CZ #6 - Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean You Should

Teacher jargon is common.  Many expressions are stated daily and become so much of a habit, they almost lose their meaning.  In Kindergarten, "sit criss cross applesauce" and "give me five" are prime examples.  In 4th grade, "clean up, chairs up, line up" and "don't be sorry, behave" were everyday phrases.  Regardless of the age level, one statement I have practically trademarked is "just because you can doesn't mean you should." I have seen so many students do so many random and crazy things, from cartwheels on the carpet to stuffing large amounts of fruit snacks in a mouth.  Maybe to impress others, maybe because they are impulsive, or maybe because they just like driving me nuts. Not a day goes by where I don't say it or want to say it.  Even though I expect to express this message routinely, I am still boggled at the responses children give to me when I find them in interesting and compromising situations. Attempting to figure out how some of them tick is a bewildering and seemingly impossible experience. So I guess I should avoid even trying, because as I would tell myself, "just because I can, doesn't mean I should. "