Meet the new boss...
If asked, most 2nd years would probably tell you that it gets much easier the second time around. This is true, from an instructional/classroom management perspective. No doubt one has a much clearer view of consistency as being essential to enforcement. Still striving towards 100% on that one. The biggest problem for me has been the inferiority of this year to the previous one. With each day that passes, I am watching my school fall apart.
I was always aware of the fact that I was lucky: partially in terms of my schedule (ENG IV all day long) but primarily in terms of my administration. Today I personally witnessed two fairly violent fights. I had kids who, when questioned about numerous tardies, unexcused absences, and failing grades, were completely non-chalant. I asked kids standing outside my door to move it along to homeroom, and was totally ignored. These experiences are totally new to me. I realize I'll fail to garner any sympathy bemoaning a downfall which, in most schools, had already occured. There's something so much worse, I feel, about watching it slowly unravel. Gentry had discipline. Students were held accountable. Now, I write kids up knowing full well that it's unlikely anything will happen. I think fondly of the days of paperwork, when I was held accountable, and they were, too. Fights: multiple suspensions. Tardies: Closed lunch. Though the bars have been removed, campus is feeling increasingly like a prison, and the instruction is suffering as a result. Daily: one hour of homeroom (students not our own). There is no ISS, there is no detention. There are no speeches, and the atmosphere has shifted from one of enforced discipline to one of struggle for survival. Don't send them to the office, don't make them stand outside. Don't expect referalls to go anywhere but the garbage can. Readers may wonder if I balk at conditions others have been suffering. Let me clarify. I'm not concerned about my classroom as far as external management is concerned. If write ups don't work, I'll find other alternatives, and so far, I haven't had any behavioral problems with my own students.
It's the atmosphere that I find so devastating-- the realization that this school could crumble so entirely and at such speed. That's likely true of any organizaton-- without a leader, it implodes.
I was always aware of the fact that I was lucky: partially in terms of my schedule (ENG IV all day long) but primarily in terms of my administration. Today I personally witnessed two fairly violent fights. I had kids who, when questioned about numerous tardies, unexcused absences, and failing grades, were completely non-chalant. I asked kids standing outside my door to move it along to homeroom, and was totally ignored. These experiences are totally new to me. I realize I'll fail to garner any sympathy bemoaning a downfall which, in most schools, had already occured. There's something so much worse, I feel, about watching it slowly unravel. Gentry had discipline. Students were held accountable. Now, I write kids up knowing full well that it's unlikely anything will happen. I think fondly of the days of paperwork, when I was held accountable, and they were, too. Fights: multiple suspensions. Tardies: Closed lunch. Though the bars have been removed, campus is feeling increasingly like a prison, and the instruction is suffering as a result. Daily: one hour of homeroom (students not our own). There is no ISS, there is no detention. There are no speeches, and the atmosphere has shifted from one of enforced discipline to one of struggle for survival. Don't send them to the office, don't make them stand outside. Don't expect referalls to go anywhere but the garbage can. Readers may wonder if I balk at conditions others have been suffering. Let me clarify. I'm not concerned about my classroom as far as external management is concerned. If write ups don't work, I'll find other alternatives, and so far, I haven't had any behavioral problems with my own students.
It's the atmosphere that I find so devastating-- the realization that this school could crumble so entirely and at such speed. That's likely true of any organizaton-- without a leader, it implodes.
posted by Elizabeth at 5:02 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home