Wow, what a long week. Not only was this the first full week in quite a while (no early releases, government holidays, or unofficial snow days), but there was also something AFTER school every single day. Staff meeting on Monday. Games club on Tuesday. Tutoring on Wednesday. Learning communities meeting on Thursday. Happy Hour on Friday.
Today I gave a long test on word problems, and frustrations started coming out. From the kids and from me. One of my kids started talking to his neighbor while I was at the back of the room, so I called him back and ask him to bring his tests so that I could mark it down by 20 points for talking during a test. I really have no intention of marking the grade down 20 points in my gradebook, but I wanted to make a point to the whole class. Not five minutes later, two more kids were talking to each other.
Is learning from past mistakes a thing OF the past? Because my kids never seem to understand this concept. They break the rules, get in trouble, cry, repeat. Over and over.
I actually spoke the words, "Those who do not study the past are doomed to repeat it," aloud to my class this afternoon. When did I become such an old fogey??
And my new ward is not helping matters much. D showed up late yesterday afternoon with his father to enroll in Mrs. Educator's class. The father informs us that D is a troublemaker, he was suspended a lot at his old school, and that "he might try to run away." Great, what am I -- Agent Girard from The Fugitive??
"What I need from each and every one of you people is a hard target search of every classroom, bathroom, book room, store room, and side room within a 10 mile radius."
Well, he didn't try to run away today, but he certainly did get under my nerves. For a kid who's four-foot-nothing, he's got more attitude than a Portland Trailblazer. Some teachers are just able to ignore disrespect and rudeness and move on, but I've always been stubborn. I have a real problem with little kids who ignore me and/or talk back. And the timing was even worse, because I had just finished writing up a discipline referral on another kid who thought he could spout obscenities as he walked past my room and then yell at me when I tried to talk to him. This on top of the test talkers. Needless to say, I was not in the best of moods.
I just thank God that it's the weekend. Because next week is going to be another long one and I desperately need the break.
5 comments:
In this situation, it is good that the dad warned you. However, as a sub I don't really like being warned about the "bad kids". I feel like I am then inclined to view them in that catagory too easily and don't give them enough of a chance. I like subbing, because the "trouble makers" have a clean slate with me... and sometimes they really surprise themselves with what they get done and all because I don't know they are bad kids and haven't had to deal with 5 months of their bad behavior and am therefore not fed up with them.
Must be something in the air, I've had more kids back talk me and be disrespectful this year than I've ever had
And this is elementary school? Insolent little buggers.
If it makes you feel better, the kid who hurt my hip and shoulder by slamming me backwards into the lockers while running from the YAC officer is still walking our hallways. Bless his little heart. *Snort* "Choir practice" on Fridays are the best!
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