Ignore it and it will go away

I grew up being taught that ignoring a problem will not make anything go away. However, I have discovered recently (i.e. today) that feigned ignorance really does have a place.

I have various boys in my classes who really just annoy me. On an individual level, I like them just fine and want to help them succeed, but they still can make my blood pressure rise. Why are they annoying? Well honestly, they are annoying because I let them annoy me. "This is middle school," I tell myself. "They're supposed to make farting sounds with their armpits and then snicker." What else should I expect?

And thus came today's experiment. I became deaf to all farting noises, squeaky chair noises, and the dozens of other noises that 12-year old boys like to make especially if they know it bothers you. We're in the middle of a state writing test so after passing out their materials, reading the instructions (again!), and making sure everyone had a pencil, I sat down at the table in the front of the room and ignored my students.

Okay, so that may be a little extreme. I did make sure they had extra paper, sharpened pencils, and dictionaries, but that was it. Those few boys who find great delight in pushing my buttons pushed for a little while longer, but eventually stopped, or at least toned it down a lot.

The best part was that I wasn't worried about having to go to the doctor to have my blood pressure checked.

Later on, oddly enough, the administrator who recently observed me told me that I have excellent classroom management. "Oh really?" I thought. "I can think of a time or two when things didn't go so well." Naturally I didn't mention this to him, but I do feel that I learned a lesson today that will help me live up to that image.