"Sometimes My Brain Forgets Stuff"

Photo by Dunechaser on Flickr.com

"S" finished her collage and began to print her name. "Is it ie or ei?" she asked. After Mrs. Cindy answered, "S" said, "Sometimes my brain forgets stuff."

Her statement has been in my head all week. And the topic that her statement keeps bumping against is discipline - guiding behavior - that continuing balance of helping kids work well together in a classroom and allowing kids to act like kids. Some of my fellow teachers get really frustrated because they must continually remind kids of "the rules" and they must keep going over the same things again and again.

That really doesn't bother me. Sometimes their brains just forget stuff. In the excitement of building or making or discovering or playing, the brain just can't remember to keep the voice from being too loud. Or the feet from moving quickly from one place to another. Or the mouth from blurting out what the brain knows. They just forget.

Now, sometimes I must deal with behavior - redirecting it or channeling it. Sometimes a break is needed, to get out of the midst of a situation. But, overall, I nudge and remind and suggest and reflect. And brains remember to move safely through the room or talk in a quieter voice or wait for someone else to finish  before speaking.

Loosen up. They're only 5 (or younger). Their brains forget.

(And so does mine.)