In Blog 113, I wrote about a student that wouldn't stop making animal noises. Well... this is about a teacher that had a student that wouldn't stop drumming with his drum sticks on his desk.
Remember, if you read Blog 113, there were a few years where some teachers would send or bring me their problem students for me to 'deal' with. They brought them to me rather than the principal or VP because I got results and my students and I really enjoyed it.
Anyways... back to the little drummer boy. I still don't know why the teacher just didn't take the drum sticks from him?
It was a Geometry class. They were taking a test. I was in the back, at my desk grading tests. We all had our heads down working, including me. Suddenly the door flew open and in burst this frustrated and highly agitated teacher with her little drummer boy in tow. She loudly announced to us all, "He won't stop drumming on his desk!" Then she quickly turned and without another word, left with her student awkwardly stranded up in the front of the class. All of my students gleefully and expectantly turned to look at me to see what I was going to do.
I had no idea what I was going to do... so I just put my head down and continued grading tests. My students quickly followed suit and resumed working on their tests. 'Tom' just stood there shyly not knowing what to do... just like me.
There was only one empty desk and it was way in the back of the room right next to me. I graded a few tests while Tom silently stood in the front. Then Tom, as I knew he eventually would, slowly started walking down the aisle towards the empty seat. Right as he started sliding into the seat of that empty desk, I slammed my hand down as hard as I could(it really hurt), and mutely pointed to the front off the room. Everyone was startled, especially Tom. Now everyone else in the class was eagerly looking back at me to see what I was going to do next.
Tom silently walked back to the front of the room. He was still numbly holding his drum sticks. When he got to the front, he turned around and looked back at me. I stared him in the eye and without a word, I raised my right hand and motioned to Tom to move to the right a little. Then I motioned him to move forward a little. Then I motioned him to move to the left for a while, clear to the other side of the front of the class. Now all of my students were laughing while Tom wasn't too thrilled about his new found attention that he had so desperately earlier desired.
Like a puppet master, I continued to 'move' Tom around the front of the class, for a while, for my student's enjoyment(and mine). Finally, I forcefully and silently made a stop sign with my hand and Tom did just that. I put my head down and without a word or expression, continued to grade tests. My students once again disappointedly followed my example and got back to work on their tests.
After I had graded a few tests, I loudly slammed my hand down again on my desk. Everyone jumped. I sternly stated, "You moved," and I resumed silently toying with him. I motioned Tom to move to the right. I motioned Tom to move to the left. I motioned him to move this way and that way while all the time my students laughed. After a bit, I gave him the stop sign again and resumed grading tests. The room quickly got dead silent and my students once again began working on their tests. Tom stood there alone and sorry. He had had his fill of attention.
After I had graded a few more tests, I looked up and calmly asked Tom, "Can I trust you?" Tom just blankly looked back at me... he had no idea what I meant. I explained, "Can I trust you to sit in one of my desks without disturbing the class?" Tom, amazingly stating the obvious, replied, "You can hold my drum sticks." I smiled and told him that he could sit down. Tom quickly walked to that empty desk next to me, handed me his drum sticks and gratefully sat down. Everyone of my students silently looked back at me and gave me an understanding smile of approval. They all understood what had just happened.
When the bell rang, I gave Tom back his drum sticks and genuinely smiled at him and said, "Have a great day." Tom understood too. He took his sticks and happily walked out of my class. Later in the day, he walked by my room in between classes while I was out in the hall. We smiled at each other and said, "Hi." to each other.
The next day(I know this because the teacher described the events, from her class, to me), Tom was back to his old ways in his other class and had just started drumming on his desk again. His teacher asked, "Do I need to send you to Mr. Power's room again?" To her and everyone else's amazement, Tom instantly stood up and handed her his drum sticks and meekly stated, "Take them." Then a friend of Tom's leaned over and asked, "Dude, what did he do to you?" Tom replied, "Dude, you do not want to go to Mr. Power's room!"
The teacher laughed recounting the events of that class to me and in bewilderment asked, "What did you do?" I smiled and said, "I just gave him a lot of what he thought he wanted."
I believe discipline should be immediate and painful... but if it can be given and received with a sense of humor it is even better.
Day 122
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