TO In The Principal's Office
[aside] You know, I will never forget how to spell the word principal vs. principle because of the silly little lesson they give you in school. "Think of the school's principal as your PAL, ergo, principal." [sighs] But I digress.
Reaching the end of my tether with my seniors---there is a very good reason why, if given the option, I'd take Middle Schoolers through 10th grade over these yahoos---I gave five students detentions in the last two days: four from one class just this morning.
I like to think of myself as a reasonabnle person. I understand no one likes a SUBSTITUTE TEACHER [one of the best things said on The Golden Girls was when a man, dumped when Blanche decided her scheme to find men by selling a rented car wasn't working, tell Dorothy, "If I weren't a substitute teacher and accustomed to this sort of abuse, I'd leave right now." It's true. And I take that into consideration when I'm in for another teacher. I have a rule that I tell all my students on day one: "I'll warn you thrice,"---the kids are all about using thrice these days---"and then you'll suffer the consequences." Depending on whatever offense, I can go more or less than those three, but the principle is still the same.
I have three classes of seniors, and my second period has since been my Everest. There is a student that I met on my very first day of teaching at this school who stapled a girl's leg. Since I wrote to the teacher about the incident and, I guess, got him in trouble with her, he has made it his goal in life to challenge me, as though I was challenging him. So, most of the time, I just smile and/or ignore him, cause he is just after attention. He and this other student, Family Guy's #1 Fan, like to pretend their gay for laughs. And there were also two students who just didn't want to be there, they didn't feel like working, and they sure as hell didn't want to take the quiz and do the worksheets I had for them. I understand that they are seniors and don't want to work cause they're "almost done," but give me a break. They don't have to be giving me shit because they hate their teacher who assigns them horrid busywork to do. I tolerate a lot more than others would but disrespect pisses me the fuck off. There was no reason for their behavior in general, let alone today.
And today it was just the last straw. Like I said, they're decent kids just looking for attention and have no desire to do busywork. I can't blame them too much. But Senioritis is no excuse.
Today, not only were they using foul language [my idea of foul language is different from most; I tolerate pretty much everything, but overusage and timing play key factors in my discipline of it] and giving out answers during a quiz, they decided to go through the teacher's desk and start destroying/playing with everything therein. While I was handling this situation, another student decided to open up all the cabinet doors. When I turned to deal with him, the others started throwing around a tennis ball. And, cabinet boy, rather than do as I asked him, opened the teacher's own personal cabinet and found an uneaten doughnut---he was just about it throw it to Staple Boy when I lost it.
I didn't yell, but I made it clear that should they continue to screw around and whatnot, they'd be receiving a detention. This got them to ease up a bit. However, when I asked them to hand over the items, they held the objects out of reach of me (both ball and doughnut).
Within seconds the bell rang, and I finally got Family Guy Fan to put everything back IN the desk. So, I wrote them all up for disrupting class and failure to follow a reasonable request [I hate the phrase and I hate the fact that I must use it] It is, however, ultimately the teacher who decides if they shall receive the detentions.
I also went to the principal for the first time in my life. It was not a place I got called in my day. Call me a goody-goody if you will. I just never did anything bad enough to warrant getting called there. This principal looked like one of the gay man bears from that site Dolores found. Tall, bulky, bald, goatee. You know the type. [Imagines Stewie in gay bar talking to him, "I know the guy that owns this place..."]
I'm pleased to say that I got no jitters that I used to get when I went into Randy's office, voluntarily or otherwise. I guess that means I'm growing [go me!]. He agreed with pretty much everything I had to say, and said he'd give the students a heart-to-heart, cause they SHOULD know better. And he told me to call him if they do anything at all tomorrow. Don't bother to chastise them, just walk over to the phone and call him. Then I said that I wasn't sure if they'd be there. See, tomorrow, the entire Senior class has a book report do. Since their regular teacher isn't there, some of these guys seem to think that they can just not come in and not hand it in. When I told the principal this, he chuckled and told me to call him if that should happen, too.
I was quite pleased with myself, and as is the case with my current classes, as the day progressed, things got better. However, I still feel like crap. I think I'm taking their criticism and hatred of their regular teacher to heart. They really don't like him and I don't think it's right that they be telling me such things. And, despite my telling them so, they continue to do it. They pick on him mercilessly. They make drawings of him, when asked to come up with story ideas, they all have to do with this teacher being gay or how much they hate him. I feel for the guy. He's having a hell of a year. It'll be a miracle if he stays around for another. But because they seemingly do these things despite my telling them not to, I end up feeling remiss in my duties by the end of the day. Add that to me never thinking that I do a good job in anything has been making me feel sick by the end of the day. Well, that and the worry that the teachers will suddenly stop asking me back and I REALLY will be unemployed next year.
WOW I really sidetracked there, didn't I? Anyway, that is my big post. Not counting tomorrow with the same classes I have had, I will only have one more day of subbing there for the rest of the school year. [This probably adds to my paranoia, I'm sure.] I'll stop now, providing I get some virtual hugs, [preferably in a handbasket].
