If You Hear Something, DON'T SAY SOMETHING

My class this year has been a little bit more, um, let's say rambunctious than other classes I've had. One thing I've resorted to doing which I've never really had to do before is to send students in the hallway to gather themselves before coming back in (hopefully) ready for class. I've never really liked having to do this but it has been something that has been necessary this year.

Recently, I've decided to hold them more accountable for their actions and now they have to fill out a "Hallway Cool Off Sheet." It consists of two easy questions to fill out before coming back to the classroom. If a student receives three of them in a week, he or she has to bring them home to show a parent.

Most are pretty standard offenses for non-stop talking on the rug, etc but some are pretty great. Here are some of my favorites from the past few weeks.

-- I was disruptive during class because: Boy Who Likes Poker Chips asked me to shake his neck.

My strategy to help me before I go back into the class is:
Tell Boy Who Likes Poker Chips to not ask me to shake his neck.

-- I was disruptive during class because:
Boy Who Likes Magic shaked my neck.

My strategy to help me before I go back into the class is:
To tell Boy Who Likes Magic not to shake my neck.

--I was disruptive during class because:
Someone was playing with my hat.

My strategy to help me before I go back into the class is:
Take deep breaths.

-- I was disruptive during class because:
I was fooling around with a hat.

My strategy to help me before I go back into the class is:
Focus.

-- Earlier in the week, Boy Who Was Playing With Someone's Hat was sent out for an infraction that he clearly did not know what he was guilty of.
I was disruptive during class because:
I heard something.

My strategy to help me before I go back into the class is:
Take a deep breath.

-- I was disruptive during class because Boy Who Likes Magic said I was a teacher's pet when I was trying to keep my spelling work to myself.

My strategy to help me before I go back into the class is:
Take deep breaths.

-- I was disruptive during class because:
I put a raisin in my friend's cup.

My strategy to help me before I go back into the class is:
Not fool around.