Ms. Cook, you not crazy

The other day, a couple kids were doing make up work in my room during their lunch period.  I overheard one student explaining that a teacher told him she was going to call his dad and then his dad would "come up here and teach you a lesson and put a book through your head" or something along those lines.  Here's how the conversation went:

me: wait, a teacher said that to you?
guy student: yea. man, she crazy.
me: well, some students think i'm crazy too
girl student: ms cook, you not crazy.  man, all these people be yellin at us and you just sit there an wait for people to shut up. i aint never heard you yell at nobody.  and they stop because they wanna hear what you have to say... ya know, this class aint so bad. i love comin up in here. i get so excited before 4th period but ooo i be sleepy after because i gotta go to algebra.
guy student: you don't never yell atcho classes?
girl student: no, she don't never yell. she just be sitting there waiting with no looks on her faces.  and them kids wanna learn it so they shut up eventually.
me: yep.

it was refreshing to hear that a girl loves coming to my class (i love freshmen!), refreshing to be reminded that teachers don't have to yell and scream to be heard.  in fact, i would argue that it's actually counterproductive.  if you don't want the students to yell or scream in response to irritating things, why would you model that?  it was refreshing to hear students laughing and conversing instead of insulting each other and sighing of boredom.

riding the roller coaster of teaching,
ren