Act your age
posted by Sarah @ 5:42 AM
9 Comments
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Previous Posts
- You just lost ten minutes
- Inch by Inch
- Different people have different needs.
- Boys line up. Girls line up.
- Circle the two you like best.
- That's Not a Good Excuse
- That's Terrible
- I appreciate your efforts. Thanks.
- All your letters are right between the lines.
- You did a good job
Subscribe to
Posts [Atom]
9 Comments:
This is one I can honestly say I don't use! It could be because I currently teach such little kids compared to the kids I used to teach. I think being a mom has also shown me that kids all have their own "timelines"and it could really hurt a child's self esteem to "accuse" them of not acting OLD enough! I think back to a special area teacher that my daughter had a few years ago when she was in kindergarten who made her feel AWFUL because she couldn't tie her shoes yet. When I had an opportunity, I let her know that my child really internalized her comment and instead of saying something in front of her peers that perhaps she had another method that she could use to show my little one how to tie her shoes because maybe the one that my husband and I were showing her wasn't the best way. Again, as teachers we need to take the time to GUIDE students to take on age appropriate tasks and at the same time feel success instead of failure! PS. She is in 3rd grade and still struggles with those ties!!! Thank goodness for CROCS and velcro!
I do not use this one. However, my husband tends to say this to Claire. "your not a baby, act your age." It is very hard to get him to realize that children grow at different speeds and maybe they are just not there yet.
If I feel she is not acting appropriately, I will talk with her about a different way to handle a situation. I believe we ALL tend not to act our age at times do to the fact we have emotions and feelings.
I do not use this one either. If I have a student 5th or 6th grade, who is baby talking (trying to be funny), I have said, "What grade are you in?", but this has always been as a joke because they were baby talking. Inevitably, the kid continues baby talking in trying to continue their humor.
If one were to use this phrase to children and be on the level, I could see where it could cause harm.
When I hear this comment, I laugh because it reminds me of the frustrated parent who doesn't realize that they are dealing with children..hello. It is even funnier when the child is smart enough to respond and say "Well, I am acting my age, I am only 9 years old..."
This is an unproductive response because it can be demeaning and doesn't state what the adult wants the child to do. It should be modeled and the student/child should be given positive reinforcement when she/he does something according to age appropriate expectations.
I don't see the value in this type of comment. "Act your age" do you want me to act my physical age, my emotional age, my intellectual age, etc... we have many ages and they vary with the situation we are currently dealing with. If an immature behavior is the issue I try to determine what the student is hoping to gain from the behavior - sometimes I have found immature behavior is a student saying I am in over my head and I need support.
I agree with the comments posted. Act what age? Emotional, physical, etc? Many adults do not "act their age." It is demeaning to the child when adults say this. It does not address the situation that the adult wants to remedy.
The older I get, I tend to think that "acting your age" while predictable, can be a little boring at times. I think that, depending on our physical or emotional situation, at any given time there can be a wide range of how we act or react to a situation. As educators, it is our responsibility to meet the students where they are and help them on their way. The day I start totally acting my age, will somebody please tell me to "lighten up". Thanks.
Regardless of how someone is acting, they are 'acting their age', because that's how they are acting! Who wrote the rules on age specific behavior? People react because of who they are, where they've come from, and how life feels in the moment. Age is irrelevant. I haven't heard this type of comment since watching Happy Days when someone said, "Act your age, not your shoe size" :)
I still don't think I act my "age"...ha! Enough said!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home