tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516000.post112535546942636568..comments2023-10-19T08:18:37.317-07:00Comments on Mildly Melancholy: First DaysNacho Loverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11370735026568009605noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516000.post-1125446947678006642005-08-30T17:09:00.000-07:002005-08-30T17:09:00.000-07:00I agree that it's important to set the tone immedi...I agree that it's important to set the tone immediately. I always do the same thing - I'm a tough SOB from the first day, then lighten up, if I can. It's impossible to go the other way around.Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12380165835261203465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516000.post-1125363968416694292005-08-29T18:06:00.000-07:002005-08-29T18:06:00.000-07:00Yay, feedback already!Fred: yeah, that sorta worri...Yay, feedback already!<BR/><BR/>Fred: yeah, that sorta worries me too. BUT--I am going to set the tone this year that I am a hardass who won't take any crap. Thus, if I am hardcore with this test-the-class thing from the *very first second*, they will quickly learn not to mess around. Then hopefully they won't do it and I won't have to give a test to the whole class. <BR/><BR/>Not to mention the fact that the troublemakers don't do anything anyway; they would laugh in my face if I gave them extra homework. "Who cares? It's not like I do homework anyway." <BR/><BR/>Hm, what about giving the rest of the class the night OFF from homework? They'll get the night free and the troublemaker will still be responsible for it. <BR/><BR/>I don't know. I'm still so new at this and nervous about the whole management thing. We'll see what happens, I'll be sure to keep you updated. <BR/><BR/>Bill--I like your idea! It sounds basically like looseleaf, yeah? <BR/><BR/>In theory, the students leave their notebooks in the classroom at all times, so as to prevent any "I forgot mine" etc. (Last year my room --and thus noteboooks--got vandalized every time I wasn't in it, so I had to make the kids take the books home with them each night.) This year I might try to get a locking cabinet of some sort. <BR/><BR/>But I really like the stapling-in of seed idea entries and such. Excellent homework plan, I think I might use it!Nacho Loverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11370735026568009605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516000.post-1125362082315584142005-08-29T17:34:00.000-07:002005-08-29T17:34:00.000-07:00After the initial decorating of the writer's noteb...After the initial decorating of the writer's notebooks, do you allow your students to take them home regularly? In my 5th grade class I tried but then you have missing books and torn up books etc. So I make a sheet called a "mock writer's notebook" on the computer. Essentially just a page with lines for writing, a date and title. I make hundreds of copies of this over the year. Then I have them take a piece of this paper home with them and have them work on whatever we are working on in class--seed ideas, writing from a drawing, poems, etc. Then when they return the assignment it gets stapled right into their writer's notebook. This insures nearly twice the entries. If you allow them to take the book home regularly, I would be interested in how you get them back in a decent condition.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6516000.post-1125361618947527272005-08-29T17:26:00.000-07:002005-08-29T17:26:00.000-07:00Looks good to me. One suggestion. I'm always hes...Looks good to me. One suggestion. I'm always hesitant to punish the entire class for one individual's rule violation. I'm wondering if that person should get something extra rather than an entire class that may have been pretty good.<BR/><BR/>You look ready to go!Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12380165835261203465noreply@blogger.com