blowing up

It's a great feeling to know that tomorrow is a Wednesday, a day that most people will still be heading into work for 8 or so hours and facing the challenges of their respective jobs, that is most people besides me. A great perk of my job is the vacation time. Of course there's the three month vacation during the summer months, but also the holiday vacations given throughout the year that not everyone gets to enjoy...UEA, Holiday Recess, etc. This year, the district seemed a bit generous and gave us the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off and thus, a 5 day weekend.

I will tell you what, I hate to complain because I know how old complaining can become, but this teacher is in much need a 5 day break from the little darlings who spend time in her classroom each day. I know, I know, you are probably thinking, 'but, Lauren, you have two days over the weekend to recharge your teaching batteries!' And to this I say: 2 days is not enough after the kind of month I've had.

You are all aware of my #1 and #2 worse 8th grade students who have recently joined my classes. I will tell you, they certainly live up to the sad potential previously explained to me. However, I've done my darnedest to gain my own opinion of these kids. I tried smiling and saying their name as they walk into the door. I try giving them some extra praise in front of their peers. But, alas, my attempts were beaten down quickly by their poisonous behavior. It is a scientific wonder to me how one kid, approximately weighing about 120 pounds, completely ruins the once superb class in a matter of minutes.

I know I've written about this before, but I feel that I'm a fairly patient person. Much more patient than some teachers who I work with. I understand how crummy it can be to be a junior high teenager and how hard it can sometimes be to keep your self in control. I didn't like junior high much myself--the whole awkwardness of being a teenage girl and the drama of friends, etc.--so I feel at times I can relate to my students.

Today, however, I suppose my patience was damaged one too many times and by 7th period, the period in which Worst 8th grader #1 currently spends his time, I basically, what's the word? BLEW UP!

I hate to re-live the nasty details here but I will tell you that I lost some hair in the battle and might have hurt some tender teenage feelings. I also might have kicked a kid out of the class (I hardly ever do that, by the by) and had to excuse myself shortly there after to take a breath, count the 10 and regain my composure. I obviously reached my limit of immature teenage behavior, constant pencil tapping, talking out of turn, and flying erasers/beads/paper/coins/pens/gum crossing the room in various directions.

As I tried to collect my thoughts about what went wrong after the darlings had left for the weekend, I came across this comic. In education, we talk a lot about classroom management, which is the hardest part about being a teacher. If classroom management were only this easy, I'm sure I'd have smaller class sizes: it'd take one day to clear out my behavior problems this way.
So, from one teacher desperately in need of a 5 day week to a handful of lovely readers, I say

Happy Thanksgiving!

(ps...a small side note: I've just finished watching Soulja Boy Tellum on Ellen and have determined that even though I'm not crazy about the song, I will be learning the dance over my break)