Deep Sigh.
What a day. A parent was so mad at me that the front office staff had to call the police on her. She was going that psycho. And all because I...well...all because I....
Ya know, I'm not sure what I did. Her child transferred to the school 3 weeks ago, and has faked being sick at least half a dozen times since then. When she doesn't fake sick, she comes up with other reasons to get out of school. I've let her call home several times because she claimed to be sick. Today she did it again, and I told her I wasn't going to let her go. She would have to stick it out. Finally, after she put on such a show that it began to disrupt the class, I told her to go call home. The following contributed to that decision:
A) I had to get her out of the room since she was disrupting,
B) there's obviously something else at work, and she had already been up to speak with the counselor
C) if she's not sick, the mother can tell her to get over it and go back to class when she goes to call.
The mom was apparently mad that I had let her leave class. WTF? Just tell her to go back to class and stop acting a damn fool. Why get mad at ME? I tried to keep her in class.
They said she's "special." I told them, "She's not special enough to disrupt my class."
SNAP!
And with that I turned around and walked off. The police were apparently called after I left. I'm not sure of the details, but you can bet I'll be trying to get the scoop tomorrow.
They can suck it. Why should I have to deal with such stupidity?
That was just the beginning of a very bad day. I laid into that same class later. The guys in the room are giving me hell. They have some really subtle ways of being disrespectful-- things I can't really call them out on every time. So today I just went apesht on them and told them I was sick of it and that it stops here and now, and that if it continues, they will be asked to leave the room and stay out until a parent conference can be scheduled-- regardless of whether the administration feels I am right in taking that action.
My head nearly exploded 7th period because only 3 kids brought in the homework, and 13 of the the other 16 placed the blame on yours truly. I always make them write an explanation of why they don't have their homework. It's always my fault. "I asked you did we have homework and you didn't say nothing." Or, "I didn't no." Or, "You didn't explane it."
All of the above are bullshit, as I think the fact that at least 3 kids got the homework done goes to show. Did God speak to those 3 in the night and tell them what I was thinking but forgot to say in class? No. They listened and wrote down their assignment and then went home and got it done. Or maybe they DIDN'T listen, but saw it written on the board, and saw me pointing to it as I made noises similar to those of Charlie Brown's mom.
Wahhh wawah wah WAH!
This is the many-eth time this has happened. I was so angry and fed up that I sat down and called every parent of a child who had pulled the "it's your fault because..." card. This was after I gave the 3 do-gooders a pass to the library to go do whatever educational activities they chose to do for the hour. Then I called parents and gave a very frank explanation of the situation, laid out the consequences and choices, and most were supportive.
The kids have to do the homework tonight, and they will receive 90% credit if they do. After the way they refused responsibility for their own actions (or lack of action) it killed me to say that they could still turn it in for 90%, but that's been the policy all year. I have that policy because I understand that crap happens. Grammas die. Moms work late. Books are forgotten. Uncles have heart attacks. Drunk family members stab each other. You know, typical stuff. I didn't think it would be fair for me to refuse to accept it tomorrow since that's been the policy.
But I did stick it to 'em. You know I did. Wanna know how?
They now have two assignments due tomorrow. The original homework, which hasn't changed, and a 2 page essay on personal responsibility, which will be counted as a test grade. And they can't turn in one without the other. It's all or nothing. I gave them a list of questions to answer in their essays:
What is personal responsibility?
What qualities does a teenager have when they have learned to accept personal responsibility?
Why is personal responsibility so important?
What are some ways in which my reluctance to embrace responsibility for my own actions has affected my life recently?
What negative effects has my lack of responsibility had on my experience in English this year?
What will change once I begin to accept responsibility for my actions?
There may have been one more, but that's all I can remember. They're still on the board in red ink, and I'll jot them down tomorrow so I know what to look for when I'm grading the essays, if I get any.
I was ready to run from the building screaming and pulling my hair before it was even lunch time. It's a miracle that I made it through the day without crying or losing it and cussing a kid out.
On a more positive note, several of the parents I called were supportive-- a few were even grateful. One told me she loves me. She's an older lady who is desperately trying to keep her kid on the right track. She's old school, and I almost said, "I love you too!" If every parent was like her, this generation would change the world for the better.
Another glimmer of hope: My cell phone rang a few minutes ago. It was a student who had lost his notepad and wanted to know what the homework is for tonight. He's not in the class that didn't do their homework, and he did do his even though he didn't do it very well. I'm not sure how he got my number, but I assume I gave it to his mother and she gave it to him. Maybe I'll start doing that-- give the parents my cell number and tell them to let the kids call it if they need help. (My fear is that I'll start getting calls from people wanting to know if my refrigerator is running. You know what I'm sayin'.) I didn't mind the call at all. In fact, it encouraged me to know that at least one child is at home right now thinking about what he needs to do for my class.
Ya know, I'm not sure what I did. Her child transferred to the school 3 weeks ago, and has faked being sick at least half a dozen times since then. When she doesn't fake sick, she comes up with other reasons to get out of school. I've let her call home several times because she claimed to be sick. Today she did it again, and I told her I wasn't going to let her go. She would have to stick it out. Finally, after she put on such a show that it began to disrupt the class, I told her to go call home. The following contributed to that decision:
A) I had to get her out of the room since she was disrupting,
B) there's obviously something else at work, and she had already been up to speak with the counselor
C) if she's not sick, the mother can tell her to get over it and go back to class when she goes to call.
