Who’s in Charge?
Posted by Diane Badden on 12 Aug 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Management, Inspiration and Motivation, Meet the Mailbox®, Teachers and Teaching
This is my pup, Lexie. Lexie has a delightful spirit. She’s sweet, curious, playful, mischievous, and very strong-willed. This latter trait has landed the two of us in not only one but three series of communication classes for pets and their owners! (We made some great friends along the way!) And here’s the thing: I paid a fair chunk of change to learn what I already knew, but I just hadn’t connected the dots between classroom discipline and doggy communication! I learned to be consistent, establish a routine so my pooch feels safe and secure, stay calm, acknowledge good behavior, have a sense of humor, and—most important of all—make sure my pooch knows I love her. Sound familiar? Now, I know firsthand that managing a classroom of children is a zillion times more challenging than getting through to a single pup. But I have to say that it sort of blew my mind when all the pieces fell into place. I want my pooch to be happy, healthy, loved, and yet know her boundaries. And I am glad to report that Lexie and I are having a wonderful time. We play, I laugh, she wags her tail, she comes, she sits, and she chews. But what the heck—I think perfection is totally overrated, don’t you?
So what are you thinking? I can make this multiple choice: a) Diane has lost her mind! b) Diane is a genius! c) Diane has made some interesting points. But seriously, I think we’ll all benefit from your insights into classroom management. Please share!
Your blog buddy,
Diane
Congratulations to Linda Powell of Powell Family Child Care in Eureka, California. She is the winner of a copy of Math Melodies, PreK-K.
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23 Responses to “Who’s in Charge?”
More Comments Pages: « 1 [2] Show All Comments
More Comments Pages: « 1 [2] Show All Comments
Definately ‘C’… The dog whisperer does have many commonalities with guiding children. Giving them a ‘place’, task, responsibility builds their self-esteem and ‘belongingness’ - making them feel included and valued. Allow plenty of time for physical activity will let them express their enthusiasm in acceptable ways, so that when it’s story time, they are willing to settle down easier.
My response would be c. My teammates were just having this same conversation the other day. We have been working on helping one of the teammates with classroom management/discipline and made this connection with her because she has a new puppy.
I think C. I also think that it is important that we show/model the behavior we are expecting from our students so they know what we are always looking for.
I’ve actually heard educators compare young children to training dogs before! I think there’s a lot of similarities so you’re definitely not insane!
I feel like both puppies and children need and want boundaries so I for sure choose C.
In college, one of my education professors made us watch episodes of The Dog Whisperer in class. He found the connection you did.
I agree that the answer is C. Disciplining, teaching and training apply to pups just as it does to students. I appreciate this point of interest.
Although I don’t have a pet, I can see where managing both children and pets would require some of the same types of strategies. Thanks for the insight!
This is a definite c.We have two wonderful pooches. One that I have had the priviledge of being with since I was in highschool, and the other was given as a gift from my husband a couple years ago. When we treat them with the same love, respect, and patience as we do our children…we get tons of love and respect back from them. Seminole will always get on our furniture when we leave the house and Scotch will always go bananas at the mere hint of food…but, I’m sure we do things that irritate, as well.
The answer is C. I agree that the same things that work with training dogs work in the classroom. Teachers must be consistent in the classroom, so students know what is expected of them. I always acknowledge good behavior–in most cases poor behavior disappears. Students need to know you care about them and want them to do their best. Staying calm and having a sense of humor is the way I have survived teaching 30 years—I still love teaching!
Good luck with Lexie!
I also think that answer is (c). I work part-time at a bank, and it amazes me when customers drive-through with their dogs. Many times, the dogs are halfway out the window or climbing all over their laps - and I doubt those same people would EVER let their children behave that way! I think a lot of classroom management type of insights can come from training a dog!
The answer is C. I agree with Diane. No our students are not dogs but there is much to say about the similarities between behavior and our reactions. I think she should write a book titled “Everything I Need to Know About Teaching I Learned From My Dog”. One of the lessons I have learned about dogs and children is that your tone of voice matters. If I speak with a happy high pitched squeaky voice, my dog gets very excited. When I use a happy, pleasant voice in my classroom my students tend to be attentive and enthusiastic. Yet if I want my dog to be calm and relaxed, I use a soothing, quiet voice. The same works with my students in the classroom. Thanks Diane for sharing such a fun blog!