[Miscellany]

It's been a bad day. One of those terrible, no good, very bad days.Grade 5 and 6.I don't know how high school teachers do it on a daily basis, because the 5s and 6s are bad enough. ArtistCousin/RanofftoItalytobecomeaNunbutdidn'tCousin used to teach high school. The stories involved using mobile phones to distract the teacher while other covert shit went on and bullying in the yard...the students bullying the teachers that is. I can't tell you how many tears she shed about that. God. I think if faced with that situation you would see some serious Elvis shooting at the TV shit going on from me. I don't have the type of personality that easily turns around and walks away. This is exactly what you should do though.

My first class was probably the worst. I felt like I was back in first year not knowing what to do...then I looked around and realised that there were quite a few people from my very first grade in this class. They haven't changed much. A bunch of boys were mucking around and it threw the whole lesson off, so I kept the boys in for detention at recess.

I hate detention. There is really nothing worse than spending time with naughty kids, that could otherwise be better used by overloading brain with caffine. The boys came in quietly, except one (Cal, actually) who I ripped into until everyone else was just looking at the floor. I am not really a mean teacher, in fact I'm one of the so called "nice teachers" - so when I crack it then I fucking CRACK IT and it can be terrifying. So after the whip cracking, I made them all just sit there. Yep - primative shit. One particular boy decided that it would be a good idea to give me some backchat so I bit back. I was already angry and frustrated and bought into something that is rule #1 in teaching - don't ever get into an argument with children you are disciplining. In fact one should just ignore boys who are being idiotic (just like one ignores men, later on. haha, kidding folks!) . But the damage was already done. I allowed myself to get pissed off.

I moved main contender away from the others but he kept annoying the other boys and me by turning around and talking until I just went off at them all again.They had been sitting there a while when main contender suddenly yelled out that another boy had a mobile phone. I took the phone away and I saw him exchange rude guestures, so I sent the rest out and kept the two offenders in for longer. One boy wore it like a man, the main contender however used the opportunity to be an arsehole and plead innocence so I basically let him have it.

I told him that the reason he was in detention was not that he didn't finish his work, not that he didn't do a good job, but that he had broken one of the fundamental art room rules, which was to be silly and not respect the materials. He started to object but I cut him off. He was in detention because he was rude to others and rude to me. I told him not to manipulate me with his victim routine, all the reasons why he was sitting in the art room at recess instead of going outside were entirely valid and if he wanted to continue with art he would have to leave the chip on his shoulder at the door next time or I would send him back to his teacher without a second glance.The look I got was one of those "I'm going to make a shank in technology and knife you after school next week Miss" looks. But they only make me (insanely) stronger.Then I went to the prin and v.prin to tell them the story. The parents will be up to the school like a flash - His attitude and subsequent parental denial of his behaviour has a been a major problem since year 1.

A terrible, no good, very bad day

posted by M at 4:09 pm 4 comments