Love the natural consequences

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Home : 2008 : April : 27

Love the natural consequences
By kidsrmybiz

Let's see, I teach 6th but have used it successfully with K and 2nd.

Last week I forgot to take lunch count (this happens often) but the kids were out of the room. When they come in the morning they are to make
a choice for lunch, either home, hot/cold choice or their card stays on absent. This way all I have to do is look. Well, the kids have been getting a little slack about doing it right away. When the secretary called to get my lunch count I just looked over there and said I had 6 on cold and 2 on hot. I knew they hadn't changed it from yesterday and I knew some would have wanted hot,

but I couldn't help but smile to myself knowing the reaction when they got back to the room. Sure enough, when they came back in someone asked if I had forgotten to take lunch count and I said, "Yes, I did, but when Mrs. S called from the office I just looked over and gave her the count for what you ordered this morning when you came in. There were a few groans, and of course I was sympathetic, but I can assure you they all remembered to make their choices the next morning.

One time at recess one of my students and a student from another class were having a disagreement about a kick ball. When one came over and started the whole tattletail thing, I went over and asked if they could come up with a solution to the problem or if they wanted me to solve it for them. My student piped right up, "Oh, we can solve it ourselves," and they proceeded to do so. I smiled knowing my student had learned that their solutions are almost always more desirable than mine.

Sorry, I suppose this didn't really help you much. I will keep thinking. It's just so natural now. I know it can be hard to use initially because it is quite different than what most teachers are used to, but it is so worth it.