12.07.2010

read the directions

and now Suzanne has something to say about

So yesterday Dandy turns in his homework 100% wrong.  Every bit of it.  It's obvious that he hasn't read the directions. I ask him "What were you supposed to do here?" and he makes up some gobbledygook.  I ask him to copy the directions (there are 5 small sets) and he throws a fit.  The fit and its consequences pretty much eat up the rest of the day and carry over into today. 

Finally, at about 3:00 he resigns himself to the task, sits down and copies out the directions.  Ten minutes later -- yes, 1 day and a half of protest over 10 minutes of copy-work -- he is industriously completing his language arts work.  He strolls through the kitchen and remarks, "Reading the directions really helps."

Why yes, Dandy, it does. 


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3 much appreciated comments:

kate said...

Yep. The second graders will tell you: When in doubt, read the directions.

And, "I don't get it" isn't a question. I'll happily answer any questions you have. You just have to take a minute to sort out what you DO know so that you can formulate a question to ask.

December 11, 2010 10:02 AM
Suzanne said...

I love that Kate -- I'll use that. Thanks.

December 11, 2010 10:24 AM
kate said...

Yea! It really does work. It takes a little modeling in the beginning (what doesn't) but after a very short time, my class is looking for what they know instead of being passive pieces of milktoast. Often in the process, they figure the whole thing out alone. ;> I thought of it because reading the directions is always the first step when you have "I-don't-get-it-itis". (Yes, we're reading Mrs. Piggle Wiggle right now.)

I always have a clever clogs who thinks that "Will you help me?" will work. It does. I happily answer, "Sure! I'd love to! What do you need me to help you WITH."

"Number four."

"What part of number four?"

"I don't know."

"Well, let's see what part you do know. (reads) Draw--do you know what draw means?"

etc.

Semantics.

December 13, 2010 10:16 AM

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Here I chatter about books, parenting, election 2008, recipes, teaching college writing, and the adventures of getting settled in with our two freshly (Fall 06) adopted school-age children from Russia. This blog is chapter two; chapter one is posted at Jamie & Suzanne go to Russia. I live in the City of Subdued Excitement, Cascadia, Land of the Free.

I am the wife of a man I call My Gift from a Generous God. I am mama to two lovely children, Dandy and Chickadee that became ours in September 2006 in a court-room in Siberia. I am the daughter of two people whom I love and admire. One of them, my dad, is a new (Dec 06) paraplegic.

In my previous life (B.C. - before children), I was a college English teacher, specializing in composition and ESL composition.

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