Hey Ladies,
So I have kind of hit a wall here and am a little stuck, so I thought to myself, what better place to turn to than my London support group!
Things have turned NUTS here in Casa. There are three 4th grade classes, two with brand new first year teachers, including yours truly, and one with led by Diane, who has been teaching 4th grade for about 15 years in Hawaii. So about three weeks ago Diane quit her job. She finished out Quarter 2 and then got on a plane back to Hawaii.
On one hand I can't say as I blame her, because she and I have talked a lot about how unhappy she is at GWA and in Casa. She hasn't connected with people in the same ways that I have and struggled a lot with cultural adjustment. So I understand doing what is best for you and going to a place where you can be happy, but a lot of the staff hasn't seen that side of Diane, so they have turned really negative about her and been saying some rough stuff. Which has been really frustrating because I try not to roll that way, and I had been feeling like the school had a super supportive atmosphere, which I now feel like has kind of scratched through the thin veneer of that. So I'm a little disheartened.
The transition has been a little rough. Telling my class was really weird, their first reaction was unanimous NO of sorrow, then they turned negative and started to make fun of the new teacher just based on her name. So I had to try and put the kibosh on that right quick. We pulled of two great surprise parties and got to enjoy her last days here. But then it was another transition to working with the sub until the new teacher arrived. She is supposed to start on Monday, and I haven't met her yet. So I'm nervous about how that will change the 4th grade team dynamic, plus I feel as if it has pushed me into more of a leadership position among the team (Schwab would be so proud)
Then in my own classroom we have been having our own issues. My kids started out the year great, and I was like, this is awesome. But after Christmas, it is kind of like they flipped a switch. They are being mean to each other and deliberately not listening. I have about 6 kids that I am about ready to call parents and tell them that they are wasting their money sending their child to private school. The kids refuse to listen or do any work, talk nonstop, fool around in their desks and doodle all over their papers. And I have to spend so much time either waiting for them or re-correcting behaviors that the other 11 kids in my class are suffering.
And to top it all off when I issue a concequence like a card change or loss of recess, they yell that it isn't fair and I'm only doing it because I hate Moroccans. It is really getting under my skin being accused of ethnic favoritism. So I talked to the principal about it, because I wanted him to hear it from me first, and he basically just said that they are only doing it because I'm new and it's like their form of initiation. And all he suggested is that I talk it through with them about how I don't hate moroccans, and remind them of the rules and procedures. Which I have now done three times. But it isn't changing anything, so now I have decided to bring it up at parent-teacher conferences, but I'm really nervous about that. I think a big part of it is that since they are so rich they aren't used to hearing no, so when I say it they don't understand. They have been showing this crazy sense of entitlement, which really bugs me, because I see the difference between how much these kids have and how little the people on my street have. Casa isn't a rich city, but these children seem to have no clue of the wealth disparity. They think they are too good to have to do any work in my classroom. Heaven forbid that I ask them to pick up a piece of trash! It is totally different than what I am used to in my life.
Plus my girlfriend and I broke up while I was home for Christmas. Merry fucking Christmas to me.
Sorry this turned out so long, I just had a lot inside that I needed to get out. You don't have to respond or anything but just knowing that y'all read it makes me feel better.
Hope you are having a better run than me right now.
So I have kind of hit a wall here and am a little stuck, so I thought to myself, what better place to turn to than my London support group!
Things have turned NUTS here in Casa. There are three 4th grade classes, two with brand new first year teachers, including yours truly, and one with led by Diane, who has been teaching 4th grade for about 15 years in Hawaii. So about three weeks ago Diane quit her job. She finished out Quarter 2 and then got on a plane back to Hawaii.
On one hand I can't say as I blame her, because she and I have talked a lot about how unhappy she is at GWA and in Casa. She hasn't connected with people in the same ways that I have and struggled a lot with cultural adjustment. So I understand doing what is best for you and going to a place where you can be happy, but a lot of the staff hasn't seen that side of Diane, so they have turned really negative about her and been saying some rough stuff. Which has been really frustrating because I try not to roll that way, and I had been feeling like the school had a super supportive atmosphere, which I now feel like has kind of scratched through the thin veneer of that. So I'm a little disheartened.
The transition has been a little rough. Telling my class was really weird, their first reaction was unanimous NO of sorrow, then they turned negative and started to make fun of the new teacher just based on her name. So I had to try and put the kibosh on that right quick. We pulled of two great surprise parties and got to enjoy her last days here. But then it was another transition to working with the sub until the new teacher arrived. She is supposed to start on Monday, and I haven't met her yet. So I'm nervous about how that will change the 4th grade team dynamic, plus I feel as if it has pushed me into more of a leadership position among the team (Schwab would be so proud)
Then in my own classroom we have been having our own issues. My kids started out the year great, and I was like, this is awesome. But after Christmas, it is kind of like they flipped a switch. They are being mean to each other and deliberately not listening. I have about 6 kids that I am about ready to call parents and tell them that they are wasting their money sending their child to private school. The kids refuse to listen or do any work, talk nonstop, fool around in their desks and doodle all over their papers. And I have to spend so much time either waiting for them or re-correcting behaviors that the other 11 kids in my class are suffering.
And to top it all off when I issue a concequence like a card change or loss of recess, they yell that it isn't fair and I'm only doing it because I hate Moroccans. It is really getting under my skin being accused of ethnic favoritism. So I talked to the principal about it, because I wanted him to hear it from me first, and he basically just said that they are only doing it because I'm new and it's like their form of initiation. And all he suggested is that I talk it through with them about how I don't hate moroccans, and remind them of the rules and procedures. Which I have now done three times. But it isn't changing anything, so now I have decided to bring it up at parent-teacher conferences, but I'm really nervous about that. I think a big part of it is that since they are so rich they aren't used to hearing no, so when I say it they don't understand. They have been showing this crazy sense of entitlement, which really bugs me, because I see the difference between how much these kids have and how little the people on my street have. Casa isn't a rich city, but these children seem to have no clue of the wealth disparity. They think they are too good to have to do any work in my classroom. Heaven forbid that I ask them to pick up a piece of trash! It is totally different than what I am used to in my life.
Plus my girlfriend and I broke up while I was home for Christmas. Merry fucking Christmas to me.
Sorry this turned out so long, I just had a lot inside that I needed to get out. You don't have to respond or anything but just knowing that y'all read it makes me feel better.
Hope you are having a better run than me right now.
