Dramatics in the classroom

[MsCoffeeLover]

I am not talking about drama as in role playing (although that is very nice) or drama that some of the children bring in from the outside. I am talking about that little dramatic displays on behalf of the teacher that help bring a little life to the classroom.

A post in another thread inspired this topic. Example: You have that challenging student that never does anything. You have put forth every effort to restore hope in this child and actually work. Finally, the student submits his first assignment, the look of shock on my face has to be priceless, sometimes I want feign a fainting spell, and then we applaud the student. For some reason, the student finally does more work after this.

This may be wrong, but sometimes I take tums in front of my kids. They only come out when the answer is so obvious. Example: One of my honors kids was working on an assignment on the nervous system. He literally said out loud, "I can't find the function of the brain in this book." THE FUNCTION OF THE BRAIN. :eek: :eek: Again, the look of shock on my face was probably priceless, but then I have to go through that entire dramatic display. The kids are laughing, of course, but then, for some reason, they all come together to help out because for each incorrect answer is a look of shock that is looking like it is going to kill me. It is like a slow death until someone comes up with the right answer. They all really get engaged in class to be the one to come up with the correct answer.

[Aziz]

MsCoffeeLover,

Great technique!

I used to have a teacher that would start strumming the guitar whenever he wanted us to answer "bonds."
"What makes the shape of a protein globular? A lot of..." (begins strumming guitar)
"Bonds!"
"Yes, bonds! What kind of bonds?"
"Hydrogen bonds!" And so went on our biology class.

We would also mess around with visitors. Since we were an A.P. class, we got a lot of them. We would be conducting class as normal, and when he would say a specific word, it would be our cue to get up and switch seats as if nothing unusual happened. During the Photosynthesis and Respiration unit, our cue word was "Rubisco."
"So, the enzyme Rubisco..."
Everyone would get up and switch seats with someone far away.
"...is so stupid," he would continue normally, "because it can't differentiate between oxygen and carbon dioxide! Rubisco doesn't even know if the plant is producing glucose or not! So plants had to adapt on a macroscopic level. They're called C4 plants..." and he would go on no problem. We were so controlled about our "fire drills" and the visitors would just stare at us in confusion. If we were nice enough, we would explain to them that we just liked to get a bit of entertainment out of them.

It was my A.P. Biology teacher who made me want to become a teacher. His teaching was so effective that I still remember a lot of what he taught us, including all those details about Rubisco and globular proteins.

-Aziz

[Chef Dave]

While baking cookies with a beginning culinary arts class, one of my students told another student (in a joking manner) that he "hated her" because she always turned out a good product that was consistently better than his.

"Aw, you hate me," said the girl with a mock whine. "That's not very nice."

When I noticed that Shawn (not his real name) wasn't wearing food handler gloves, I announced in a loud voice that I now hated Shawn. In point of fact, today was national "I hate Shawn Day."

"What'd I do?" he demanded.

I waggled my fingers at him.

"Food gloves!" chorused the other students.

Shawn smiled. "Oh yeah, my bad."

[busbus]

I don't know if you will call this dramatics in the classroom. However, I get a kick out of a student asking me, "Do you have a pencil?" My answer is usually, "Yes, I have plenty of them." So the student waits for me to give him/her a pencil as I continue doing whatever I was doing. The expression on the student's face is priceless. It is very hard for me to keep a straight face!

Eventually, one or more students will tell the person, "She's waiting for you to ask to borrow a pencil, d.......y! We, the student and the other students, have a good laugh when the "light bulb" turns on. The next time the student needs a pencil, he/she may begin with, "Do you have..." but corrects him/herself and instead says, "May I borrow a pencil?"

Sometimes I watch the body language of a student who is getting ready to ask for a pencil. I can tell if they deliberately ask, "Do you have a pencil?" just for my reaction. Yes, I like the fact that I can have fun with my students.

[MsCoffeeLover]

It may be sad to say, but the kids are aware of "fun for me (the teacher) time!! Here are two other silly things I do:

1. I am in a trailer, so there is that wide open space between the school building and the trailers. Kids don't know what to do with that open space. Needless to say, I have a consequence for being tardy to class. Naturally, I allow an extra minute or so, but some kids take advantage. First, of course, is a warning. Second is a detention. The kids know that I am going to lock the door (mainly for safety), but if I have to unlock the door for them, they are considered tardy. They also know that if they see me in the doorway ready to close the door, they better start running. THOSE JOKERS CAN RUN REALLY FAST!!:D I shouldn't laugh, but I do. The entire class is laughing. No one has tripped yet. What gets me is the way boys wear their pants now. They would sooner die than wear a belt, and if they do wear a belt, the pants are never at their waist. Watching them run with books as well as them trying to keep their pants from falling is really funny. I told them to either get to class on time or get a belt. :D

2. Another "fun for me time" is with pop sickle sticks. I have the multicolored large tongue depressor things. A different color for each class, and each student's name is on a pop sickle stick. When there is little energy or not enough interaction or a few blank faces are staring at me, I tell them it is "Pop sickle stick time!!" If I don't see some volunteers, then I start calling on folks at random. Sometimes I pull it out on test review days. If the kids aren't interactive when I call on them at random, we may have to do bookwork. You should see all of the hands fly up that are ready to answer for a person that gets an incorrect. You can also tell how much they really know.

