I can't decide if I'm just being a sissy, or if this class is really hard. Here are some situations, please (especially other teachers) offer your comments:
a) There are three girls that (independently of one another) will choose to get all sniffy about what they've been assigned to do and push their desks away from the others, and either get all sulky and refuse to function OR flop onto the floor (!!) near the desk or in a corner and refuse to function. One even kicked her feet and yelled briefly one day.
Oh--BTW--this is fourth grade-nine/ten year olds.
b) There is a boy who spends the first hour and the last in a SPED class for reading and math help. The rest of the day he is in my class--tapping, whacking the chair, calling out, making little squeaky sounds, snatching things from his neighbor's desk to create turmoil. When asked to write, do math, anything at all that might be productive he shouts loudly, "That's too hard! I can't! I don't want to !" etc. etc. (And I really try to modify his assignments so he can succeed.)
c) There are two boys who are very bright, and get their assignments done quickly, (but resist in-depth work, rushing through it with poor results) and then get out of their chairs to roam around the room bugging others and talk constantly. The only way to get them to remain seated is constant vigilance and repeated threats/taking away recess. I've called moms---they get reprimanded (even beat, I think) but return to the same behavior immediately the next day.
d) There is a boy who cannot write all the letters in his name, can read about five first grade sight words, and barely speaks English. He moved here two weeks ago. Oh, he can do a little math if the numbers are all under five.
e) There is a sweet girl who was moved to my room in January. She needs glasses, but they're broken, mom's phone numbers are all disconnected when I try to call and find out if I can help with the glasses, or the school can help, or whatever....She cannot read more than 10 sight words, cannot do math even with the words under five. She knows she cannot function and has many coping skills. She is embarrassed by her lack of ability. But there's no way to know if she can even see the letters and numbers I'm trying to drill her on.
f) 2/3 of my class speak Spanish exclusively at home.
g)I've altered my seating arrangement repeatedly in a vain attempt to either break up the little cliques that spend all the live-long day talking or all the live-long day arguing. Sometimes it's the same group. (I'm not going to be your friend...) And no one is shy about expressing their disgust about the person with whom they are seated. Which adds fuel to the fire. (Yo Mama!!!) (He's messin' with my mama!!) (Don't you mess with me!!) etc. etc.
So...each day I go to school optimistic that this is day I will get through my lesson plans as planned---we will have the lesson, we will practice, we will do small groups.
Each day I leave the room exhausted and discouraged wondering how I'm going to survive another day with them.
Any suggestions? No, really---suggest away!!
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4 comments:
Based on the description of your class, there must not be any other challenging students left for the rest of the 4th grade teachers! It really does sound like you've got more than your share! They each sound like they could take most of your time, IF they alone, were the ONLY challenging student!
I did have one thought,though, as I read. Are there any students (maybe even among the challenging students) who might enjoy the challenge of 'friend-shipping'/mentoring another student (on a horizontal, not vertical plane - so they both benefit)? Of course, it would take a lot of time on your part to figure out just how to do it (subtly), just to set up even a few 'combinations'. It's just a rough idea, but maybe you can think of a way to refine it a bit and make it work. It appears that there's a lot of people that need extra attention - and it's just not logical to think that only ONE teacher can possibly give it ALL. So maybe this would help 'dole out the work' and give students an opportunity to learn from each other - which is really a real-life ideal, anyway.
Other than that, my only other suggestion would be to figure out if you can afford to take an early retirement! :)
Good Luck!
Mace? Pepper spray? Four-point restraints? Calling them all donkeys? That seems to get peoples' attention here in Morocco.
Actually, the other teachers would be thrilled if all the challenges were in my room. However...I know that I'm not the only one with difficult situations. Lack of (or inadequate) parenting contributes mightly to all of our troubles.
I'm still waiting for the invention of aerosol Valium.
Aerosol Valium! Hm-m-m. That could have possibilites. Maybe you should suggest it to the drug companies!
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