That's the reality for me, each and every school day. My first period is wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Not perfect, mind you, but as good a class as I've ever had, taking behavior and aptitude into account. Then I have a planning period, which is usually harried and far from relaxing, but at least offers some alone time. My third period is yearbook, which provides for publishing-related headaches, but is peopled by a small class of exceptional kids. Can't complain there.
And then, there is fourth period, a class as frustrating as any I've ever had. Both first and fourth have about five kids too many, but when around 12-15 of those kids are difficult and/or seriously unmotivated, then the game is up - at least according to the standards I try to set, which are not too unrealistic, I think. It is unbelievable how much time I spend policing, or waking people up. Some of this can be chalked up to it being fourth period, but, when I vented to a couple of the decent students in there about my frustrations, one of them simply said, "What do you expect? Take a look around at who's in here."
So, my mood swings wildly, usually from up to down, each day.
I'll take suggestions.
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FOR THE STRAIGHT WAY WAS LOST."
"Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel / And shining morning face, creeping like snail / Unwillingly to school." - Jaques, As You Like It
(Oh yeah... the views expressed here are my own, and not necessarily those of my school or school district. Thought you would like to know.)
"...I came to myself in a dark wood,
FOR THE STRAIGHT WAY WAS LOST."
About Me
- School Master P
- North Carolina
- I'm a born and raised North Carolinian, and live in the east-central part of the state. My average, but deviously ambitious family includes my one lovely wife , my one darling son (8 yrs. old), and (most ambitious of all) a no-doubt mean little girl born in October (surprise, surprise!). I have completed seven years of teaching high school English. I spent my first five years of teaching at a small rural school, and am now teach at a much bigger school in a bedroom community several miles outside of Raleigh.
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3 comments:
I got nothing. Good luck!
Well, what I had today was the removal of four boys from class because one of them pulled the old "flip the pencil and stick it in the ceiling" routine, and the other three ran out of their seats to congregate around this sage young man.
And after they were gone, we were actually productive. Who'da thunk?
So I guess that might be a blueprint for minor success.
I sent out 3 Friday for talking and making noises during a test (middle school). Similar results. The vice principal was very apologetic.
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