from 5/28

5/28
I have to sometimes take a look back to see the balance of situations. For example, a particular student will behave some of the time like a small cat, cuddling up next to you being as sweet as can be as long as it suits her needs. Then for a few weeks, she’s ferociously manipulative, fabricates very elaborate situations and perspectives, - and will work so hard to defend them as the lies crumble around her. This pendulum swing has occurred with each of her teachers, all at different times.
It helps to see that the last time the swing over to the dark-side occurred, it lasted for about two or three weeks, and dissipated. We’re probably at the 2 week point now. Maybe she will be going on a three-week episode.
I can see the balance of the situation in that it is not only me as one of her teachers that has experienced this situation, and the problems it has created in the classroom. I can also see that some of the students’ balance is that she is getting more attention as she creates her negative behavior swings. We’re not heaping as much attention on her when she’s at the positive end of the pendulum swing. She's just finally doing as is expected, so she's left alone. We move on and get back to work.
The school has had to set up some pretty punitive consequences in response to behavioral issues. However, we don’t have as many positive consequences established as we have punitive consequences. It’s amazing how attending to the consequences has sapped energy and funding away from rewards. That can happen so easily, and so quickly in schools.
It’s a lot of work to keep positive sometimes (usually during March and in May/June). I remember how much work my master teacher put into creating the positive environment. As a school we have done well and we have done poorly in creating a positive and negative balance. The year is not closed, yet.