So I've only finished my third week of teaching, but I already have a few moments worth noting. This past week was probably my hardest week. I had several discipline problems that I had to deal with and it wasn't pleasant. I hate having to be hard and bring out my mean side, but when students challenge my authority, I'm left with no choice.
I've told them multiple times that if they do their work on time and try, they will NOT fail my class. Yet I still have almost 15 kids failing my classes. So I'm trying to motivate these students, but nothing seems to work.
I have one student that I've come to realize just doesn't have good days on Mondays. Granted, I know we all have bad days on Mondays, but he just seems to be out of it and not ready to learn. This past Monday we had a particularly bad day. He wouldn't listen or keep his head up in class. I asked and asked and asked so finally I had him go out in the hallway. I went out and had a little chat with him. He backtalked me and told me he wasn't going to take notes and that he was going to sleep. I told him he was a student and just like all the other students he needed to take notes and listen. He told me that he wasn't going to and that I might as well send him to ISS. So that's what I did. I gave him work and let him go. Later that afternoon, I chatted with my principal. She let me know that he didn't have a good home-life, but that the football coach and her would take care of any problems. The next day he came in to apologize for being disrespectful to me and told me that he would get all his work in or he wouldn't be playing on Friday night... I guess my principal took care of it! I love that I have the support of my principal and coaches when students get out of hand. The rest of the week was awesome with that student. He listened and knew how to do all of the work and was willing to help out with problems when I asked for student participation. It was a complete turn around. Hopefully it'll stay that way...
Tuesday, after that student came to apologize, I had to deal with another student in my freshman class that was being defiant. He wouldn't do his work or listen and was being completely disruptive to my teaching. I wrote him up and gave him lunch detention. I figure I'd chat with him to see what was going on. He never showed up. Apparently he did something in another class, because the next day he was in ISS. I am still frustrated and not sure what to do about him. He is failing my class and really doesn't care. My principal said I won't get any support from his parents so this is something I have to think on...
Wednesday I had a student in my algebra 2 class (the same class as the football player) that was backtalking me in class and not keeping his head up to pay attention in class. I had him go out in the hallway and we chatted. I told him he needed to listen and pay attention and at least quit distracting the other students. We came back in and he didn't do that. I made him stay after class with me. It was the last class so it wasn't a huge deal. I sat down and asked him what the deal was. He shook his head and was reluctant to tell me. Finally he said it was about a girl. We talked for a few minutes and I think we ended on pretty good terms. It's those kind of conversations and connections with students that I enjoy making.
On Thursday we had an in school volleyball match. My 14 plus students that were failing had to stay in with me even if they'd bought a ticket and complete their work. I had a student argue with me earlier that day about how he was failing, but it was because he didn't understand the material. I told him his grade wasn't made over night. I reminded him that he didn't listen in class, he didn't come see me about work he didn't understand, and that he never turned his homework in on time. He eventually got all his work in that day and got to go to the volleyball match, but I still had tons of failing kids in my room all at once, trying to make them do work. The kid that I assigned lunch detention cussed at me and I added that to his report. It was a long afternoon that day...
HOWEVER, two days in a row, I had a particularly amazing day with one class. On one day a few girls were excited because they understood something that they hadn't understood previously. They told me that it was easy and that I taught better than all their other math teachers. The next day, they told me that I was the best math teacher they'd ever had. That was the highlight of my day! I try to focus on those things because it's what makes my job worth it!
Also on one of those days, I had a girl in my algebra 2 class who told me that what we were learning was on her ACT and it was so hard before, but now she understands it and it's so easy! Once again, this was another moment where I know I'm in the right profession.
I love my kids and I really love the relationships I've developed with them, but it's hard sometimes to focus on the good moments with them when I'm dealing with discipline problems from kids who don't want to learn or don't care.
I just hope that I can continue to be a role model to them and have these precious memories every day among all the discouragement that teaching can sometimes have.
Reflecting on a tough week,
Katelyn
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