Smooth Sailing / Students That Work

I was back at my neighborhood school today. Once again it was an absolute treat to be at that school. It is amazing to work with a group of students who understand why they are at school. They are at students to learn. You give these students work to do, they do their work. You ask students to be quiet, they are quiet. The students actually picked up books and read on their own when they finished their work.

I know this sounds like a bunch of boring docile students, but they really aren't. They laugh, they are noisy, they are silly just like any other fourth graders. The difference is when it is time to work, they work. And I didn't have to drive these students with threats. The only thing I had to say is if students didn't finish their class work during class they would have to finish it during recess. And that wasn't even that big of a threat because it rained like crazy today, so everyone was going to be inside one way or another.

Things went so smoothly today that I had several empty spots during the day. It took us less than thirty minutes to complete the math lesson that the regular teacher planned for us to spend an hour. And it was like that for everything today.

I really wonder what makes for such a good class. The teacher didn't seem to have any strict discipline procedures in place. Maybe its the parents. I just don't know. All I know is that I like going to this school a lot. The principal even asked at the end of the day if I would come back again. Come back again? Hell yeah! I get to teach. I don't have a headache at the end of the day. The kids are happy to see me there. Yes, I would return in a second.

Well tomorrow I am at a new school, and for some silly reason I am teaching a 5th grade class. This will be the oldest bunch that I have taught this year, I hope I am not making a mistake.