Reaching the end of my tether with my seniors---there is a very good reason why, if given the option, I'd take Middle Schoolers through 10th grade over these yahoos---I gave five students detentions in the last two days: four from one class just this morning.
I like to think of myself as a reasonabnle person. I understand no one likes a SUBSTITUTE TEACHER [one of the best things said on The Golden Girls was when a man, dumped when Blanche decided her scheme to find men by selling a rented car wasn't working, tell Dorothy, "If I weren't a substitute teacher and accustomed to this sort of abuse, I'd leave right now." It's true. And I take that into consideration when I'm in for another teacher. I have a rule that I tell all my students on day one: "I'll warn you thrice,"---the kids are all about using thrice these days---"and then you'll suffer the consequences." Depending on whatever offense, I can go more or less than those three, but the principle is still the same.
I have three classes of seniors, and my second period has since been my Everest. There is a student that I met on my very first day of teaching at this school who stapled a girl's leg. Since I wrote to the teacher about the incident and, I guess, got him in trouble with her, he has made it his goal in life to challenge me, as though I was challenging him. So, most of the time, I just smile and/or ignore him, cause he is just after attention. He and this other student, Family Guy's #1 Fan, like to pretend their gay for laughs. And there were also two students who just didn't want to be there, they didn't feel like working, and they sure as hell didn't want to take the quiz and do the worksheets I had for them. I understand that they are seniors and don't want to work cause they're "almost done," but give me a break. They don't have to be giving me shit because they hate their teacher who assigns them horrid busywork to do. I tolerate a lot more than others would but disrespect pisses me the fuck off. There was no reason for their behavior in general, let alone today.
And today it was just the last straw. Like I said, they're decent kids just looking for attention and have no desire to do busywork. I can't blame them too much. But Senioritis is no excuse.
Today, not only were they using foul language [my idea of foul language is different from most; I tolerate pretty much everything, but overusage and timing play key factors in my discipline of it] and giving out answers during a quiz, they decided to go through the teacher's desk and start destroying/playing with everything therein. While I was handling this situation, another student decided to open up all the cabinet doors. When I turned to deal with him, the others started throwing around a tennis ball. And, cabinet boy, rather than do as I asked him, opened the teacher's own personal cabinet and found an uneaten doughnut---he was just about it throw it to Staple Boy when I lost it.
I didn't yell, but I made it clear that should they continue to screw around and whatnot, they'd be receiving a detention. This got them to ease up a bit. However, when I asked them to hand over the items, they held the objects out of reach of me (both ball and doughnut).
Within seconds the bell rang, and I finally got Family Guy Fan to put everything back IN the desk. So, I wrote them all up for disrupting class and failure to follow a reasonable request [I hate the phrase and I hate the fact that I must use it] It is, however, ultimately the teacher who decides if they shall receive the detentions.
I also went to the principal for the first time in my life. It was not a place I got called in my day. Call me a goody-goody if you will. I just never did anything bad enough to warrant getting called there. This principal looked like one of the gay man bears from that site Dolores found. Tall, bulky, bald, goatee. You know the type. [Imagines Stewie in gay bar talking to him, "I know the guy that owns this place..."]
I'm pleased to say that I got no jitters that I used to get when I went into Randy's office, voluntarily or otherwise. I guess that means I'm growing [go me!]. He agreed with pretty much everything I had to say, and said he'd give the students a heart-to-heart, cause they SHOULD know better. And he told me to call him if they do anything at all tomorrow. Don't bother to chastise them, just walk over to the phone and call him. Then I said that I wasn't sure if they'd be there. See, tomorrow, the entire Senior class has a book report do. Since their regular teacher isn't there, some of these guys seem to think that they can just not come in and not hand it in. When I told the principal this, he chuckled and told me to call him if that should happen, too.
I was quite pleased with myself, and as is the case with my current classes, as the day progressed, things got better. However, I still feel like crap. I think I'm taking their criticism and hatred of their regular teacher to heart. They really don't like him and I don't think it's right that they be telling me such things. And, despite my telling them so, they continue to do it. They pick on him mercilessly. They make drawings of him, when asked to come up with story ideas, they all have to do with this teacher being gay or how much they hate him. I feel for the guy. He's having a hell of a year. It'll be a miracle if he stays around for another. But because they seemingly do these things despite my telling them not to, I end up feeling remiss in my duties by the end of the day. Add that to me never thinking that I do a good job in anything has been making me feel sick by the end of the day. Well, that and the worry that the teachers will suddenly stop asking me back and I REALLY will be unemployed next year.
WOW I really sidetracked there, didn't I? Anyway, that is my big post. Not counting tomorrow with the same classes I have had, I will only have one more day of subbing there for the rest of the school year. [This probably adds to my paranoia, I'm sure.] I'll stop now, providing I get some virtual hugs, [preferably in a handbasket].