Not My Student (Genre Reflection #2)

            First, the student walks into the classroom with a buddy form.  You have control of the classroom, for now, because your mentor teacher has to test a student in the hallway.  You see that he is upset but gives nothing away as to why he was sent out of the room.  You tell him to sit in the appropriate chair. You tell him not to be disruptive because your students are trying to write a paper.  He goes over to the seat and deliberately makes sure the seat makes a noise.  You look over at him but he pretends not to notice.  He starts tapping a pencil.  Your students start getting distracted and look over at him.  Feeling the pressure to be in charge of the room you tell the student to stop tapping the pencil.  Students are trying to write.  He stops tapping and you think he finally sees reason.  Instead he moves on to an even louder noise, shaking the blinds.  You walk over to him and whisper to him the he needs to stop shaking the blinds.  He decides to stop and take out his pencil sharpener.  Nothing could go wrong, right?  He removes the pencil shavings and starts playing with them ON THE TABLE.  This is your time to shine.

            You ask him to step into the hallway so you can talk to him.  You take deep breaths, this is the first time you ask a student to talk to you in the hallway and he isn’t a student you know well. Breathe, you got this.  You give him the best “fear the teacher” look you can muster.  You tell him that he is not to be disrespectful in your mentor teacher’s classroom.  You think you sound authoritative.  He is not fazed.  He does not look at you with fear.  You feel like you have somewhat failed and your mentor teacher notices this when you start walking back in the room with him.  She asks why you had to talk to the student.  After you explained she asks for the student to come out to talk to her and while she is SITTING she tells the student the same thing in her authoritative tone and he listens.

            After class you talk to your mentor teacher about your first “hallway discussion.”  She congratulates you for taking initiative and trying to talk to the student.  You know there is more work to be done.  What needs to occur to make a hallway conversation more effective?