Refusing to Brush Teeth

This morning my son decided he did not want to brush his teeth. He did not have a reason for not wanting to do it, he just did not. When my wife and I tried to find out why, we were just ignored. It is very frustrating being ignored. He then got quite rude. Ultimately, he never did brush his teeth, although he did not get to do some of the things he wanted to do.

I have had classes that have gone this way. No matter what I try, the students just do not seem to be interested in focusing. Fortunately this does not occur to frequently, but it is very frustrating when it occurs. Much like the case with my son, I can make certain threats, be prepared to carry them out and even carry them out, still the final decision rests with the students. Fortunately, most of the time, even before the threats, my son does what I need him to do. Fortunately, the same is true of my students. Still, there are those times I just want to scream.

I do not get frustrated if and when students are having trouble grasping the concepts I am trying to explain. I do get frustrated if they just give me the impression they do not care. I am always looking for new secrets and tips as to how to keep students interested and involved. I am successful in coming up with methods but one of the reasons I enjoy blogging is to find out the secrets others use and see if I can incorporate them into my style.