Today was the first day of class. On several occasions, I watched as students tested the waters, sometimes unintentionally. Megan handled it beautifully, always exaggerating a bit because it is the first day. You can always back off a bit on classroom management; its much harder to ratchet it up. A few students came in late, tried using their phones, or tried to not participate in what the class was doing. When Megan confronted a student, it was entertaining to watch some of the other students cringe a bit and look at each other. However, afterward, Megan and I talked about the importance of following up.
One student in particular she put on the spot to participate in class. He was embarrassed and just wanted the situation to end. She pushed him, telling him that he could do it, that every bit of what he had done was good, but he needed to keep going. As he was leaving class, she pulled him aside and said that she pushed him because she knew he could do it. He smiled, thanked her, and left class. We talked about how that personal touch has to be a part of every classroom management situation. Through this, we worked to build a culture of confidence and hard work. At the same time, students learn they can't get away with an easy "I don't know."
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