This is What It Looks Like When I Get Frustrated with Classroom Management | Science in the City

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Jan 29, 2013

This is What It Looks Like When I Get Frustrated with Classroom Management

I have been having a lot of trouble with glue this year. I have done interactive notebooks for years, and never had the kind of problems that I've had this year.  The group of middle school kids that I have don't know how to use glue - they put TONS OF GLUE, then when they close their book it oozes out, pages stick together, and the page they glued is all wrinkled and wet.

I have tried to demonstrate, I have gotten frustrated and yelled, I have designated students to go around and glue.  Some worked better than others, but the problem is still not straightened out.

Friday we really spent sometime getting our notebooks set up for the next unit (I figured we'd get the glue issue out of the way all at once).  I was so frustrated.  I kept thinking "My six year old can do this!"

Then I had an idea....videotape my 6-year-old showing them how to do it.  He heard my complaining and said "I could show them how to do it"

I'll let you know how it goes. I think it might be crazy enough to actually work!  What do you think?


4 comments :

  1. Heavens - I had no idea it lasted this long!! My third graders are dreadful at gluing but I assumed kids got better as they got older! I put off gluing as long as possible and then do a "gluing party" and get it all over with at one time :)

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  2. Could glue sticks do the trick? Bottled glue is FORBIDDEN in my classroom. I buy the glue sticks myself, so that part isn't fun, but Staples has an awesome back to school sale where you can get them for cheap! I keep a fresh supply in my desk to resupply mid-year.

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  3. My middle schoolers cannot glue propertly if their life depended on it. They also use TONS of glue. I have told them, "All you need is a small dot of glue in each corner." I think they find it funny to use lots of glue. They feel powerful when they squeeze out a bunch of glue onto their page. My students also enjoy spreading it out with the tip of the glue bottle...Still working on a solution. I don't really like glue sticks because they run out too quickly. Post about how your video went. If you see results, I will give it a whirl!

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  4. I'm glad it's not just me. I remember reading on someone else's blog "glue is only an issue if you allow it to be"…or something to that effect. Glue sticks run out so fast, still get way overused, and don't seem to stick permanently. I do interactive notebooks and later in the year glue sticks seem not to hold. They do have advantages. I think tape is a good way to go. As far as the video- the students thought it was hysterical, cute, maybe a little embarrassing that a 6 year old was showing them. They also liked that it was my son. They laughed all the way through t, but when I handed out the glue I think it was a little better. It helped, still need to practice. I was trying to post the video but I'm having technical difficulties. I think it's worth a try.

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