Teaching!!!!

[camifree 2]

OK... So for the record... I teach Spanish, French and Latin at a private school in Maryland (Middle school and high school). I'm struggling with the behavior of the MS group... and I had it today... and this is what I just emailed to my husband (who teaches at a public school). I don't know anybody here in the personal "area", but I've read friendly comments with a lot of common sense regarding different topics... Smash me if you need/feel to... I just need someone to tell me what to do. Quoting email:

"Hola mi amor,

I left my cell at home… sorry… I’m in school and it has been a very weird day…

The story of my day… not that it should be the center of the universe, but I’m… kind of… “needier” today I guess… And please, excuse my bad English.

Despite having a very bad sleep, I was in a good mood when I got up. I dressed up and I was very excited about one of my classes today because I’m teaching them to dance. So I updated my iPod, etc etc etc… At 12.20 I had my Middle School class… AND IT WAS HIDEOUS!!!! They were SO MEAN with me today, I swear, I couldn’t take it anymore… The girls in that group are so sweet, but the boys are just evil… bad-blood, we say in my country (malasangre). It was so awful that I picked up my stuff and I left the room. I went to the teachers’ lounge where the MS dean was (Mr. Cohen, who is very nice and supportive). I was very embarrassed and almost in tears, like when Elliott’s dad insulted me last year, that’s exactly how I felt. I told him briefly that I might not be the right person for that course and that I’m also a human being… but not their nanny, or their maid, or their b... (I didn’t actually say the last one, but I’m sure he got the message). In my 10 years of teaching, that had NEVER happened to me… I had never been drawn out of my class, E-V-E-R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So he told me to take a seat and that he would go to take care of them. There were other MS teachers who immediately noticed I was very distressed… wow, that’s so embarrassing… but they were very delicate and friendly… two of them (ladies), they actually sat down with me, grabbed my hand, asked me about the incident and told me that EVERYBODY has been going through the same thing with this particular group, and that I shouldn’t feel ashamed because they are all mean jerks. One of them got so angry at them, very embarrassed herself because she doesn’t want me (as a new coworker) to get this kind of impression from the school… I felt better after I talked to them and I had to go to my 12th grade class… that was great, thank God and the Virgin Mary and all the saints!!!!! I’m at my office right now, with a very bad headache and not knowing very well what to do now with this class… I’m considering asking not to be in charge of it anymore…

I know this job of mine is comfy and smooth next to your kind of school… but it can be a real hell sometimes… it was for me today, at least. So I’m venting.

So sorry if this sounds (reads?) crazy.

* sigh *

Cami"

[Alex+R 0]

Middle schoolers can be just horrible. I think people who choose to work with them are SAINTS. It doesn't matter if you are in a privileged school and not a disadvantaged school (as your last sentence I think alludes to)... middle schoolers are middle schoolers. I'm sorry you had such a rough day.

[camifree 2]

Thank you so much!!

You know a nice thing about you responding this first? That my favorite American people are Minnesotan!! And Brazilian music just melts me

[Alex+R 0]

It's a nice state. The Minneapolis area is full of Venezuelans, too.

[camifree 2]

We are actually thinking about moving to one of the twin cities... My husband is from near Moorhead, but he went to college in St. Paul.... We just love that place, although I'm very scared of the cold weather, that's why we haven't done it yet...

[Alex+R 0]

We are actually thinking about moving to one of the twin cities... My husband is from near Moorhead, but he went to college in St. Paul.... We just love that place, although I'm very scared of the cold weather, that's why we haven't done it yet...

I understand that. I grew up there and I don't think I'll move back because of the cold, although I love the area very dearly. I know it will be very cold out east too, but people just don't understand the difference between the cold in Minnesota and... anywhere else.

Good choice in marrying a Minnesotan, though!

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Cami,

I am so sorry you are going through this. Like Alex said, middle schoolers are a tough bunch (reason why I teach adults he he). I have no consejo chica, solamente un abrazo.

Lenina.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

*note to self* Steer wife away from middle school teaching plans *end note*

[camifree 2]

*note to self* Steer wife away from middle school teaching plans *end note*

[Imua 0]

I always wanted to become a teacher but hated school(especially middle school) because I was the kid the other kids just naturally picked on because I have a mild disability and I visualized walking into the classroom and being harassed daily - especially nowadays in America where kids have no respect for their elders and teachers basically are not allowed to impose any kind of discipline. I love teaching and miss it terribly - I have taught English in Italy and Nepal and it is amazing how different the classroom experience is in these countries from the US, at least in my experience. Especially in Nepal, the kids(boys age 8-12) actually wanted to learn and were respectful and attentive - and many of them were orphans yet you didn't see anyone using 'poor home environment' as an excuse for just plain bad behavior.

Edited December 11, 2007 by Pattu Rani

[emt103c 10]

*note to self* Steer wife away from middle school teaching plans *end note*

Don't do it quite yet!!! I teach at a high school and middle school as well, and I LOVE!!! my middle schoolers...they can be stinkers, but they usually brighten my day after my sullen high schoolers. I teach 8th graders Spanish I there and they are so energetic.

I think it depends on the school, because my last school was HE&&.

[caybee 21]

Cami, sorry you had such a rotten time in that class. You are an for doing what you do. So is emt103c. God bless the teachers!

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Throw 'em to the lions.

[PlatyPius 5]

The "privileged" ones always seem to be worse....

[camifree 2]

Thanks for the replies, guys...

Some follow up: The dean told me that lunch detention wouldn't hurt the perps, and that he wanted to be in the classroom when I broke the news to them. So I did, without saying names. Two days... Then, the dean told me that he knew it wasn't part of my nature, but that I needed to learn to be mean sometimes. Puffff! I'm mean in my personal life, but I've never been mean when I teach... I hate to do that... I guess they're forcing me to... Bad news (or usual news?) is that the parents are furious because they don't believe their babies did anything wrong... I'm not surprised with that reaction though...