It has been an intense week. I am tired and sitting at my desk in my classroom. I am carpooling this week, owing to the death of yet another car. I have come to a point of thinking it is time to buy a more reliable car. I have to admit that I resent having a car. SL put it neatly: “it’s a chunk of metal that the society has made necessary that I resent having to have.” Here, here, SL. You know how I feel about cars.
My Faith in My Fellow Men and Women
I am amazed how my daughter A can make any situation the occasion for a party. The child can simply take any situation and make it fun. She took what, for me, could have been a serious downer and made it her opportunity to entertain. A has a wonderful sense of humor and can see what is really important. She told me she had a great time because she was spending it with her dad. What a kid.
While waiting for my ride, no fewer than eight people pulled over to help us. I was amazed at the response to seeing the two of us waiting on the car for a ride. I have seen people pulled over. I have driven past them, thinking that I should have done something. I did not expect anybody to stop. Eight cars did. One pulled out a flashlight. One wanted to help with a tow. One offered a ride – yes a ride – to Ventura. These were people that I did not know. They had nothing to gain for helping me. I am so impressed. There are good people out there.
The Games Kids Play
I have had to make several calls this week. The week started off with a bang. Several kids were in performance mode, just pushing the envelope. My answer to this is not to get mad; I call the families. I have spoken with several parents this week. One kid came into class telling me how her father wanted to hang up on me. Another told me that I had no life. In reality, the calls to homes take about five to ten minutes of my day. I find that I get parental support by keeping them in the loop. I also call when kids are doing well. The kids forget about that. I suppose the reason that I went into teaching is that I have no life and hate kids. Just ask them, or at least the ones that have been discipline problems.
I guess that the real issue for me is that we have come to expect to little from our kids. We allow them to live lives without consequences and shelter them from the logical outcomes of their choices. We let them be rude. We let them do the least possible and call that progress. I am not suggesting that we adopt a draconian system of punishment. I am suggesting that accountability and pushing an agenda of excellence is a good thing, I don’t reward kids for meeting my minimal expectations. I reward kids when they go beyond them.
Today we are working on following instructions. I am giving very clearly defined instructions to my English class. They are having to follow procedure clearly. Consequences are clearly defined and quickly administered. So are rewards for following through. It is a hard lesson to learn. The idea is that work will demand that kids do what is expected. After all, employers are giving the kids money for their money. They have a right to expect excellence not excuses.
Saturday Work School
Tomorrow is Saturday Work School. I get to baby-sit the kids that have missed the mark. There are almost thirty kids on this list for this weekend. My bet is that only fifteen or so will show up. They are expected to do trash duty and then school work. The real issue is that they have fouled up in some manner. Tardies are epidemic here. I am a hardnose on this issue: If I am to begin on time the kids need to be here on time. That is the rule. Lots of kids have other issues: leaving campus without appropriate permission (BHS is a very open campus).
Oh well… time to go. More later.
