Bored Out of My Gourd

I read an interesting article about how British school authorities are cracking down on "boring" teachers, blaming them for students' bad behavior. It led me to remember something that one of my education professors once said to me when I was in college: "The best thing you can do to manage your classroom is to plan interesting, engaging lessons". And while I agree with this statement, I do realize that it is impossible to make every single minute of every single lesson interesting and engaging to each of your different students. It's important for kids to learn how to cope with being bored, because sometimes in life you have to do things that are boring. At the same time, I will admit that I have sat in some teachers' classrooms (helping some mainstreamed student) and thought that if they had put in some extra thought and time, their lesson could have gone from average to superb!

So I guess I have mixed feelings on the subject.... What do you think about boring lessons causing bad behavior?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know when staff meetings are boring I have to resist the urge to act out, almost as a passive aggressive way to express my opinion! On the other hand, I don't expect to be entertained either. In other words, I agree with you, Sarah!
:)Brenda

Anonymous said...

Hm. I think class management is also lesson management, not necessarily lesson entertainment. I like 15 to 20 minute segment of something, then transition to different activity/another segment. (We have 40 minute class periods.) One segment could be pure student note-taking, or listening, or whatever.

Anonymous said...

A lesson is only as interesting as the teacher. Even during a boring administrative meeting, I find ways to motivate myself and not waste my time. My briefcase, and mind, are always full of activities to do and plan! dad

Anonymous said...

THAT is exactly why I am soooo funny when entertaining er, teaching my students...

Anonymous said...

Let the good times roll in the classroom and on the streets...if you even think about not making my day "happy and easy" I will tell my parents you are a rotten teacher!

Anonymous said...

Bad behavior should ALWAYS be blamed on someone else!! Eve started it! Mom

The Teacher said...

I love how society has gone from making individuals accept responsibilty for behavior to blaming others. If a child hits another child well that child must have been put in a situation by the teacher to be made to do it. Wait a minute sometimes they just make bad choices. What is going to happen to these kids when they turn into adults and suddenly their bad choices become theirs?

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