As I have been considering some of my more troublesome students (3 in particular) & their behaviors in the classroom as of late, I have taken some extra measures to encourage good behaviors from them, to replace the undesirable behaviors constantly manifest instead. For some of them, I have talked to their parents & the school counselor & enacted a behavior implementation plan (which entails cooperation of the parents at home to take away privileges if the student had an unsatsifactory day at school & my discipline plan had no effect on them in the classroom), moving seats closer to the front where I can see every off-task behavior, & even using scorecards on their desks to indicate when they are displaying "yes" or "no" behaviors. I took some guidance & comfort from a General Conference address given by Elder Lynn G. Robbins this past April; his infamous "to be and to do" talk. While the talk was directed towards parents, there are many gems of truth that can be applied in the educator's realm as well. He said: "We will never have a greater opportunity to teach & show Christlike attributes to our children than in the way we discipline them. Discipline comes from the same root word as disciple & implies patience & teaching on our part. ..you might consider the more challenging child a blessing & opportunity to become more godlike yourself. Could it be possible that you need this child as much as this child needs you?"
What a concept! But it is true; in my ongoing quest to become more godlike, these students & future students & children, can assist me in that quest, by encouraging me to be more patient, diligent, & charitable in disciplining them.
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