Really, after so many negative things that can potentially come your way, I find my own perks.

[Bananas]

I have warned kids to get a good night's sleep. One rule in my class is that if I can't sleep, no one can. Of course, I don't sleep in my room. I have been known to drop a book on a desk on the odd occasion with the student closing his eyes.

I got so tired of kids doing other class work in my class and not paying attention to my instruction. I got tired of having to repeat myself too often and doing the reteaching. When one resource group came for their math class, they caught me with my ironing board set up, ironing my blouses. They were asking what in the world I was doing, and why was I doing home stuff in my classroom. I just ignored them for several minutes while I did my ironing. Point duly taken.

I have also been known to turn around and talk to the wall. I get as much response from it as a few students at times. :)

[MsCoffeeLover]

I just realized I was a little dramatic today. We actually have phones in our classrooms. For some reason, the kids in my last period class get in trouble (and not by me even!) and the assistant principal always seems to call during that period to ask to have a student sent to his office.

Every time the phone rings, I always look so dramtically surprised and say, "Who could that be? Let's see!" It is funny how the room gets really quiet then. Then I proceed to exchange mighty dramatic and delightful pleasantries with the AP while watching a few kids sweat buckets.

[busbus]

I got so tired of kids doing other class work in my class and not paying attention to my instruction. I got tired of having to repeat myself too often and doing the reteaching. When one resource group came for their math class, they caught me with my ironing board set up, ironing my blouses. They were asking what in the world I was doing, and why was I doing home stuff in my classroom. I just ignored them for several minutes while I did my ironing. Point duly taken.

I have also been known to turn around and talk to the wall. I get as much response from it as a few students at times. :)

These antics, I know, must have had your students rolling on the floor with laughter once they left your room. I have a mental picture of you doing both things and I am close to tears.

You're funny! :D

However, I do know that your dramatics were purposeful. You were not joking! Clever! No need to holler or get upset! As you said, "Point duly taken."

[Spectre]

My latest ploy is to come into class with a whistle. I have it dangling about my neck, along with a pen and pencil (I don't usually have pockets.

When a student makes an impertinent remark, dozes off in class (yes, it happens to me too) or does something else they should not, I make a loud shrill on my whistle, point at them, and proclaim "illegal procedure!" or "personal foul!"; I then grab my water bottle and spray the offender a time or two.

If one cannot h ave a little levity in life, what's the point???:D

[busbus]

My latest ploy is to come into class with a whistle. I have it dangling about my neck, along with a pen and pencil (I don't usually have pockets.

When a student makes an impertinent remark, dozes off in class (yes, it happens to me too) or does something else they should not, I make a loud shrill on my whistle, point at them, and proclaim "illegal procedure!" or "personal foul!"; I then grab my water bottle and spray the offender a time or two.

If one cannot h ave a little levity in life, what's the point???:D

Great to see that you do have some levity in your classroom. :)

Don't know about squirting with the water bottle (you really have to know your students when you use this one); but I love "illegal procedure!" and "personal foul!" :D

Keep some levity going on regardless of the downers in your school. Have fun!

[Spectre]

One of my students commented, just before the holiday break, that I really had some "interesting" techniques. I had just whistled someone for doing something really goofy....

The first time I made use of the whistle...awhile ago, one of my girls shook her head in disbelief....

"Oh no," she lamented, " someone gave Mr. T a whistle...."

[Spectre]

I got so tired of kids doing other class work in my class and not paying attention to my instruction. I got tired of having to repeat myself too often and doing the reteaching. When one resource group came for their math class, they caught me with my ironing board set up, ironing my blouses. They were asking what in the world I was doing, and why was I doing home stuff in my classroom. I just ignored them for several minutes while I did my ironing. Point duly taken.

I have also been known to turn around and talk to the wall. I get as much response from it as a few students at times. :)

I'm gonna have to try this technique. Only, I think I will try talking to my fish tank. I often get more reaction from them than some of my students...
:D

[Bananas]

With my kids being resource kids, many have little understanding of our idioms or figures of speech. This also demonstrates what "I might as well be talking to the wall" means. :)

[MsCoffeeLover]

The first time I made use of the whistle...awhile ago, one of my girls shook her head in disbelief....

"Oh no," she lamented, " someone gave Mr. T a whistle...."

That is funny:D. I have a whistle, but rarely use it, so when I do use it, the kids jump a mile. I shouldn't laugh, but I do.:p

The whistle was acquired for morning duty, but I still haven't used it because one of the other teachers use it all the time, so the kids can now tune it out.

The fun part now is when the kids see me for morning duty, they say, "Look out! It's border patrol." and all of the kids magically stay within their designated areas.

But the ironing thing is classic. I totally have to do something like that.

[Bananas]

We were given our school lanyard when our new addition was ready for use. We had keys and also a whistle. The whistle is strictly for safety concerns.

When I think about whistles, I remember Kindergarten Cop.

[MrsAtkinson]

Your ideas and tactics are so creative!!!! I just keep thinking of what my teachers did back in the day and they did nothing as creative as you all!!

[MrsAtkinson]

We were given our school lanyard when our new addition was ready for use. We had keys and also a whistle. The whistle is strictly for safety concerns.

When I think about whistles, I remember Kindergarten Cop.

GET BACK TO THE CARPET!!!!! HURRY HURRY!! I thought the same thing! :)