A better friday
So I'm feeling chipper. That might be lack of sleep combined with a lack of caring about my suckatude as a teacher, but still. Chipper is good.
Today, first period was filled with bored students who at least were quiet and did their work. They even got excited about the story on occasion, which was appreciated. They are generally good students, and I even have the one who says, "I don't do homework on the weekends" turning in homework everyday. Woot! Second period was filled with chipper, eager students who like me and do their work, although one student was taken out of my class (tear, I loved her) and I hope they do not put her in one of my bad classes (Please dear god not third. I already lost one good student to that hell hole). She was so sweet! sigh. But I love my 2nd period. One girl kept trying to read a book while I was teaching. As a reading teacher, I wasn't too offended, and she put it away when I asked. Ahhh...memories of my own middle school experience. And then...third period. We'll save that one for last. 4/5 (because it spans two) were their usual disruptive, never get work done selves, only now there are more of them, and they throw things. 6 was ok, although the students were unfocused and occasionally gave me trouble with doing their work (not BAD though, like 3 and 4/5). 7 was ok, until D. came in and thus caused the paper fight of 2:20. They were great and doing work and being mostly quiet and on task, then she came in and while trying to talk with her, she brought the whole class along on her ride into disrespect, not listening to me, and throwing paper. Then she and A. got really mad at me for "unfairly" picking them out for the punishment of the paper fight (becuase they started it and they were the only ones who threw paper while I was staring right at them, adding a deliberate challenge to my authority on top of their disruption. Sigh.
I called a bunch of parents today after school, and that actually made me feel better. They were responsive, and appreciative, and two even brought their children to the phone to get them to listen to me and say "yes mam'm" when I told them I expect them to behave in my class in the future. I love parents. I haven't run into a troublesome one yet. They have all been very supportive, and the tone of voice that one used to remind her child to behave (she was standing right next to the phone, which was on speaker) was classic! It made me smile. Hopfully C. won't cause any more problems in my class. If she does, I just have to call mom...
C. is in my 3rd period which today...Well...3rd period.
According to the police report I was assalted by a student.
Yes, you read that correctly.
It wasn't really that bad. Really. I wasn't hurt, feelings or physically, and it wasn't even a rage issue. Here is what happened.
So Du. just came back to my period after being suspended for fighting with a student. I talked to him yesterday and he seemed fine. He was even concerned about catching up with all of his work, so I agreed with him to stay after next week and help him with his homework for my class and other classes, and he seemed receptive to it. Nice kid, when I'm talking with him one on one. But in my classroom...I think it is the problem of peer expectations. They EXPECT him to be the bad boy, so he is. He was disrespectful, disruptive, and refused to do his work. Then...he was talking to Da. and pushed him. I stepped in, sent Da. back to his seat (Da. is constantly talkikng and playing games (like hiding my timer) but he isn't angry or disrespectful to me. he just has excess energy). I was talking to Du. face to face, asking him to take a seat, when W. came over and "tried to help." Du. lunged for him, I stepped over and told W. to go back to his seat (which he did). But Du. said "I don't care, I can push you too," and he did. It was a light push that made me step back one step, and I didn't even feel off-balanced. I brought it upon myself for trying to hold him back with my arms from W. I suppose. I don't think I'm supposed to physically hold them. Ah well. Then the class erupted. Students streamed into the halls calling for help because Du. was "beating up a teacher." Really. I was "beat up" by this 7th grader who wasn't even really mad, just mildly annoyed. Sigh. Then Du. started tipping over chairs. After this, he just sat down and waited. He even managed to slightly smile at me when I went over to talk to him. So, like I said, not a rage issue, more like a peer pressure issue to play into stereotypes. The secruity officers of the school came and took him away, and a police officer called and asked if I wanted to press charges. I said no, and so I think he just got ISS. I talked to his mom, and he is still staying after on monday (if he is in school) to work with me, which is good. Maybe then I can get him to open up and tell me why he is acting so foolish in the classroom when he isn't really even mad.
All the TFA people came in to help out because they were on prep or my neighbors. My supervisor for TFA also showed up because the teacher next to me called her and said that I was assaulted, so my PD went into a panic and rushed over here. All in all, I was mildly amused by all the fuss. The rest of the period went surprisingly well, one of the best I've had with that class. maybe the "fight" allowed an outlet for their rambunctiousness.
Anyway, I'm going home. I'm ready to be away from school, although I have a lot of work to do this weekend. A student stole my flashdrive and so I have to redo my gradebook, but dad said he would help. Don't tell mom about my flashdrive because I don't want to get yelled at for being stupid and irresponsible. I know I shouldn't leave stuff out, but I'm so absent minded that I forget sometimes. Ah well. At least it didn't have a ton of work on it.
