Dad

One of the best lessons my father has ever taught me in my life is patience. When I was little and behaved badly, my dad would spank us (my sister and I - because we were usually always in trouble together), then dismiss us to our rooms to cry, pout, whatever. He always came in about a half hour later and sit us down and explain why we got spanked. He would also apologize for having to spank us. He was never angry (or seemed angry). In fact, he seemed sometimes more upset than we were about the spanking. I need to work on the angry part.

As I have progressed through my first year of teaching, I vent to my mom & dad about my teaching experiences. My dad always tells me not to get in the "mud" of it all. Today, I wish I would have listened more to my father's advice.

The student the security guard has been pestering me about really let me down today. The security guard has been coming in to my room for almost 3 weeks now about one of his freshmen female basketball players. She now has 29 absences and 28 tardies. She had a 30% in my class and she brought her grade up last night to a 60.2%. She did not do that on her own. I have been making extra copies for her, setting up labs for her to do all over again, and tutoring her during my lunches, homeroom (advisory) period, and after school. I have been skipping lunch to help her get her grade up to a passing level. Last night, I saw her at the boys basketball game and told her that she was up to a 60.2% and she would be eligible to play. I reminded her that she had a test today and she would have to turn in the chapter review packet that they have been working on all week.

Today, she showed up at 8:10am when class starts at 8:00am. She took the test and scored a 10/18 points so she basically failed. She came in during homeroom with the pass for me to sign to allow her to play. I asked her where her chapter packet was and she handed it to me. She had answered one question out of 8 pages. That brought her grade down to a 58.2%. I flipped.

I told her she was not going to be eligible and I wouldn't sign her slip. I was so mad, I drafted an email to send to the principal, athletic director, her coach, and all her other teachers. When I pulled up all her grades, she is failing 3 other classes besides mine. She is an extremely intelligent girl, but very, very, lazy. After I sent the email, her homeroom teacher (who is the teacher next door to me) asked me what was going on and again, I freaked out on him (so sorry Steve). He calmed me down and told me he would look in to it.

My neighbor was running errands and walked in to the security guard who has been pestering me for 3 weeks. He told the guard that he needed to back off and put more of the responsibility on the student rather than the teacher. The security guard flipped out on him (again, so sorry Steve), and went to the Athletic Director notifying him of my neighbor's concern. Next thing I know, I get an email from the Athletic Director telling me that the next time I have an issue, I am to bring it to his concern. ???????

I DID! I talked to the principal last week about this issue and read the email the principal sent him telling all the coaches to back off. This time, I told everyone and included him in the email!!!! Not really sure what else to do with that!

I felt bad after all this had taken place so I sent a copy of the email I sent to my dad for his review and to seek his advice. Dad had the best advice. Stay calm, state the facts. Keep your emotion out of it.

I really need to listen to Dad. I totally let my emotions get me all riled up today.

Today was the last day for all my students to get in any work they wanted posted on their grade for this semester. I had 1 student stay after school. ONE!

Yesterday, I noticed 2 of my desks had been tagged. My students apparently love to mark their territory. I had a pretty good idea of who was doing the tagging and it involved one of the soccer players. I contacted the soccer coach who is also the head of security and had him come over to my room during my prep to look at the desks. He offered his support in whatever course of action I decided to take.

It was between the soccer player and another boy. Today during 7th period, I pulled both boys aside and asked them to figure out which one of them was going to fess up to the tagging. The non-soccer player finally said, "Well, I guess I will take the blame for it then." I asked him to come see me after school.

After school - I offered him an opportunity to explain why he vandalized my desks. I explained this is not my property. The school is allowing me to use these desks for my students. I am responsible for them. Why does he feel it is okay to vandalize something that isn't his? Why after all I have done for him did he feel it was appropriate to vandalize my desks? This student has a 42% in my class. He comes in after lunch and falls asleep every day before and after I wake him up. He doesn't do his homework, doesn't study, and I have caught him cheating on at least one test. I have called home twice and spoken to mom about his behavior. I have also pulled him aside in class twice to have a serious heart to heart about his choices he is making. The only explanation he could offer was, "I don't know." I asked him why he doesn't deserve a referral to the dean of students for his behavior and he said, "I deserve a referral." So, I asked him to write it out on paper and I would attach it to the referral.

I didn't want to write a referral. I wanted him to apologize and say he would do whatever I asked him to do to make it right. I wanted him to say he was being foolish and would never do it again. I could feel the tears forming as I filled out the form. Why? All because some kid who I have tried everything in the book to keep him from making these kinds of choices made them? He has the right to make the choice. Just like I had the right to write the referral.

Oh Dad - I need to channel your patience and management skills more!!