Double the Pleasure
Over the past 6 years at Sunnyside High School, I have written a total of 6 conduct referrals. I like to take care of discipline in-house: detention, calls home, writing sentences...my bag of tricks was seemingly endless. I have always reserved referrals for the really serious situations or the hopeless repeat offenders.Today I wrote my 12th of the year. Yes, that's right, in 2 months I have doubled the number of referrals written in the previous 6 years. We have a behavior issue this year.
One of our Vice Principals, a tall, athletic guy in his 30's, is a big help. He takes care of business. I've been in his office 4 times this year already. He has a steady flow of problem-children moving through there every day. Last week his blood pressure skyrocketed and he almost passed out during lunch. An ambulance came for him and he spent the rest of the week at home. Only 2 months into the year and we almost had our first casualty already.
Yesterday I had a kid walk out on me because I wouldn't let him spit in class. Today I had a student refuse to do any work because he had stitches in his arm...couldn't write, you see. Oddly, the girl sitting two groups over was doing all of her work despite a broken finger.
I heard yesterday that one of our feeder middle schools has become notorious for turning out students with discipline problems. It sounds very much like they're letting them get away with murder over there. It sounds very much like somebody needs to go visit with that principal. And, as time goes by, I'm wondering if it's going to turn out to be me.
We're all tired. But we persevere. I wonder though, if there is going to be any gas left in the tank come June.
Postscript: I just came back from the office where one of the students I removed from my class (and thus, the school) had dropped off his textbook. Under "Comments" he wrote: "I hate you." Folks, it's gonna be a loooong year.
posted by Thurman8er @ 12:26 PM
4 Comments:
Only in my wildest unbridled dreams would I desire to be a teacher. You have all my respect.
Several of my friends teach, and they too have horror stories that would curl your hair.
I honestly believe the day is coming (if not already here) where teachers in some areas will have to carry some sort of weapon to protect themselves from these teenage thugs.
Many children today have no supervision at home, and suddenly they are thrown at you completely out of control....again, I respect you and your profession, but it's not for me. :)
We are always hiring GOOD teachers in Texas, May God give strength to our perveyers of knowledge.
Confession: I'm taking tomorrow OFF. The weather is still nice enough for golf and I've earned the respite. And yes, Cecil, the sub plans are already made. (It's benchmark test day...woo hoo!)
Steve, we have a teacher shortage in Florida as well. If you can catch a flight tonight and get hired by tomorrow, I might be able to get you a 3 day weekend to start off your Florida career should Hurricane Wilma pay us a visit sometime on Sunday.
I tell you Steve, this is too scary - your taking tomorrow off to play some golf would be the exact medicine I would prescribed for a fellow math teacher. Remember, drive for show but putt for dough!"
As for your year, it looks like this is the year for disrespectful students. See my next blog on the fastest act of disrespect I once encountered from a middle school student.
Also, feel free to "jack up" (as the kids would say) the weak middle school administrator. Having both taught for almost 25 years as well as having a son go through my middle school and is now a sophmore in high school, I've learned this fact:
For the benefit of a middle school students, it is better for middle school teacher and administrators to err on the side of toughness vs. an elementary mindset.
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