Attention teacher types

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Do you believe kids know when they are beginning to get to us? Well, I believe so. Like yesterday, as a parapro, or teacher's aide, I had the chance to observe a teacher type. She was yelling at them left and right. She argued back at them constantly when they gave her lip. Instead of making the situation better, the atmosphere in the classroom either remained the way it was, or got worse. At the end of the day, this lady was clearly disappointed in her kidlets. One thing I have learned: Kids respond best to when you are soft, yet firm. Make your expectations known. If you are then unsuccessful at getting them to listen, then explain that on the other side of failure to follow directions, there are very clear consequences. There are consequences not only for the individual that blew it, but for the whole class. (That was one thing that she did right!) What that teaches them is, that in life our actions not only have consequences for us but for the whole group, or team. They are learning that the decisions we make affect others, and not just ourselves. I wish that Kwame Kilpatrick, Rod Blagojevich, A-Rod, and Phelps all learned that lesson. And I think some of my harshest teachers in life were actually my best friends, looking back on it. How much of this, teachers, do you agree with--and how many do you not?