Worst teaching day ever

Don't want to be negative, but I also don't want to forget what a TERRIBLE day I had today, and another reason why I think it's essential that my kids have "highly qualified" teachers.

I substituted the 6th grade class. I really enjoy that age, and I think all of those kids individually are smart, funny, and a delight to talk to. As a group...THEY WERE A MESS. I think the students behavior has to reflect on the homeroom teachers style and culture. But, when I came in, they showed zero respect or discipline.

From the 7:20am bell until the 2:15pm dismissal, it was he--. The noise volume in the class was so loud that even my "mean mom" voice couldn't get them to settle down. I would work with one set of boys to stop putting their feet on the desks or to start doing bell work, only to have to break up another set throwing basketballs back and forth during silent reading. I tried clapping, turning off lights, yelling, and even bringing in the Vice Principal to try and get them to follow directions. But, within 5-10 minutes, they were back to their off-the-wall behavior.

I was so frustrated that eventually I gave up and just sat down, not knowing what else to do. What was really sad was that I knew that NO LEARNING was being done. Why were these kids even at school if they were not going to gain anything from it? I felt bad for those 4 or 5 students who were on task and who were listening to my directions. Why did they have to suffer for the other 25 obnoxious, disrespectful and lazy class mates? How can anyone learn in that atmosphere of yelling, laughing, burping and complaining?

The day dragged on and on and on.

My final straw was at 1:30pm, after a LONG rainy day schedule (of course! That meant no recess, just more wild children cooped up in my stinky classroom), was with a boy who had been giving me issues from the morning hour. He was showing me some things on youtube, but when I asked him to get up and start doing some work, he REFUSED. So...I got into a power struggle with him. I just wanted him out of my seat and away from my computer...but, he would not! Can you imagine it? Me getting in his face and demanding him to, "Get out of my chair!" Him avoiding eye contact with me and not budging. I was so mad! I wanted to just shove him onto the ground and call it even, but since I couldn't physically touch him and get sued, another student had to...Who does that? Who fights with the teacher like that and then walks out of the classroom without permission? I was so bugged!!!

After talking with my other staff members, I now realize that it was not me or my lack of control, but that this particular class is extreme in their behavior. I know that there are not a lot of rules in that classroom, and so for a sub to come in and try to change it up was unrealistic. It makes me concerned for my own children. A teacher can make or break a learning environment. What if my boys are in a class where there are a lot of disrespectful kids? How are they to thrive? How can I even find that out if I am not in their class with them?

So, I came home with a sense of incompetence, felt like a failure, and had a headache. It took me a while to get over my feelings of frustration and guilt for not having accomplished anything for that school day. I am so grateful that I don't have a class of my own right now. I don't want to be stuck to one class for 7 hours at a time, sneaking away for bathroom breaks or constantly having to motivate the students to get work turned in. I love teaching, but today was not one of those.

Good night to those poor students in the 6th grade. Please come back to school tomorrow with a better attitude for learning and please learn some respect and rules for adults!

High School

I was a substitute today for the high school. I wore my high heel wedges so that I could have a bit more authority and be taller!

A few thoughts:

Why is it that some of the students have good handwriting, spelling skills, vocabulary, and an inner desire to excel in their schoolwork...while others just are lazy, don't have pride in their work and are just sloppy?

I want my boys to be respectful to all adults and not become the "class clowns" at school. I want them to listen to instructions, do their classwork and be on task. I see such a vast difference with some boys who would turn in their work with an effort, and others that I had to constantly remind them to work and to stop talking. I want my boys to have a love for education and learning, just like Jared and I do. (Disclaimer: I should say that we both had to grow into our love of learning, it definitely wasn't there as much in High School, but we did make it to college and now we both love teaching).

