What a Week

It's been a typical week, yet not a typical week. School has been overwhelming this week and I have not been the teacher I want to be. This week, I am embarrassed to say, I was one of those screaming teachers. I hated those teachers when I was in school. I dreaded their classes.

For some reason, there are a few students who are disruptive enough to cause havoc in your class where you are constantly putting out fires & trying to redirect but not disruptive enough to remove from the classroom. Nor are they the least bit threatened when you warn them to stop or wait at the front of the classroom for silence (they ignore you), assign them detention (they skip), write either a Classroom Referral (which goes to their homeroom/team teacher) or an Administrative Referral (which goes to the Dean of Students) or call/email their parents.

This week those students were out of control. I took them out of the classroom to teach off by themselves & the other teacher could teach the majority of students without as many disruptions. I knew they would not be angels off by themselves, that was a given. They were the most obnoxious I had ever seen them - ever.

I was never so glad to see this weekend come. And I am very glad that next week will be a 4 day class week. On Thursday the kids have a half day & the whole school will be doing fun activities using our Character Education Lessons as a base. I've already planned to have a quiet lunch with a good friend at our favorite restaurant. Then the second half of the day is going to be spent learning new strategies in classroom management & wellness.

I don't like who I've become this week. By Friday I was spent. I had a class of 7th graders ask me why I was so quiet. And I told them. Flat out. All of them had me last year so they know that I rarely raise my voice. I told them that I was at my wits end trying to figure out what to do & how frustrating & upsetting it was for me. In response, they said that they were sorry that they & others had been out of control & then they were quiet for the rest of the period.

I wish it was that easy. You say it once & they remember & do it... "One & Done!!" to quote a fellow teacher. I forget too so how am I going to hold them accountable for 100% of the time? It'd be nice if it was only a fraction of that time though.

Here's to a better week ahead.

Bye! Love you! Have a good day, Dear!