Today, first period was filled with bored students who at least were quiet and did their work. They even got excited about the story on occasion, which was appreciated. They are generally good students, and I even have the one who says, "I don't do homework on the weekends" turning in homework everyday. Woot! Second period was filled with chipper, eager students who like me and do their work, although one student was taken out of my class (tear, I loved her) and I hope they do not put her in one of my bad classes (Please dear god not third. I already lost one good student to that hell hole). She was so sweet! sigh. But I love my 2nd period. One girl kept trying to read a book while I was teaching. As a reading teacher, I wasn't too offended, and she put it away when I asked. Ahhh...memories of my own middle school experience. And then...third period. We'll save that one for last. 4/5 (because it spans two) were their usual disruptive, never get work done selves, only now there are more of them, and they throw things. 6 was ok, although the students were unfocused and occasionally gave me trouble with doing their work (not BAD though, like 3 and 4/5). 7 was ok, until D. came in and thus caused the paper fight of 2:20. They were great and doing work and being mostly quiet and on task, then she came in and while trying to talk with her, she brought the whole class along on her ride into disrespect, not listening to me, and throwing paper. Then she and A. got really mad at me for "unfairly" picking them out for the punishment of the paper fight (becuase they started it and they were the only ones who threw paper while I was staring right at them, adding a deliberate challenge to my authority on top of their disruption. Sigh.
I called a bunch of parents today after school, and that actually made me feel better. They were responsive, and appreciative, and two even brought their children to the phone to get them to listen to me and say "yes mam'm" when I told them I expect them to behave in my class in the future. I love parents. I haven't run into a troublesome one yet. They have all been very supportive, and the tone of voice that one used to remind her child to behave (she was standing right next to the phone, which was on speaker) was classic! It made me smile. Hopfully C. won't cause any more problems in my class. If she does, I just have to call mom...
C. is in my 3rd period which today...Well...3rd period.
According to the police report I was assalted by a student.
Yes, you read that correctly.
It wasn't really that bad. Really. I wasn't hurt, feelings or physically, and it wasn't even a rage issue. Here is what happened.
So Du. just came back to my period after being suspended for fighting with a student. I talked to him yesterday and he seemed fine. He was even concerned about catching up with all of his work, so I agreed with him to stay after next week and help him with his homework for my class and other classes, and he seemed receptive to it. Nice kid, when I'm talking with him one on one. But in my classroom...I think it is the problem of peer expectations. They EXPECT him to be the bad boy, so he is. He was disrespectful, disruptive, and refused to do his work. Then...he was talking to Da. and pushed him. I stepped in, sent Da. back to his seat (Da. is constantly talkikng and playing games (like hiding my timer) but he isn't angry or disrespectful to me. he just has excess energy). I was talking to Du. face to face, asking him to take a seat, when W. came over and "tried to help." Du. lunged for him, I stepped over and told W. to go back to his seat (which he did). But Du. said "I don't care, I can push you too," and he did. It was a light push that made me step back one step, and I didn't even feel off-balanced. I brought it upon myself for trying to hold him back with my arms from W. I suppose. I don't think I'm supposed to physically hold them. Ah well. Then the class erupted. Students streamed into the halls calling for help because Du. was "beating up a teacher." Really. I was "beat up" by this 7th grader who wasn't even really mad, just mildly annoyed. Sigh. Then Du. started tipping over chairs. After this, he just sat down and waited. He even managed to slightly smile at me when I went over to talk to him. So, like I said, not a rage issue, more like a peer pressure issue to play into stereotypes. The secruity officers of the school came and took him away, and a police officer called and asked if I wanted to press charges. I said no, and so I think he just got ISS. I talked to his mom, and he is still staying after on monday (if he is in school) to work with me, which is good. Maybe then I can get him to open up and tell me why he is acting so foolish in the classroom when he isn't really even mad.
All the TFA people came in to help out because they were on prep or my neighbors. My supervisor for TFA also showed up because the teacher next to me called her and said that I was assaulted, so my PD went into a panic and rushed over here. All in all, I was mildly amused by all the fuss. The rest of the period went surprisingly well, one of the best I've had with that class. maybe the "fight" allowed an outlet for their rambunctiousness.
Anyway, I'm going home. I'm ready to be away from school, although I have a lot of work to do this weekend. A student stole my flashdrive and so I have to redo my gradebook, but dad said he would help. Don't tell mom about my flashdrive because I don't want to get yelled at for being stupid and irresponsible. I know I shouldn't leave stuff out, but I'm so absent minded that I forget sometimes. Ah well. At least it didn't have a ton of work on it.