The mayhem is over. At least for me, anyway.
First off, I’m getting my cold back…for the third time this month. The stress of dealing with the youth of America didn’t help, I’m sure. Second, I’m taking the rest of the week off to do some other freelance work that pays better than subbing. So I’ll have to wrap up this yarn I’ve spun.
Today I noticed the good class (supposedly the “smart” one) was unusually hard to control for whatever reason. Nothing ridiculously stupid stands out today, other than the fact that I still marvel at how these kids have the chutzpah to flatly refuse to do things. And, since I was coming down with my third bout of the crud, I was quickly losing energy to fight them.
I also find it odd that the kids I’ve had to yell at this week are the ones who wish I was going to be around for the rest of the year. Actually, I could probably stay there that long if the teacher didn’t come back (which is possible), but my perspective on teaching would be forever colored by this group of thugs. And the whole point of subbing, other than to earn a meager living, is to get a flavor for the system and decide which grades I want to teach.
So far I’m leaning towards high school.
After listening to these kids talk over the last week, it’s clear that a lot of them have parents that aren’t really involved in the discipline of their own kids. I get the feeling they just send them to school to get them out of their hair. They can come to school, act however they want wherever they end up (whether in class, ISS, or the office) then go home with no repercussions on their lives. And that just doesn’t work…
…and tomorrow…neither do I.
“I also find it odd that the kids I’ve had to yell at this week are the ones who wish I was going to be around for the rest of the year.”
I don’t find it strange at all. You’re actually disciplining them. Others have probably given up on doing that. They want to be held accountable, and you’re doing that … so that’s why they like you, even when the apparent results speak to the contrary.
Geof F. Morris
January 25th, 2005
When I taught (first grade) my favorite students were the huge troublemakers.
Rhonda
January 26th, 2005
did your huge troublemakers threaten to shoot you and cuss out the principal?
I like the more playful troublemakers.
brian
January 26th, 2005
These kids sound like the high schoolers I went to school with. Why are you leaning toward that age group?
Roger
January 26th, 2005
Geof has a good point. I have found that the kids that give you the hard time, are the ones who want you to stick around. And for that exact reason… your the only discipline they may get.
Eric
January 26th, 2005