When I scroll through the Music Teachers groups on Facebook, there are always posts about how badly students are behaving in their classes. I have certainly seen it, as well ~ we are definitely in the “Entitlement Age”! We have lost a basic respect for each other, as highlighted in how our leaders speak to and about one another. I don’t know exactly why this is, but I do know that it isn’t getting better.
We are limited in the music classroom simply because we see our students so little. We have a lot to accomplish and little time for bonding. We do find ways to connect with our students, but it can be difficult, especially when the issues are on a clinical level.
So what are we to do?
I suggest setting up a “cadre” ~ a framework where there are firm limits for children, but tremendous freedom within those limits. As you might have suspected, I read this in Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman. She goes into how to make this work in your home, but here are 5 ideas to make it work in your classroom:
- Make sure to cover every procedure and expectation at the beginning of the year and throughout, as new activities are created.
- See yourself as THE person in charge. As Fred Jones states in Tools For Teaching “Say what you mean and mean what you say”.
- Keep in mind that your students will learn because of you and in spite of you…this is very comforting for me!
- As my sister in law says “appreciate your kids”! You may not like everything they say or do, but you appreciate them for who they are.
- Allow for small indiscretions ~ kids can’t be perfect every single minute of the day. ….neither can we, for that matter!!
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