Oh boy. This could either be really long or really short depending on how I’m feeling right now. As I sit here writing this blog post, I am staring at two students laying on a table, using their shoes as pillows, while reading their books. If this is not the most perfect example of the dilemmas we face as teachers, I don’t know what it. Let me explain.

The scenario where two students are laying on their shoes, on a table, reading their books, is the perfect scenario to work with while trying to explain the problems with behaviours. You see, I assigned silent reading for the students. Which is exactly what those two students are doing. However, they are on a table, their shoes are off, and they are resting their heads on their dirty shoes. The dilemma here is that although the students are doing their jobs at reading silently, they are not doing it “properly”. By properly, I mean, with proper manners and social etiquette. Students not only go to school to learn how to read, write, and solve problems, but they also learn how to behave appropriately in a civil society. The problem with what the students are doing is that they are following the instructions, but doing so in a not so appropriate manner.

As I’m sure you may know, this makes my life more complicated. Do I interrupt them and ask that they put their shoes on and sit in a chair? Or, do I leave them alone and explain later that they shouldn’t be doing that? Well, if the fire alarm were to go off, they wouldn’t have time to put their shoes on, so it’s a safety hazard. But, if I interrupt them, will they start talking and stop reading altogether? If you’re a teacher then you know how difficult it is to get the students on task in the first place.

Anyway, I decided to let them go. The small win is in the fact that they read silently. I will take it. For now. Soon enough, we’ll polish our ways of reading and let them know that shoes off and laying on tables isn’t appropriate school behaviour. But it’s not that deep for now.