My gut reaction is that since you told them that if they didn't
behave appropriately you would change the project, now you need to
follow through and change the project. I think now you have to stick
to what you say, even if you don't really want to take it away from
them- or they know that next time you say something you won't mean it
either. You can still give them something fun- even something mask
based.
I have never had much luck with balloons either- we make masks over a
light cardboard base that they shape and paper mache.
Good luck-
Heather
On May 11, 2006, at 6:22 PM, StacieMich@aol.com wrote:
> Ugh, at the end of what had started out as a much better term, my
> students
> are starting to totally lose it now that the end of school is in
> sight.
>
> Today was just terrible, and I felt like I was back in the
> beginning of the
> year. My group of seventh and eighth graders were instructed to
> work in pairs
> to cover a balloon with papier-mache. They are making masks. I
> warned them
> before we began that this was not a day to play, that they needed
> to act
> maturely or else I would have to change the project and the
> structure of the class
> over the last couple of weeks. I told them that they could have an
> enjoyable
> class and make their masks, or they could lose that priviledge.
>
> Well, they were horrible. I had students filling balloons with
> water, others
> sneaking balloons from my desk to use to make noises, others
> walking around
> their room with dripping balloons, boys pretending that the paste
> was something
> I'd rather not say, and kids taking other kid's projects and hiding
> them or
> rolling them across the ground.
>
> It was like they were back in kindergarten, and I was simply
> appalled. I
> gave them a lashing, made them clean up early, made two kids who
> were acting up
> stay and clean my room.
>
> Now my question is, what do I do tomorrow? Do I allow them to
> finish the
> project? Do I take it away? Do I tell them they need a day to
> settle down and
> give them some sort of written assignment (though I don't know what
> would take
> up the entire class)?
>
> What would you do?
>
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