I am observing how teachers are not just responsible for academic learning but also for teaching students how to interact socially. At curriculum night, Mrs. S told the parents that she is concerned with both the academic and social growth of her students and I have seen her deal with a number of issues. When a student made a comment in a tone that conveyed to another student "I think you're stupid" she took him aside and spoke to him about it. When a student with very little money was buying trinkets from another student she talked with both of them about it. When a student didn't let another student share his writing idea because it was "wrong" she spoke with that student and had him apologize. She does all of this on the side, not in front of other students and lets kids know she is not mad at them, but wants them to change their behavior.
Today I was in a different classroom and saw the teacher take a different tactic. She modeled how to voice when something is upsetting you and how to accept an apology. One of her students was talking when she was trying to talk to the whole class. She said "It makes me sad when you talk when I am teaching." She paused, repeated it again, paused, and then asked "what can you say?" The student did a great job of repeating how the teacher felt and then saying sorry. (She must have had a lesson on this in the past.) The teacher then said. "Thank you. I accept the apology."
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