I remember one specific boy who loved to talk. He would often start the activities before I had a chance to explain the instructions, and he wasn't always aware of his surroundings, which sometimes led to him inadvertently hurting his classmates. To grab his attention, I would calmly say his name, but this approach was not very effective. He would often refocus for only a brief moment before returning to his talking or energetic movements.

To address the situation, I approached him and squatted down to his eye level. I spoke to him softly yet firmly, ensuring that I had his full attention while keeping my words private from his peers. I repeated my expectations for his behavior during instructions. I also mentioned the consequence of having to sit out of the activity if he continued to disobey and not pay attention. This approach immediately led to him listening more attentively and participating actively and safely in the activity.

I eventually had to re-establish firmer boundaries between teacher and student. This meant being stricter in correcting his attention and behavior, even when he said I was being "mean," as I usually am not with him. I also learned to patiently wait for him to answer comprehension questions, allowing him time to think instead of immediately providing the answers myself. He expected that I would eventually answer for him, but this was not beneficial for his long-term learning.

Additionally, I reminded him that if he wanted me to respect and listen to him, he needed to do the same for me. He often did not respect my instructions and found it difficult to listen to what I wanted him to do. This approach helped to improve his attitude and behavior towards me and the assignments, as he realized I would not revert to being the "kind" Miss Jade he was used to, until he turned it around.

The only instances when students did not meet classroom expectations occurred when they resorted to tattling on their peers. In such cases, Mrs. Watson would remind them to assess whether the issue was a minor problem among students or a significant concern for the teacher. This approach effectively reduced the frequency of tattling.

Every morning, Mrs. Watson would gather the students on the carpet to introduce their classroom mission statement and expectations through fun songs and body movements. This repetition helped strengthen the students' long-term memory, enabling them to recall the expectations without needing constant reminders. I found this method to be a clever and engaging way to involve students while fostering their independence in managing their actions and words.

As a result, I had to shift my approach from being overly friendly to being more focused on teaching. This was challenging for both of us, as he didn't appreciate that I was limiting our discussions to academic topics during tutoring sessions. I explained to him that we could talk about other subjects after our tutoring session but needed to concentrate on our work during that time.

Being a people pleaser, I wanted him to know that I care and am willing to listen. However, I recognize that there will be times when I need to be "strict" to ensure he follows the expectations.

Occasionally, we would have to include one or two students from a different group to join our small group because their "teacher" was absent that day. This disruption affected our rhythm, causing my students to act out. For instance, they would struggle to sit calmly, talk excessively when they shouldn't, and lose focus on my teaching. In response, I had to pause the lesson to regain everyone's attention, including the newcomers. I repeated my expectations to all of them and expressed how I felt when they disrespected me in that way, which helped improve their behavior. I'm learning that even when we have a positive relationship with our students, they are still children who may occasionally act out. In these situations, we will need to redirect their behavior. However, maintaining that positive relationship can make it easier to correct their actions and helps students better understand and desire to please the teacher.