I had a group of boys (not bad boys. just boys who needed some reminding that other people have feelings, and that their actions matter) come down to my grade one classroom today.

The kids in my class have been afraid to go to the bathroom, because of some older boys that have been scaring them in the bathroom. They've been standing up on the toilets and jumping out like monsters--making a monstrous racket, in a room that echoes like the inside of a drum. the little kids have been coming back from the bathroom with "unfinished business", for lack of a better euphemism.

so i prepped my kids first, then i brought the three older boys down to my classroom, where I had the little kids tell the big kids how they had been feeling about the bathroom nonsense. The little kids were great! They said--we feel scared by the loud noise, we're littler than you and it's your job to help take care of us, we're afraid to use the bathroom and we're afraid we might have accidents if we don't, they used words like respect and privacy and germs (from having water and soap flicked or splashed at them). Without accusing anyone, the little kids were very effective in twisting the guilt knife just the right amount.

then I asked the big boys--if my kids have trouble in the bathrooms from now on, I bet they could ask you guys for help, couldn't they? And the big boys all agreed and shook on it. Then i introduced the big boys by name, grade and teacher, to my class, so that they could "ask them for help" if they saw them again.

If nothing else, everyone understood that reporting was going to be much easier now that the little kids can put name to face. but--no one can give me a hard time for giving the larger boys anything but a leadership opportunity.

Sorry, i just had to tell someone. haha

any other success stories today?

I loved that story. All your first graders have big brother protectors now. I am also glad your first graders had the guts to say they were scared.

No cool success stories like yours.

Sociology class went pretty well.

I am now grading 64 Memory and Intelligence tests for Psychology in the AM.

Nothing anywhere as good as your success, Ms. Tree. Another very inspiring story. Any room in your class for a couple of my grandkids?

I love the title, Ms. Tree.

It has a coolness and elegance to it.

Wonderful work gat!!! I like Ms. Tree too, lol

GREAT work, greeny!!! ~ how much, and what, info did you share with your kidlets to "prep" them?

Sooz

GREAT work, greeny!!! ~ how much, and what, info did you share with your kidlets to "prep" them?

Sooz

I told them that I was going to bring down some of the boys that had been bothering them in the bathroom. They already knew who the boys were, they were the ones that had complained about them in the first place. I told them that I wanted them to tell the boys how they were feeling in the bathroom. And then we practiced a little. I tried to get them to be specific about their own feelings, and not concentrate on accusing or he said she said. I didn't want the little kids to accuse the big kids of anything they could deny--just to focus on their own feelings--the little kid equivalent of "I" statements. I had the kids brainstorm for their ideas of what to say ahead of time, and i said yay or nay to each idea. We stayed really general--not when you did i felt... more like, when this happens, we feel...

Oh, and the other thing i told the kids was that the big boys weren't bad boys. That they were just regular boys with good big hearts that just needed reminding what it was like to be little and scared. In fact, one of the boys was an old student of mine from a few years ago, and in grade one, he was the one that was afraid to use the bathroom! (a fact that i pointed out to him)

Miss Tree,

It sounds like you handled it perfectly. Focused on feelings. Not accusatory. You also played to the strengths of the older boys in that they were more mature and less afraid now.

Love it!!!!