Again, this was supposed to be up last week... Week 3...

... I just love formatting this thing!  LATE students!  Ah, what do I do with them?  Well a quick overview of what is happening is necessary here.  One Period has the idea that my class is unimportant and they waltz in up to ten minutes late.  One student came to me in a moment of weakness stating that their class was "like so far away."  In this moment of weakness, I replied, "Ok, Joey, Just hurry please.  You better come in huffing and puffing like you RAN here!"  This worked for about a week.  He is back taking his sweet time, paying no regard that he disrupts the entire class when he noisily comes in ten minutes late.  I have to repeat my directions to him after the rest of the class has started working.  (I have tried not telling him, telling him to "figure it out," but then he does nothing.  I would rather repeat myself than have him do nothing.)  I have called off our deal.  I informed Joey that I now mark him tardy every time he arrives after the bell.  Again, this worked for about a week, and since that week Joey has established followers.  Im stuck.  I had other behavior problems with this students that have since become better, but I am afraid if I reprimand him too much for being tardy that I will lose the greater battle.  I do not want to be "afraid" of my students or have to "pick my battles," but I feel that I have to at this point.  I have ignored his tardiness on occasion and have focused on the greater battle of getting him to produce work in class.  However, the lateness is getting worse...it is time for action.  I have thought about comparing the classroom to a conference room; we cannot start the meeting without one of our committee members, therefore we all need to hold the meeting a bit longer when we start late.  I do not want to punish the entire class, but he obviously does not respond to personal discipline.  Maybe if the class holds him accountable, he may not want to let EVERYONE down.  The students have lunch, so this will not interfere with any other class time.  Just a thought.  We'll see how this week goes...