Every adventure has a beginning, middle and an end. I'm pretty sure I'm in the middle part somewhere, the part where you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I hoped that this week would be a "normal week" at school but I think this week has shown me that a normal week does not really exist.
I have a student who's temper is like nothing I have ever seen before. There is no such thing as compromise with him, it is his way or in all seriousness he will turn the classroom upside down in a matter of seconds. One minute he is sitting at his desk and the next thing I know he has turned every desk on its side, every paper is on the floor and even things from the walls are in pieces. This week an educational psychologist from the school board was here in Aupaluk and she assessed him in class and agreed he should be seen by a professional. Then she proceeds to tell me I should reward him more... I'm sorry but he just does not listen to compromise so how does that work? I am not about to give him 20 minutes of do whatever you want time for 2 math questions when he is more than capable of doing 10 he just refuses to do it because he would rather colour or go on the computer and won't agree to taking the reward after the work. I think sometimes people who work for school boards who have never taught a day in their life should have to step inside a classroom and see what it is really like. I have 6 children with a hundred problems each and all different needs and grade levels, I can't stop the world for one and if I could it would be for my student who came to me yesterday afternoon hungry because there is no food in the house and no parents around to feed them!
I have volunteered to be a academic advisor for the hockey program here... I should have known from the "orientation" in September that was a bad idea. I got an email this week from one of the men who "run" this program saying they need me to find a child to go to the tryouts this week. He emailed me wednesday afternoon, I got it wednesday evening after a two and a half hour intervention meeting with other teachers and the psychologist and I was so not in the mood for their ordering me around. It is not part of my job to find children to go to their tryouts so I emailed him back with about the 3rd reminder I have sent them saying that my job is to teach and that I need at least a week's notice if they want my help with things but I would do my best. I got a snarky email in response saying if I "don't care about the children of Aupaluk" and it's "too difficult" for me just let him know. This has apparently been a trend of theirs and I guess they have never experienced someone who didn't bow down and do as they command. Well I found someone by 1pm Thursday afternoon (the deadline for the ticket was 4pm that evening) and emailed it immediately. They either didn't read the email in time (so the children must not be so important after all) or they decided to use a child to try to push my buttons because last night I had an 11 year old boy call me practically in tears because they called him and told his mother that "I" didn't book the ticket so it's my fault he can't go to tryouts now! I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do about this one now but I'm not happy. What do you do when grown men act like 6 year old children? I hate drama and especially when it is coming from what should be a strictly professional situation!
Anyway it's the weekend! I have only 39 teaching days till Christmas holidays and this week went by very quickly and I think the next few will as well. We have Halloween this week, thursday night will be devoted to hauted house making for the kids on friday. Most of friday will be Halloween games and activities. Then we will be getting ready to do report cards two weeks after that. I think this whole post just turned into a massive rant for which I apologize... happy weekend to you all!
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