I check in Wesley's backpack everyday with his homework and assignments. I look at his handwriting and the things he needs to correct. As time goes on, I know that I will probably begin to slack off and not be as involved. I want to always make an effort to see my boys' work, tests and be aware of the things they need to learn! As they are older, especially in high school, I bet I will just "assume" that things are going well. NO! Remind myself in 10 years to keep on checking in on Wesley's homework, assignments, handwriting and projects. Be involved!

All the students I pulled aside and worked with one on one exceeded in the work. They could find their own mistakes and tell me how to re-spell the words. All it takes is a bit of effort and awareness.

Reading! If you like to read, or can read fluently, you will automatically be a great speller and have a higher vocabulary. How do I instill that in my boys? I obviously love books, but I am not so good at science/history/math. So, despite my own insecurities with those areas, I also want my boys to be comfortable.


I am grateful for a flexible job. Isaac had a small emergency where I had to take him into the Dr. b/c he was having a hard time breathing. After a breathing treatment and a steroid shot, he is doing much better. It's hard to see your sweet baby struggling to catch his breath. I do love his double chin and playing peek a boo with him in my rear view mirror.

I miss spending the days with my boys. I know it is just a few more months, but I miss watching Isaac crawl around and slobber on his hands. I even miss poopy diapers! On the flip side, it is refreshing to be up by the white board, writing down the answers for a test and calling on students for participation. I do love teaching.

Perspective

I just finished reading the book, "The Boy From Baby House 10...From the Nightmare of a Russian Orphanage to a new life in America." Doesn't the title tell it all?

I was browsing the new books section at the library, and the title caught my eye. I knew that it would be heart wrenching and very difficult to read the tragedies of the children, but I also felt drawn to it.

I skipped through most of the sections that contained severe child abuse and torture, to hopefully get to the parts where this remarkable boy overcame so many obstacles and eventually survived. Any sweet child that is born with any type of disability (physical), is automatically labeled as an imbecile and thrown into an orphanage where they are ridden to a BED for their entire life. I just can't wrap my head around such abuse...and of course there are many more details that I don't want to go into.

The review of the book is: In 1990, a young boy afflicted with cerebral palsy was born, prematurely, in Russia. His name was Vanya. His mother abandoned him to the state childcare system and he was sent to a bleak orphanage called Baby House 10. Once there, he entered a nightmare world he was not to leave for more than eight years. Housed in a ward with a group of other children, he was clothed in rags, ignored by most of the staff and given little, if any, medical treatment. He was finally, and cruelly, confined for a time to a mental asylum where he lived, almost caged, lying in a pool of his own waste on a locked ward surrounded by psychotic adults. But, that didn’t stop Vanya.

Even in these harsh conditions, he grew into a smart and persistent young boy who reached out to everyone around him. Two of those he reached out to—Sarah Philps, the wife of a British journalist, and Vika, a young Russian woman—realized that Vanya was no ordinary child and they began a campaign to find him a home. After many twists and turns, Vanya came to the attention of a single woman living in the United States named Paula Lahutsky. After a lot of red tape and more than one miracle, Paula adopted Vanya and brought him to the U.S. where he is now known as John Lahutsky, an honors student at Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and a member of the Boy Scouts of America Order of the Arrow.

This boy was entertained for hours by one broken toy, would have a vivid imagination of being able to walk outside (he didn't go outside for 6 years and only knew how to crawl), taught the fellow children how to talk, and found such happiness in being creative with his eyes. I can't imagine any of my children trying to even sit still for 2 hours, let alone all day long being constrained to a crib and never being aloud to play.

As I look at the students that I teach, and obviously my own children, I have a different perspective. I have been concerned with some students that aren't reading at benchmark levels, who have discipline problems, and who may be socially isolated, but really...none of that matters when it comes down to it. Any child here in the USA has such a huge chance of survival thanks to our government and CPS.

What inner strength and courage this sweet boy had to overcome his obstacles. My heart was touched to see his sweet smile and how he naturally touched everyone's lives that he met.

I am so grateful that he shared with me his story.