I don’t know about YOU, but I never enjoyed making that phone call home or even talking with the Dean about the misbehavior in my classroom. Being a Libra I want no waves in my classroom or life. I found if I gave my misbehaving students the choice of a call home, visit the Dean, or copying an essay most would choose to copy the essay…something like writing ‘I will not talk’ on the chalkboard in the good ole’ days.
The essay I have them copy is not just any old essay. This essay is one that leads the misbehaving student to think about what they have done that has disrupted the classroom learning environment not just for them, but for everyone in the classroom.
YOU can copy and paste this essay into a WORD document or email me at excellence1@cfl.rr.com and I will send a WORD document of this essay to YOU. YOU will need to add YOUR school name and teacher name in the appropriate places before YOU run to the copier that is hopefully working. I even had several of mine laminated, so I wouldn’t need to keep making copies.
HIGH SCHOOL DETENTION ESSAY:
I am copying this essay because I made a choice. I am copying this essay because I made a choice. I am copying this essay because I made a choice. I make choices every day and these choices have consequences. Good choices have good consequences. Bad choices have bad consequences.
I will choose not to talk in class. I will choose not to throw things in class. I will choose not to make noises in class that disturb others around me. I will choose to hold my head up and will choose to sit up and follow the instruction my teacher gives. I will choose to arrive in class with paper, and a pencil that can be used in class. When I enter the classroom, I will choose to quickly and quietly gather what I need, then sit in my assigned seat and begin working on the assignment given. I will choose to use appropriate language at all times. I will choose to not fight or pretend to fight. I will choose to not speak or make other sounds while others are speaking. I will choose to not talk back to my teacher. I will choose to be respectful at all times to the (NAME OF SCHOOL) teachers, custodians, administrators, security personnel, and students.
When I entered (TEACHER’S NAME) classroom, I was told his/her expectations of me and the rules of the classroom. I am in high school and am able to understand what appropriate behavior means.
I understand what I am supposed to do in my class. I know and understand what is meant by appropriate behavior. I chose not to practice appropriate behavior. Because of my choice to refuse to practice appropriate behavior, I am now copying this essay instead of completing my class work. This is a choice I made, when I decided not to follow procedures and expectations in (TEACHER’S NAME) class.
By choosing to refuse to follow procedures and expectations, I am keeping other students from learning. By choosing not to follow procedures and expectations, I am keeping myself from learning what I need to know to successfully pass my (NAME OF CLASS) class and graduate from high school.
The State of (YOUR State) has outlined the things I need to know and be able to do by the end of 12th grade. My teacher chooses to provide me with an educational opportunity every day because she wants me to meet the goals of the State and the classroom. When I choose to refuse to practice appropriate behavior, I am not able to meet these goals. I also keep others who care about their education from being able to meet these goals.
I, [WRITE YOUR OWN NAME HERE], will choose to practice appropriate behavior at all times. Because I want to graduate from high school and because I respect the learning of others, I will choose to come to class prepared to work each day and will choose to obey rules and procedures. I will choose to follow class rules and behaviors because I know it is the right thing to do.
I remind the student if anything is LEFT OUT of the essay they are copying the consequence will be an automatic call home. I also let the disruptive student know that if I ask for the disruptive behavior to please stop again and it doesn’t, then I will make the dreaded phone call to parent/s. After that call, should the disruptive behavior happen again and not stop when asked the consequence will be a Dean’s referral. Normally, this step is not needed and hopefully, behavior improves.
I hope this essay gives YOU another avenue in trying to stop the disruptive behavior in YOUR classroom. If YOU use this essay and notice a difference in behavior, please let me know by leaving a comment on the Blog Post. I, too, need some positive reinforcement every now and then. ;-)
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Great blog post, Judy.