Date: April 2nd, 2023

Polly answers the question: “When I say: ‘OK guys, we’ve got 5 minutes to do what you want,’ my 7th graders say, ‘So what should we do?’ It seems like kids need a cruise director these days! How can I help them handle downtime?”
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Date: March 26th, 2023

Polly answers the question: “How am I supposed to improve the behaviors in my 5th grade classroom when at home my students are allowed to do whatever they want and say whatever they want?”
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Date: March 19th, 2023

Polly answers the question: “I send high schoolers down to the office when they act up in my class and it doesn’t seem to make any difference! So I wonder if I should just save the office for really higher level stuff so the kids know when they have truly gone too far?”
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Date: March 11th, 2023

Polly answers the question: “I was walking down the hall with a colleague and a group of 8th graders started mocking our conversation as we passed. What would you have done in that situation?”
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Date: March 5th, 2023

Polly answers the question: “Why can’t our kids play? Is it video games? They are so aggressive. We can’t play kick ball anymore in our school or four-square anymore or any of those types of games because they just can’t seem to handle it. Do you have any ideas?”
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Date: February 26th, 2023

Polly answers the question: “How do we get high school students to treat paraprofessionals with respect? I hate to see kids using abusive language and saying things like, “You’re not even a teacher.””
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Date: February 19th, 2023

Polly answers the question: “I’m a middle school teacher and I am fed up! How do I get my students to treat me and each other with respect?”
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Date: February 12th, 2023

Polly answers the question: “I kept a kid in for recess so we could talk about his behavior in my class. But then his behavior got even worse. I think he likes staying with me during recess! How do I undo this?”
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Date: February 5th, 2023

Polly answers the question: “What are your thoughts about a high school dress code? For starters, the kids ignore it. And honestly, the staff has a hard time agreeing on what it should be anyway. Help!”
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Date: January 29th, 2023

Polly answers the question: “Our middle school boys are very aggressive and ‘hands on’ with each other. I know horseplay is to be expected, but often things get out of hand at lunchtime or in the hallways. What can we do?”
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