Thursday, October 29, 2015

Toothless

I like mornings. This morning the dogs started their dog ritual a bit early.  One of the little house dogs decides he wants out. Then the big outside dogs decide they want in. While that little dog is out, the other little dog gets in bed with us. Then the little dog wants in. Now the other little dog wants out. By this time, I am usually wide awake and might as well take my shower. After my shower, all dogs are ready for their morning treat. Then they want out again. It is like "Give a Mouse a Cookie."

Actually it was a pretty standard morning. My mind had already turned on and was running strong when the dogs decided to start the ritual. I often wonder if I woke them or did they wake me. Whatever! My mind clicked on - thinking about the school day. And why? It is all ready and no problems, but my mind decided to run through it. That may be the hardest thing about this teaching. I can deal with kids and such. I can deal with art. But there is something about teaching and being prepared that makes me work and think like I have not had to do in the past 20 years.

I remember when I stopped teaching when we moved to NM and opened up a restaurant. The food business is hard work, but the relief of the pressure of teaching was awesome. Everyday being responsible for classrooms full of willful teenagers is a lot of pressure. There is no saying, "Excuse me while I go to the bathroom...or make a phone call...or time out."  I'm not I am aware of the responsibility until later. While at school, you just deal with things. Later, you realize the pressure. It's not that I can't deal with it or handle it; it is just that it has been a while since I had to do it.

When I saw the video-gone-viral of the officer tumping the student out of the desk and struggling to get her out of the room, I saw things totally differently than the public. I saw a teacher struggling for control of his classroom. I saw parents who have failed to teach their child respect for authority. I would want that kid gone - as in don't come back to my classroom or any other classroom at this school. But that won't happen. As a fellow teacher once said, "We are just toothless tigers in a zoo of wild animals. We can roar, but we have no power, and the other animals know it."

7 comments:

Jo Castillo said...

I sympathize with you on the video. I get so riled up over the lack of respect and responsibility for peoples actions. It is not just teenagers. Note the so called MSNBC debate for an “adult” example. Sigh…… Hope your day is good and a super weekend. We are at about an inch of rain today. They had 10 inches down by Buda/San Marcos and Wimberly is flooding again. So sad.

Bag Blog said...

I heard there was flooding in the area. When I saw that Team Rubicon was in the Bastrop area to help people in need after the fires, I though of you. I'm glad you guys were safe this time around. Rain is good.

CenTexTim said...

"I saw parents who have failed to teach their child respect for authority."

It starts early. I've seen that in elementary school. Too bad parents can't get detention along with their kids.

Bag Blog said...

CTT, my sister teaches 4th grade. She is having a rough year thanks to a kid with no respect for authority.

Old Geezer said...

If I was running a school, I'd make it mandatory that you'd have to leave your electronic devices (other than a calculator) in your locker, or at the front office.

Anonymous said...

When I was in the 8th grade my gym teacher was also the math teacher, and when I acted up in class he "made me" run a mile during gym class. I told him I didn't like to be punished by running, and he said - I'm not punishing you, I want you to run to get rid of all that excess energy! I was of course confused, because I thought he was mad at me.

So one day he ran with me, showed me how I was doing it all wrong, and showed me how to stretch when I cramped-up doing it right, and within a semester I was running five miles and enjoying it.

Plus, I was too tired to cause trouble in math class, ha.

His name was Mr. Smith, and he had a daughter named Taffy who was in the same grade. Mr. Smith of course was an ex-Marine from the Korean war, buzz-cut and all. Taffy once told me that her dad said I was a no-good bum, but since I started running he had started to like me.

Anyway, it was nice to know I was a topic of their dinner conversations, ha.

Bag Blog said...

Anon,
I have never enjoyed running, but then it was not so popular in my younger days.

Old Geezer,
Leaving phones in the locker makes sense. So why hasn't it become a rule?