Saturday, September 17, 2005

Maybe this was a bad idea.....

So I work my ass off all week(I know..bitch bitch bitch. Well, you're gonna fucking read about it for a minute, so just live with it); stay up studying for quizzes that get postponed because the teacher left the quiz on her Other computer, completing projects that have minor directions printed on them, spend hour after hour sweating because the school won't fix the air conditioning (to the point where I brought a fan to class!), etc.
And why, you ask? To become a certified teacher. Yea, great choice!
THE STORY:
I substituted yesterday in a downtown school (DCPS - District of Columbia Public School, or as I like to refer to them 'Dumb City Public Suckers' (ok, I couldn't think of anything really funny) and a nice little fight broke out in my classroom.
Nothing like a post lunch fight to settle the stomach. Oh, let's not forget some of the weighing factors: a. We won't even get into the population of this school (age, race, sex), b. Third floor (oh hell no, there wasn't an elevator), and why does that matter to a personal trainer who is supposed to be in-shape, c. There was no air conditioning in my assigned room! coupled with d. We were lucky enough to have the afternoon sun in the room.
Well, no need to get into the details of why this rediculousness went on, but I will tell you that these kids curse more that I do!! Maybe not as creatively but in per amount, they take the cake (mmm.....cake). And is basically what lead one kid to hit another a couple of times, that I saw, in the face!
I did my best. Called the office for the police, tried to diffuse the situation through reasoning while blocking one child another by making my arms into a bar-type object, I even had to hold one back Literally so that the other child could run away.
Did I earn my money? I would say so! And don't even start with me about how I shouldn't put my hands on a child. I was protecting another child from harm, which is just the ethical thing to do. And I should know, I'm taking Ethics this semester. Yay school =And don't get on me about how I should have waited for the police, which are in the building because they didn't show up til a few minutes after the situation had left my room. Oh yes, it left my room. The child getting beat up got a running headstart, as I restrained the aggressor, but I wasn't going to hold that child forever. He does have Some freedom. So as I let him go, the aggressor ran after the other boy (ok, now we know what sex they were but really, are we surprised?) with his 'boys' in tow. I didn't see what happened, but the rest of the class did, as they went charging out into the hallway.
Now, some would say that it's natural instinct to go see a fight, but I stayed and told the rest of the class, once they all returned, that I don't believe in fighting as a way to solve problems so no. "I did not and would not run out of class to watch a fight. I would obviously put myself in harms way to protect a child from being hurt or do everything I could to stop it from even starting. Fighting is just ignorant! A real immature way to handle your problems." Hey, if I can't teach about the endocrine system (the work Mr. _____ left for the 'substitute' to 'teach'), I'll teach them a life lesson.

So think back over what I just wrote and ask yourself if you even thought about what kind of injury I might have taken.
I'll give ya a second.
Right. I didn't think so. Neither did the people I worked for. I mean, I get that the kids are more important (the kids are our future! WTF kinda future is that?!) and that I could pick up most of them with one hand but Still, you think I'll ever come back to your school? (yes, I was asked if they could call me again. I said, "you can call....") They did nothing to protect a teacher from this non-sense.
And I hear it already, "Hey, you can't predict what a kid is gonna do." Well, to a certain extent they obviously can. How? A teacher told me that this is normal behavior when it's hot out. I mean, the school acted like it was another day in paradise. Are You F'n Kidding Me?
What a great principal, to allow this kinda non-sense. I'm not sure what I would do, but I'm sure the whole school would feel the consequences, QUICK. Teach them that Mr. _________ doesn't put up with any bullshit.
This principal can barely articulate English himself, so what do I truly expect? Obviously not much.
Maybe this teaching thing was a bad idea.

(Btw, I'm fine. A few bumps and maybe a few bruises/scratches.)

6 comments:

honeykbee said...

Those scratches really suck.

Anonymous said...

Is arming yourself with a Taser an option?

- Chief Ninja Monkie
Ninja Monkie Bacchanal

Scottie said...

ahhh...love the brats

Anonymous said...

What would you have the principal do? I think the teacher can predict what the students will do and should be aware of a brewing fight so as to head it off at the pass before it happens. But that's why you're in school!

Beakerz said...

and M, what would you have the teacher do? call for security and try to talk the kids down, while one runs all over the place, another curses you out, you tell the offending kid(s) to go to their class?
Without physically moving them, I had no option. I did exactly what the "book" says. So while I appreciate your thoughts here, I don't think you can truly appreciate the sitaution for what it was.
To answer your question though: What would I have the principal do....get the fucking security up there when they KNOW this is an ongoing problem, they have a sub (who obviously doesn't know shit), and it's about 120 degrees in the room!
But yea, that's why I'm in school....so I don't have to teach THOSE bastards!
I swear, have you ever taught in SE, DC?
If you had, you wouldn't comment the way you did.
Like I said, I appreciate the comment, but I emplore you to be put into the same situation and see how "sugar and spice" works for you.

Anonymous said...

you know, as a sub-teacher, i think the principal had a duty to inform you of this 'on-going behavior' - maybe consider it a lesson, to try to get as much info on the type of kids you'll have to deal with before walking in and getting blind-sided and in harms way again? just a suggestion?

 
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