Management in the Politics classroom

As a beginning teacher I am constantly trying out different strategies. Upon learning that my year 10 Politics class had been very far from perfect while I was on excursion I decided to show my student teacher something interesting.

Me: "this is the report from yesterday's class for my Politics kids. I'm going to rip through them next period."

Her: "oh" [worried, trying not to show nervous-excitement]


Next period :

Me to Politics class: "....." [about 15 seconds of silence should do it...]

Politics class:"....." [dull thud of my books onto the table; pins dropping]

Me to Politics class: [even, low tone] "Every time I have to go on excursion it creates at least three extra hours of work for me.
I plan your lesson meticulously.
I make sure that whoever takes your class while I am gone, whoever is there to help you do your work, knows exactly what is expected, and that it is clear to everyone what to do.

[pause]


So, when I get reports back like this [hold up official looking sheet of paper] that three of you got two strikes, and then I look in your folders on the network and see that only 8 of you did the work...

[pause]


that makes me pretty pissed off.


[pause - sinking in that I have sworn, very deliberately. This must be serious.]


I wasn't going to give you homework today. Now I am. Those that did the work yesterday can start their homework, and will probably get it finished. Those that didn't will have a lot of work to do today. Go to the computer room and get started."



I didn't hear a peep out of them for an entire period. Each student sat in terrified silence at their computers and typed quicker than I've ever seen them.

I spoke twice more in the lesson: once to show them where the homework was on the network; once to say "thank you, you may go." It was one of the most bizarre experiences of my teaching career.

I now have their SACs from last week to mark, which I will stay up all night to do if I need too. I will not hold a grudge, and I will be my usual friendly self to them tomorrow morning. I don't know if they learned anything about Voting Systems that lesson, but they sure as hell learned something: teachers are people too, and sometimes it hurts when you let them down.