Dateline: My school, my classroom.
We are enmeshed in composition class, and we're closing in on roughly halfway thorugh. We normally take a short break (105 minute classes, don'tcha know) in the middle. We're discussing an evaluative article I had the class read and one of my students on my left side of the room is making a cogent point.
Sadly, because I have a little hearing loss, I can't hear the student. The main reason is because Chatty Cathys #1 and #2 are once again discussing something in not-so-subtle whispers on the other side of the room.
And I lost my cool. It happens.
This has been a continual problem. They have been warned repeatedly. The Monkey has been polite thus far, but the Monkey has now flipped the switch to Murder-Death-Kill mode.
Excerpts from my rant (approximate):
"Everyone in this room paid to be here, and none of them paid to listen to you two talking about last week's episode of Glee."
"I've given you five weeks to figure out how to act like adults in this room, but if you'd like, we can return to third grade and I can separate you two."
"If you want to be part of the conversation, you might try raising your hand."
"If you want to have Chatty Cathy time, the door is there, and you can come back on Wednesday ready to take part in this class."
We took our break early. I needed to be out of the room at that point.
Deep sigh.
And then, after the break, I proceeded to teach the class as if nothing had happened.
Two final notes: Multiple students thanked me after this outburst. Additionally, at least one student in the room next door asked me what happened, so I guess I should work on quieter ranting.
We are enmeshed in composition class, and we're closing in on roughly halfway thorugh. We normally take a short break (105 minute classes, don'tcha know) in the middle. We're discussing an evaluative article I had the class read and one of my students on my left side of the room is making a cogent point.
Sadly, because I have a little hearing loss, I can't hear the student. The main reason is because Chatty Cathys #1 and #2 are once again discussing something in not-so-subtle whispers on the other side of the room.
And I lost my cool. It happens.
This has been a continual problem. They have been warned repeatedly. The Monkey has been polite thus far, but the Monkey has now flipped the switch to Murder-Death-Kill mode.
Excerpts from my rant (approximate):
"Everyone in this room paid to be here, and none of them paid to listen to you two talking about last week's episode of Glee."
"I've given you five weeks to figure out how to act like adults in this room, but if you'd like, we can return to third grade and I can separate you two."
"If you want to be part of the conversation, you might try raising your hand."
"If you want to have Chatty Cathy time, the door is there, and you can come back on Wednesday ready to take part in this class."
We took our break early. I needed to be out of the room at that point.
Deep sigh.
And then, after the break, I proceeded to teach the class as if nothing had happened.
Two final notes: Multiple students thanked me after this outburst. Additionally, at least one student in the room next door asked me what happened, so I guess I should work on quieter ranting.
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