It’s March. The light at the end of the tunnel can be seen. There’s roughly about 2 months left of school and it’s summer. Spring break is only 2 weeks away.
But, to be honest? I’m tired. I’m burnt out. I’m tired of fighting the laziness, the apathy, the sleeping in class, the cheating. It’s feeling like it’s too much at this point. The kids don’t care, they never have. And trying to fight it has been a lost battle all year.
Today, I caught a kid stealing my answer key (second time in the same class). He didn’t care, he went about the class period laughing and joking with his friends. That’s the part that kills me: he didn’t care and he didn’t feel like he did anything wrong.
Another kid continually disrupts my already hectic 6th period by just being obnoxious; he goes about and does this by throwing his brush in the air and it falling on the floor, getting up to move across the room to talk to his friends (while I’m lecturing, mind you), banging on my door while in the hall after I sent him out, banging on my walls with his brush, and so on.
I had to give up my lunch period today because some kids caused a food fight last Friday. So what happens? All teachers during our lunch period had to sit with their 4th period class and babysit them. They literally designated tables for us and we all had to sit there with our kids during lunch. The administration gave zero consideration for teachers involved, but hey – what does that matter, right? It’s not like we need that half hour to eat/dewind/work/socialize or anything. Nevermind that I already lose 1 day a week of lunch to do duty anyways.
We’ve had 2 bomb threats called in after school the past 2 days and we’ve had to evacuate the building early. Two days I wanted to spend grading and lesson planning.
One step forward, two steps back. One step forward, two steps back.
I’m just about at the end of my rope with all of this.
March 30, 2008 at 10:49 pm
[...] was fairly pissed because we had to give up one of our lunches and sit with them during their lunch due to a food fight. When the principle asked if we had any questions or concerns, I looked around the room, and we all [...]
April 1, 2008 at 9:55 am
Hey Bob,
I’m in GA with you, hun…be careful about revealing too much (bomb threats, 2 days, GA suburbs). You will quickly learn free speech does not count for teachers.
I’ve just started reading your blog. I think we share students. It isn’t you…it’s the attitude of poverty. Poverty values: survival, relationships, and entertainment. Education is not seen as a priority because it rarely involves those things. I also teach high school, and they are uber scary.
If you have a chance, email me. I think I can help you.