SITUATION ONE
Context
We have been trying to give specific feedback to children after each break-out session in our workshop block so that they understand why we are asking them to move their Behavior Birds up and to highlight expected behavior.
Reenactment
Ms H: Ms. B, would you like to share some specific behaviors that you noticed during the Word Work block.
Ms. B: Why yes I would. I have some specific behaviors for everyone in ... (pregnant pause) ... general ...
Ms. H: Um, what?
Ms. H & Ms. B look at each other: Bwahahahahahh!!! Specific feedback in general! Bwah-ha-ha!
Most children (even though they don't get it at all): Hahahahhahah!
A few (honest) children: Huh? I don't get it.
Ms. H: Well, general and specific are antonyms and when Ms. B used them together she created in essence an oxymoron ...
41 BLANK FACES
Ms. H's peters off: ... right ... well ... never mind ...
SITUATION TWO
Context
We use the whole-brain learning gestures as part of our classroom management repertoire (we can blog about that later if ya want :). One of the gestures is a cue for the children to follow a pair-share direction. This is how it goes:
Teacher: Students I want you to turn to a neighbor and teach them about x, y, z.
Then the teacher claps their hands twice and hold them up in the air while saying: Teach!
The students respond by clapping their hands twice and holding them up in the air while saying: Ok!
Sometimes, though, we say "Talk" instead of "Teach".
Reenactment
Ms. B: Turn to a neighbor and talk about what you noticed about the pattern books we just read.
Ms. H & Ms. B, in perfect synchronization (clap, clap, hands up in the air): ........
SILENCE
Students are staring at us and we're staring at them.
Ms. H & Ms. B: Bwahahahahahh!!!
Ms. B: I thought you were going to say it!
Ms. H: I didn't want to say teach and you say talk!
Ms. B: Me, neither!
Ms. H & Ms. B & all the children: Bwahahahahhahahah!!!
Thanks for sharing our moment of levity with us. Keep laughing!
From the limb,
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