Introducing … the Blue Star.

12th January 2014

I have a red and black marker system for class management: the red is a happy face, awarded for leading the students in repeating class rules, for interesting and imaginative answers, for exceptional work.

The black is for breaking the class rules, disrespect, noise etc. Two or three Black Stars result in the student being sent to Student Care.

Today I will introduce a new star:

the Blue Star

which will be given to students who speak too much, too loudly, or for interrupting the teacher.

Should a student get three Blue Stars, they will have to conjugate ten verbs during breaktime or for homework.

To kick off, conjugate these verbs:

allow // become // believe // change // create //

decide // follow // grow // help // leave // make

pass // provide // remember // return // show

spend // suggest // tell // think // walk // work

To everything, there is a season.

A time to play, and a time to work.

A time to talk, and a time to listen.

Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.

Class Rules from the Corleone Family

16th July 2023

Young Teens: our Pledge of Quiet

12th May 2023

Today I start a new class, and I’m very lucky; they are great. The class has some outstanding students who display motivation, respect and diligence.

That being said (however), they are still young, the hour is still early, so some ground rules need to be in place from Day One.

I encourage joking and having fun – the students will learn much more if they enjoy the class. But there is a time for joking and a time for working.

At the beginning of our new semester, my students will recite and sign this pledge:

I PROMISE TO BE QUIET IN CLASS AND TO LISTEN TO THE TEACHERS

No talking, shouting, animal noises, clicking of pens, stamping of feet, slamming of books, whistling etc.

You will get ONE Black Star warning. The second Black Star means you go out of the class. You will have a short meeting with the Manager. The meeting will not be fun for you.

We can not help you improve your pronunciation if there is so much noise that we can not hear you.

You signed the Pledge … now keep to your word.

Please Note: All photos are taken from Google Images or free photo sites, and are used for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement or offense is intended. If I have used your photo or image, and you wish me to remove it, just ask. This site is not monetized, I run it on my own dollar. Thank you.

What’s in a name ?

5th April 2023

The Shins have a ‘Name for you’ … and I have some rules for students choosing English names for our English classes.

First, the name has to be ENGLISH, so no ‘Sans’ (a French preposition), no ‘Lavie’ (French for ‘life’, also the name of a bottled-water company).

No totally made-up names (Valhana is one example that comes to mind).

No titles (‘King’, ‘Christ’ … yes, I’m serious, one parent expects us to call his kid ‘Christ’)

and, in the name of all that’s gracious, no more:

Kelvin

Ken

Kenny

Nick

Nicky

The above names are DENIED

English is such a rich language, there is no need for every Tom, Dick & Harry to be called Ken (English humour).

Instead, choose from this list of short names:

Andy // Don // Fred // Guy // Ian // Jay // Jim // Len // Mark // Mick // Ray // Roy // Seb // Sid // Tim // Vic // Wes // Will// Zack

Young Learners – our Pledge of Quiet

1st April 2023

For noisy and disrespectful classes – a short speech to be recited at the beginning of every lesson:

I PROMISE TO BE QUIET IN CLASS AND TO LISTEN TO THE TEACHERS

No talking, shouting, animal noises, clicking of pens, stamping of feet, slamming of books, whistling etc.

You will get ONE Black Star warning. The second Black Star means you go out of the class.

We can not help you improve your pronunciation if there is so much noise that we can not hear you.

You signed the Pledge … now keep to your word.

A message from Monkey Mike

4th September 2022

Always wear a mask in class and at school, please.

Wear your mask over your nose and mouth.

Do not touch your face or mask.

Always wash your hands.

Thank you

Thank you my little princesses

30th July 2022

We just finished an extra, four-week summer school, which meant working from 8.30 – 10.30, then coming back for two evening classes, 17.10 – 21.00. This schedule, for all of us, was exhausting.

However on my last day, three girls gave me some presents: two notebooks and some chewy sweets. The sweets soon went the way of all flesh, but I will use the notebooks for ideas, songs and lyrics.

Thank you so much. A teacher NEVER forgets any gift from a student.

“Because it’s my nature.”

2nd June 2022

The fable of the frog and the scorpion

One day a scorpion was out walking when it came to a river. The scorpion, who couldn’t swim, wanted to cross the river, and saw a frog resting on a stone.

“Hello, frog, can you carry me to the other side ? I can ride on your back.”

The frog refused.

“You are a scorpion. You will sting me.”

“Why would I do that ? We would both die,” asked the scorpion.

The frog thought, then agreed. The scorpion climbed onto the frog’s back.

However, half way across the river, the scorpion stung the frog. The frog, in pain, asked the scorpion,

“Why did you do that ? Now we will both die.”

“I know,” replied the scorpion, “I couldn’t help it because it’s my nature.”

A modern day tale

Classes of students who are undisciplined, disrespectful and physically or verbally abusive.

The centre makes rules. The students start each lesson reciting them.

Rules such as not saying, “No,” to a teacher when asked to do something, not calling a teacher by a disrespectful name, no running, no eating in class.

Yet, forty minutes later, masks are off and half the class are eating, running in the halls, shouting. Students say, “No,” to polite requests, and call teachers disrespectful names.

They have been told if they break these new rules, they will be sent home, and if the offense is repeated, they will be expelled. Still they continue.

Why … because it’s in their nature.