I love my job

This is actually more of a PSA than a regular blog post.

It is for all of the school age parents out there who have kids in public school.

Be sure to ask them about their day when they (or you) get home.

Not only what did THEY do that day but, also, what did the kids in their class do. Perhaps I am just getting too old for this job OR I am too old school but the behaviour that is rearing its ugly head on an all too regular basis is becoming too much for me to handle!

If your child recounts something that doesn’t sound right, it probably isn’t!

Believe them.

Call the school.

Parents are the voice of potential change and improvement for their children.

Teachers have no voice…or very little.

What am I talking about? Yesterday was a bad day but not completely out of the ordinary.

I have been teaching for 29 years – all grades, all subjects and in a number of different neighbourhoods. I would say, and my evaluations would support this, that I have a pretty good handle on behaviour in the class so what I am about to tell you did not happen because I do not know how to do my job.

This is a slightly tweaked version of my documentation of one of three incidents yesterday – this one being the one that ALMOST had me packing my bags and walking out – just for the day!

I apologize in advance for the language – not mine but direct quotes from a student.

I was teaching a grade 8 (13 year olds for a little context) Core french class.

ALL of the class was asked to close their Chromebooks to respectfully watch classmates do presentations. Two students did not comply. They were asked again to close their Chromebooks.

Student: NO!!

Me: Please close your Chromebook so that you can be respectful and give your full attention to the presenters. 

Refused. I went over to take her Chromebook to put on her homeroom teacher’s desk. 

At this point she amped it up several notches and YELLED “SHUT THE FUCK UP!! GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME. YOU CANNOT TOUCH MY FUCKING CHROMEBOOK!” at which time she slammed it shut and threw it in her desk.

We have gone down this road many times before and I knew as soon as I left her, the Chromebook would come back out.

I put my hand out and said “Please give me your Chromebook.”

“FUCK OFF”.

** At this point please feel free to check back to the title of this post!

I moved her desk away and she once again YELLED :

DO NOT TOUCH MY FUCKING DESK! FUCK OFF BITCH!!

The principal later excused her behaviour saying that she was having a “rocky patch” and that she was upset because her classmates were staring at her.

If her concern was that people were looking at her, the screaming and F bombs could perhaps have been limited??? Just a thought! Apparently my “old school expectations” are out of whack!

After I moved her desk away from her, she pulled another desk over and made a comment about how stupid I was to think she didn’t have 2 desks (which she didn’t).

I asked her to leave and go to the office so we could continue with presentations. 

FUCK THAT – I AM NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

Reminded her that her language was not OK.

Now I called the principal to come get her because she was not going to leave. I explained that the situation was volatile and that we could not proceed while the “Student Show” was going on. She said she would come get her. 

We waited to proceed because “Student” was continuing to interrupt the presenter by yelling and swearing about how “FUCKING STUPID” the class and I were. 

Waited 10 minutes while the class (and I) talked quietly amongst themselves. 

When the principal did not arrive, we started presentations again as I was hoping to get several done. The student started again right away (the poor person presenting).  I called the office again for help and spoke to the secretary. 

When the principal finally arrived,  approximately 15 minutes after the first call (which felt like an F-ing hour), “Student” dropped the F Bomb at her as well but eventually left. 

Thank GOD!

Took a minute or 2 to get the class back on track after all of the F Bombs and harassment and interruptions. 

We happily took a collective deep breath and continued our presentations without “Student”.

So, as this PSA comes to an end, lesson learned? Please listen to your child if they tell you someone was “misbehaving” in class. In an ideal world, I don’t want to see students who are there to learn subjected to this kind of behaviour!