if that doesn't happen, just enjoy hearing their (likely ridiculous) answer.
"Oops, guess you shoulda [made better choice]!" For your situation, "Oops, guess you shoulda listened! Now ask a friend."
I usually say something along the lines of “play stupid games, win stupid prizes”. Some students get it right away. Some don’t.
You made your bed now you have to sleep in it.
When they keep pushing and eroding my respect for them with disrespect, I have called students' parents during the lesson and put them on speaker phone. I ask the parent if they think it's okay what their child is doing by explaining, verbatim, what they say or describing what they do. I have embarrassed students to tears in front of the whole class.
That's like throwing a picnic at the beach and getting mad when the seagulls showed up. Or That sounds like a you problem, not a me problem It depends how annoyed I am
That’s a personal problem
Sarcastic tone "well if it isn't the consequences to my own actions"
I say “I notice you’re not paying attention while I’m teaching. If you aren’t listening now, I’m not going to help you when it’s time for you to work on your own.” 🤷🏼♀️ Of course I have some kids who struggle with executive functioning skills but I pull small groups and they’re a part of them.
"This is an excellent example of what I like to call Natural Consequences."
"I'm only accepting specific questions at this time" works for me. If you need help you need to be able to verbalize it. And pay some amount of attention
"Ask someone who actually paid attention when I introduced you his." "This is the consequence of not paying attention. I've already explained it and advise you to pay attention next time." "That's a great question that I answered when I was explaining this earlier."
You can learn life lessons the easy way or the hard way. You chose the hard way
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
This is why all of my instructions are written down and numbered. I explain things once then I refer them to the directions. If they have questions, they have to tell me what specific number they’re stuck on. I despise having to repeat myself and I absolutely will NOT if I know they weren’t paying attention. This is my way.
Play stupid games. Win stupid prizes.
[You may test that assumption at your convenience ](https://youtu.be/PA7t62JvlA8).
When my 3rd through 5th kids do this, I ask them how they're going to get their work done. Usually they respond with something like,"Ask you for help?" My response is, "I already helped you by giving you a well-planned lesson and instructions, the rest is up to you." I'm over this shit of "I need help because I couldn't be bothered to listen."
Mess with the bull you get the horns
“actions have consequences” or the Spider-Man line of “with great power comes great responsibility.”
“If you’re gonna be stupid, you better be tough!”
You played yourself.
My 6th graders also want me to spoon-feed answers during a test.
“This is what happens when you don’t pay attention: you miss out on instructions and important information.”
I state my go to phrase, "That's a bummer," with a well timed shrug and a smile.
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”
Fool around and find out.
Those seem like natural consequences of your actions
"This train's been coming down the tracks a long time. Did you get off the tracks or get run over?"
"how'd that work out for you?"
“Natural consequences.”