boys and PMS

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Home : 2002 : September : 8

boys and PMS
By Julianne

Well, they are in fourth grade...you'll soon start to notice the sweaty aroma of "growing boy" in your room. Their bodies are changing, so there really is a hormonal change similar to PMS at work here.

Could you transfer
one or more of the boys to another room and take one or more of that teacher's problem students? Getting them away from each other can work. If that's impossible there are other things to try.
When they fight, be sure EVERYONE involved receives punishment. Don't let them blame each other. It is everyone's fault if they don't work out their problems appropriately. Tell them they

don't have to like each other, but the MUST control their behavior in school or suffer the consequences. Life is full of choices, and they need to make good ones if they want to enjoy their time at school.
Devise a paper each boy must fill out any time there is a problem, including what happened, who was involved, and how it could be avoided in the future. The wasted (recess? after school?) time it takes to fill it out, along with a required parent signature may slow them down some. Also, the emphasis on a solution forces them to think beyond the conflict itself.

Continue your group cooperation and community building activities. And encourage these boys to work together occasionally with others in a group. When they have important work to get through they may not argue so much. Praise them for cooperating.

Good luck with these kids. I really think your other kids won't "catch" this bad behavior if you keep the other aspects of your classroom routine positive and enjoyable.