Animal Noise Story

Years ago I taught at Marcus Whitman JH.  I taught on the second floor.  There were a couple of years where a few of the teachers on the second floor would bring me their challenging students during my class for me to deal with.  They felt like they got better results with me than with the principal or vice-principal.  I treated each case different and totally impromptu.

I believe that punishment needs to be immediate and painful to be effective.  Painful does not necessarily mean physical.   I mainly used humor and a little public humiliation to change behavior.  My students helped with the public humiliation part and really enjoyed watching.  Whenever a teacher brought in a student for me to 'deal with' my students would get very excited to see what was going to happen.

Well... one day a teacher, who happened to be my most frequent flyer, burst into my room and announced in an exceedingly frustrated tone, "Johnny won't stop making animal noises!" and then she left.  Like an audience watching the Christians get thrown to the lions, all of my students gleefully took notice to see what I would do.  I had no idea what I would do... but  knew I wanted to have fun doing it.

I walked over to 'Johnny', clasped my hands together and tilted them to one side and asked in a tone dripping with concern, "So... what seems to be the issue."

All my students laughed.

Johnny replied, "I didn't do anything wrong."

 I calmly explained that we weren't going to get anywhere until he admitted what his issue was.

All my students laughed.

Johnny said, "I don't know what you are talking about."

I patiently pointed out to Johnny that his teacher was obviously very upset and said that he was making animals noises.  I asked Johnny again, in as sincere of a counsellor tone as I could muster, "Is making animals noises in your class the issue?"

All my students laughed.

Johnny said, "No."

I told Johnny we weren't getting anywhere, (more laughter).  I told Johnny that I thought I knew what the really issue was.  I waited for effect.  Then I told him that I thought he made animals noises because he wanted attention.  In disciplining, I have found that giving in excess what a student thinks they wants usually works really well.

I told Johnny, "We are all here for you.  If you want attention, you can have it.  If you want to make animals noises, we would all be happy to here some."  Then I slid into an empty seat in the front row and left Johnny all alone in the front of the class.  I turned to the class and asked, "What animal noise would you all like to here first?"  I got all kinds of responses from monkey to elephants, so I turned to Johnny and said, "Let's just start off with something simple.  Give us a dog."

Johnny said, "Woof." weakly.  I was very disappointed with Johnny and I let him now it.  I told Johnny, "We are expected a lot more from you than that.  You have been practicing.  Now try again."

All my students laughed.

Johnny said, "Woof." weakly again.  I sat up straight and sternly told him, "If you don't start doing a better job, I am going to give you a detention.  I want to hear a mad ferocious dog."  At this point, I pulled up my left pant leg, slouched in my desk, and stuck out my leg as far as I could at him, closed my eyes and ordered, "Make my think you are going to rip off my leg!"

All my student laughed.  Johnny just stood there.

I sat up in my desk and told him, "Johnny, you are really disappointing me.  We are here for you.  You want attention.  You like making animal noises to get attention.  We are asking you to make animal noises for us.  What is wrong?"

All my students laughed.  Johnny asked, "Can I sit down now."

Before I let him sit down, I demonstrated the cow, elephant, turkey, cat and of course... the mad ferocious dog.

My students all laughed.  Johnny got the point.  I let Johnny sit down and Johnny gave me a knowing and thankful smile.

His teacher never had any trouble with him making animals noises in class again after that.

Day 113