So I generally try to write good things about my students and all the positive things that are going on, but right now I am working on management skills. So many of my children from unstable homes so you have to know their background and try to keep up with new developments at home, father leaves again, boyfriends have moved back in, etc. It is horrible what parents are doing to their children.
When things happen at home then the kids tend to have much harder days at school because of all the stress at home. You have to learn to read these kids so well so that if you don't know that something went on at home you can notice that their crazy behavior is a little more crazy than usual and cut them a little slack. But then how much slack can you cut them because learning can't stop because someone had a hard weekend at home and doesn't want to follow classroom rules.
All this to say Friday I'm teaching science and the class is so wild. My mentor teacher and I tried everything. We would get them calmed down but as soon as we started the lesson again it was instant chaos again. And the lesson was not even that involved. Well, I told one student to change his card for not following directions. He whined all the way there and was on the road to a temper tantrum. My mentor teacher told him that if he continued he would change his card twice leading to a an action plan that he would have to write and get a parent or guardian to sign. Well, he carried on and she followed through, he lost it and started screaming at the top of his lungs in the middle of the room, "I hate you! I hate you!" to my mentor teacher and then burst into tears and climbed under the back table where he stayed until library.
There are aspects of teaching that terrify me. I have find the balance of how much to let these students disrupt learning and lessons and when to draw the line and say no more without pushing them over the edge.
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6 comments:
Wow, Hilary, you have got quite the class to deal with, but I am sure that you are getting great practice and learning lots each day. I think it can be harder when they are not your own children.
And I thought dealing with my child was tough! Good grief! Thanks for the glimpse into a different world.
Oh my word. I don't know how you do that. You're amazing.
That sadly, is public school. I don't remember any craziness like that when I was in 3rd grade. Hil you are in our prayers!!
Correction** I do remember the craziness from 3rd grade, we had a kid bring a knife to school it was in his little pencil box in his locker. I remember it being a big deal but the kid (Terrence Fisher)
(see I even remember his name) wasn't going to hurt anyone, it was more like I'm cool like what I brought to school. So yes it sounds like some things won't ever change.
Public school is hard. I had a student flip out and throw his backpack across the room, flip his desk upside down, and threaten to kill someone. I also had a student who acted like a seal during a lesson once. She actually got on the floor and flapped her arms and made seal noises. I could go on and on about some experiences. It is hard but worth it when you see a child really understand something!
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