The mom was apparently mad that I had let her leave class. WTF? Just tell her to go back to class and stop acting a damn fool. Why get mad at ME? I tried to keep her in class.
They said she's "special." I told them, "She's not special enough to disrupt my class."
SNAP!
And with that I turned around and walked off. The police were apparently called after I left. I'm not sure of the details, but you can bet I'll be trying to get the scoop tomorrow.
They can suck it. Why should I have to deal with such stupidity?
That was just the beginning of a very bad day. I laid into that same class later. The guys in the room are giving me hell. They have some really subtle ways of being disrespectful-- things I can't really call them out on every time. So today I just went apesht on them and told them I was sick of it and that it stops here and now, and that if it continues, they will be asked to leave the room and stay out until a parent conference can be scheduled-- regardless of whether the administration feels I am right in taking that action.
My head nearly exploded 7th period because only 3 kids brought in the homework, and 13 of the the other 16 placed the blame on yours truly. I always make them write an explanation of why they don't have their homework. It's always my fault. "I asked you did we have homework and you didn't say nothing." Or, "I didn't no." Or, "You didn't explane it."
All of the above are bullshit, as I think the fact that at least 3 kids got the homework done goes to show. Did God speak to those 3 in the night and tell them what I was thinking but forgot to say in class? No. They listened and wrote down their assignment and then went home and got it done. Or maybe they DIDN'T listen, but saw it written on the board, and saw me pointing to it as I made noises similar to those of Charlie Brown's mom.
Wahhh wawah wah WAH!
This is the many-eth time this has happened. I was so angry and fed up that I sat down and called every parent of a child who had pulled the "it's your fault because..." card. This was after I gave the 3 do-gooders a pass to the library to go do whatever educational activities they chose to do for the hour. Then I called parents and gave a very frank explanation of the situation, laid out the consequences and choices, and most were supportive.
The kids have to do the homework tonight, and they will receive 90% credit if they do. After the way they refused responsibility for their own actions (or lack of action) it killed me to say that they could still turn it in for 90%, but that's been the policy all year. I have that policy because I understand that crap happens. Grammas die. Moms work late. Books are forgotten. Uncles have heart attacks. Drunk family members stab each other. You know, typical stuff. I didn't think it would be fair for me to refuse to accept it tomorrow since that's been the policy.
But I did stick it to 'em. You know I did. Wanna know how?
They now have two assignments due tomorrow. The original homework, which hasn't changed, and a 2 page essay on personal responsibility, which will be counted as a test grade. And they can't turn in one without the other. It's all or nothing. I gave them a list of questions to answer in their essays:
What is personal responsibility?
What qualities does a teenager have when they have learned to accept personal responsibility?
Why is personal responsibility so important?
What are some ways in which my reluctance to embrace responsibility for my own actions has affected my life recently?
What negative effects has my lack of responsibility had on my experience in English this year?
What will change once I begin to accept responsibility for my actions?
There may have been one more, but that's all I can remember. They're still on the board in red ink, and I'll jot them down tomorrow so I know what to look for when I'm grading the essays, if I get any.
I was ready to run from the building screaming and pulling my hair before it was even lunch time. It's a miracle that I made it through the day without crying or losing it and cussing a kid out.
On a more positive note, several of the parents I called were supportive-- a few were even grateful. One told me she loves me. She's an older lady who is desperately trying to keep her kid on the right track. She's old school, and I almost said, "I love you too!" If every parent was like her, this generation would change the world for the better.
Another glimmer of hope: My cell phone rang a few minutes ago. It was a student who had lost his notepad and wanted to know what the homework is for tonight. He's not in the class that didn't do their homework, and he did do his even though he didn't do it very well. I'm not sure how he got my number, but I assume I gave it to his mother and she gave it to him. Maybe I'll start doing that-- give the parents my cell number and tell them to let the kids call it if they need help. (My fear is that I'll start getting calls from people wanting to know if my refrigerator is running. You know what I'm sayin'.) I didn't mind the call at all. In fact, it encouraged me to know that at least one child is at home right now thinking about what he needs to do for my class.
It will be interesting to hear about their ideas about "personal responsibility."
Posted by
Anonymous |
6:39 AM
There won't be a coherent thought in any of the papers. One kid actually wrote his yesterday and gave it to me before he left class. It made no sense. They can't think.
Posted by
Mommy Needs a Xanax |
6:47 AM
An essay on personal responsibility? I think I love you, too. I make the students sign a contract stating they have received my rules, blah blah blah. Does it work? Maybe 10% of the time. But your idea....you rock! Oh, and did I mention these are COLLEGE students who still have no personal responsibility? Must be nice for Mommy and Daddy and the Athletic Department pay for all that schooling they ain't getting.
Posted by
Marshamarshamarsha |
10:05 PM
I guess you didn't explane it well enuff, Miz Meanie.
Posted by
Stewed Hamm |
5:29 AM