Argue Not With Your Teacher

Well, I have had 4 days with my lovely fourth graders. Only one of those days was bad. Over the weekend I thought many times how I can diffuse those few students who are argumentative and talk back to me. (You see, I don't handle those kind very well. And they get me all fired up with anger.) The answer came. Just politely say, "Okay, thank you." Then go on as if the child didn't respond at all. I tried it today, several times, on several different students. And it worked. The child didn't know what to say or do at the point. Maybe it won't work tomorrow, but I received one good day from it.