My fiancee’s sister is a long-time IEP teacher in the Bronx, and boy did we have a good time exchanging stories over the winter break. She mentioned that she uses her cell phone to take photos of kids misbehaving and sends them to text or email them to parents. With her particular demographic, this works exceedingly well: parents get instant notification (and proof) of what their little darlings did, and the students live in constant fear of their bad behavior being indisputably immortalized for all time. Used with proper judgment (and written permission) this could be an excellent behavior management tool.
Of course, it’s much more fun to imagine the INAPPROPRIATE use of picture mail. Oh, the possibilities are endless for classroom teachers of every grade level…
To the parent of the kid in the background:
Your kid is a bully. See what I go through everyday at recess?
To the parent of the kid in the foreground:
This is your child every time he doesn’t get his way, AKA pretty much all day long.
Told you she didn’t know the answers to those test questions. That “F”? Totally justified. Boo-yah!
Johnny spent fifteen minutes crawling under his desk. “I’m tying my shoe,” he says. Playing Nintendo DS, I say.
Assignment: Page 293, #1-25.
Time Frame: Forty-five minutes.
Your child’s accomplishment: Pictured.
That time I caught your son fondling the Cabbage Patch Kid in the dramatic play area wasn’t just an isolated incident…
This was your daughter’s response when I asked her to redo a problem she answered incorrectly. Or maybe this was taken after I asked her to get out a pencil. Or maybe when I asked her to stop talking. I’ll have to check the time stamp.
I’ve saved this pic to my phone. I’ll be resending it to you EVERY. DAY. Or at least on the days that your kid bothers to show up to class.
No, this isn’t a photo of your son. This boy lives in Haiti and all his personal belonging were destroyed by a hurricane. Which begs the question: What’s YOUR kid’s excuse for not wearing a belt?
Angela Watson
Founder and Writer
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Sarah: I can just imagine what “supergirl” looked like. That’s hilarious!
Cassy: I never thought to just threaten with the pics. Good idea. Maybe you could tell them if they improve throughout the rest of the day, you won’t send it.
SmWonder00: Yes, pictures of X-rated drawings would be perfect to photograph! Hah!
Saii: That’s an ever better idea: to take pics of GOOD things and send them home.
Mary: Oooh, that’s a good one! Love the idea of making them WATCH while you write the email!
You all have the BEST stories and ideas!! Thanks so much for sharing.
Left you some blog love… check it out.
Oh my goodness! This is my dream. I always think, “man if your parents saw you right now, they’d totally understand what I’m saying.” I must admit I have taken a picture of kid to show it to him about his current attitude. I never said I would send it…but what a GREAT idea! Parent permission a must; I can’t wait to try to make this plausible in my room. How effective (and funny!!) This could be an entirely new book for you Angela!
My sister-in-law has been teaching for YEARS in the same community. She has a great rapport with parents and can use all kinds of out-of-the-box techniques like this!
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