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Could you ask another member of staff to pop along at the end of the lesson to 'give you a message' and therefore catch them in the act? The they do the whole "Oh Hello James, did you need to ask Lionkitty a question? But it looked like you were opening the door again just then? Are you sure? Did you want James for something Lionkitty? Well, off you go then James Smith."
If it ever happens again, you know which boy to call for at break time. Chances are it wont as he knows hes been caught out.
Sorry! Kittylion!
I'd address the problem and say "since some of you repeatedly decide to throw my tray on the floor and I don't know who it is and I can't be bothered to find out, we'll wait until the ell goes and then you file out one by one. It will cost you YOUR break time, but rahter yours than mine"" Call their names and have them go one by one. do that for some time, say two weeks, and then offer them "back to normal" if they behave and tell them it will be back to shortened lunch breaks if the trauy goes down again.t
I agree with moving the trays. But you could try standing by the door as the kids leave to start with; but you'd have to remember to do that.
Punishments are bad at the best of times, so even with the parents' support you could be upsetting innocent people (so their parents gang up with the teacher).
Certainly don't let it affect your next class - it's nothing to do with them - it's your problem, don't make it theirs. And as you say, it is a trivial thing.
learnsumsCertainly don't let it affect your next class - it's nothing to do with them - it's your problem, don't make it theirs. And as you say, it is a trivial thing.
Thanks for your reply Learnsums, but when I said it spoils the start of the next lesson, I meant merely that I had to pick all the trays and their contents up before we could start, not that I took my temper out on them in some way - which seems to be what you imply here.
I certainly wouldn't dream of "making it" the problem of another class and don't really understand why you would assume this.
Thanks to the help and support of a great colleague, a couple of the other pupils have grassed up the culprit (who was the one I suspected all along - wouldn't you know) and he now has an hour's detention on Friday.
I moved the trays straight away and will leave them for a while until they "forget" about them - they haven't been touched since.
Now let's see if he turns up!
Thanks again all!! :-D
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