SUBSTITUTE TEACHER TALES: RANT FROM THE CLASSROOM

Yesterday afternoon, I had a long talk with the more disruptive students in the class. 

I hated that they were missing Music class (I'm a stickler that special subject classes are not treats, or negotiation chips, but vital parts of the curriculum), but I used the time, while the majority of the children were out of the classroom, to sit them down and let them examine their own behavior. 

As they talked, they transformed from little agents of the devil, to quite innocent cherubs, who were well aware of their antics. 

No one, however, had ever called them on it.

I thought I'd only be with them a few weeks, but it looks like I'll be with them until the end of the school year. 

I'm beginning to see great improvement in their behavior. 

My mission to restore sanity to their classroom really has less to do with them, and more to do with my own need for peace, cleanliness and order. 

They don't know that though, but they deserve a decent learning environment. 

The fact that they were working and eating on filthy, sticky desks made me angry. 

Those giant rolls of brown paper towels were not for decoration. 

At the end of each day, after they were gone, I'd break out the Dawn, Lysol, and Clorox wipes. In the morning, I showed them how to make their own place mats, and help each other clean up after eating breakfast.  

They treated the mass cleanup I conducted like a game. After turning over their desks, we found and organized enough supplies and books to accommodate everyone. 

We cleaned every corner. 

They even set up a mini library. 

We found articles of clothing and toys they thought they'd lost. 

Even the custodian was in shock when he came to bring new trash bags and paper towels. 

I have always firmly believed that nothing can be done in chaos except losing one's entire mind. 

I don't intend to do that, and I also don't intend to be a babysitter. 

I walked them outside and asked them to read the school's marquee. 

Does it say "circus", or "day care center"? No. 

"S-C-H-O-O-L spells SCHOOL!" one of them pointed out to me, as if she'd had an epiphany.

 

They marched back inside, reminding each other which side of the hallway they should walk on, and put their index fingers up to their lips, encouraging each other to remain quiet as they walked through the corridor back to their classroom. 

"So they do listen", I thought to myself.
I was impressed.

Many of the children are very bright. 

It's painfully obvious that most of them have been allowed to get out of hand, thereby ensuring that they have learned little or nothing of what learning standards documents indicate they should know, at this point in the school year. 

When it's time to work, it's clear that many of them have no idea what school is all about. 

Every day since September, for some of them, it seems, has been a perpetual recess period straight out of an Alfred Hitchcock-themed episode of Romper Room. 

Minus whatever technology they have grown accustomed to using to keep them busy, I was told, "You're going to have to teach all day, and come up with things for them to do." 

It would have been rude for me to reply, "Well, duh!", so I kept it to myself. 

I guess a substitute teacher who actually teaches, is a rare bird, but shouldn't be. 

I kind of thought that was the idea: 

In the absence of the classroom teacher, do whatever is necessary to make sure the educational process continues. That means think, prepare, assess, be creative. Work.

I had my suspicions about what was going on, and why I am now a long-term substitute. 

Going home determined but exhausted each day, gave me a telling glimpse of what the teacher has had to endure. 

It took me 10 days, but they are now, all, listening to my instructions. Some of them aren't happy about it, but hey, they're in first grade. 

Being respectful, doing their classwork, and minding their little manners isn't an option. 

They know I mean business. 

They also know I care.

It tickles me how many of them have biblical names. I want to laugh at myself every time I say, "Jeremiah! Sit down and pay attention.", 

"Malachi! No talking. Get to work." 

One is even called "Cyncere", and he is sincerely a handful. 

There's a little girl who fights like she wants to be Laila Ali. One group of girls, who apparently have been told they are women, or have been regularly allowed to dip into grown folks' conversations, caught me quite off guard, as they talked about the problems they are having with their "men". 

One little girl was close to being tagged with a learning disability, just because she was shy and not as talkative as the others.

Some of the children come in each day very hungry and unkempt. 

I'm glad the school stocks clean clothes. I've confiscated chips, sodas, and candy bars that were intended to be breakfast, and steered them toward the more nutritious options available in the school breakfast. (I asked a mother about her child's morning fare, and she said, "I been wondering where my fruit punch sodas were going! He leaves out after I do in the morning.")

One can't write his name, so we practice. 

A few can dance and recite rap lyrics, but can't read or spell. 

Another sings to herself all day; another rolls her eyes and sucks her thumb in response to no matter what anyone says to her; 

one has a fixed pout on her face as if she is perpetually mad at something; 

another has a habit of applying gobs of lip gloss, and glitter eye shadow, and comes in some days appearing a bit clownish. 

There are six of them who are really sharp, disciplined, and were clearly prepared for first grade. Sometimes they look around as if to say, "Get me outta here."

It hurts me to see little children so angry, defiant and combative; needing love and attention, but not knowing how to get it except to act out. 

If I didn't think I'd be fired for sure, I'd call in a priest or a preacher; Iyanla--some kind of holy man or woman--get some anointing oil, and grease up the joint. 

Every morning, as I head toward the class, I ask the Lord to please help them--and please help me to help them. I know He hears me. I want to make a positive difference in their lives. 

My last day was supposed to be yesterday. 

I see the progress. 

I believe they all can learn. 

I now have until June 21 to keep trying. 

I'm more determined than ever. 

I intend to use whatever is at my disposal in that classroom to make sure they learn something substantial.
I also think that if it's not for the children's use and consumption, it shouldn't be in the room, so it's nice to see there hasn't been a pattern of preserving hoarded resources. 

No using pieces of crayons, and nubs of pencils with wasted erasers. They deserve better. 

No admiring books from afar. 

They're going to handle them, and read them. They're going to own some, too.

From what I've finally gathered (but can't rely on because I didn't witness it) their teacher merely took a child's face in her hands. She touched his chin, and turned it so that he could look at her, and listen to her instructions. 

It is no doubt something that millions of parents and teachers have done millions of times while saying, "Look at me. Pay attention. Focus. I'm over here. I want to make sure you understand". 

She didn't slap him, leaving her hand print in his face, black his eye, or drop kick him over the monkey bars. But the way she has been treated, she may as well have. 

Apparently, the teacher's simple gesture has unscientifically, strategically, and perhaps, unnecessarily morphed into something sinister, and has invaded the dreadful, expansive, unfair, career-destroying land of Corporal Punishment. 

Now, once again, a teacher, saddled with 27 students in the era of the "Smaller Class Size" doctrine, is on the hot seat, fighting to save a chosen and beloved job. 

The highly qualified teacher, armed with several degrees and teaching awards, chose to leave Prince Georges County, in order to teach in DC's Ward 8 where she felt she could be of greater assistance. Who does that? "Did she bump her head?", some may ask. 

Perhaps that's why this caring individual, while trying to get through to, who I learned was, one of the most notoriously disruptive students in the entire school, temporarily forgot, or ignored the supreme commandment of all supreme commandments in today's educational sphere-- "THOU SHALT NOT TOUCH THE CHILDREN".

All I could think about, as I walked home yesterday, was hearing and seeing a teacher in the hallway admonishing, "Don't touch me! Don't touch me! I said, Don't touch meeee!", as a child waved, smiled and attempted to hug her goodbye. 

The look on the child's face was so pained as the teacher backed away, hands raised, as if the student was covered in slime, scorpions, and mud... and on fire...and pointing a gun. 
What have we become?

I overheard teachers talking, as I headed to the office one day, and the phrase "stuck on white" struck me. There is a prevailing attitude that young, newly college graduated, white teachers are considered the saviors of little black children's education. 

The classroom management skills of some of these saviors, however, leave a lot to be desired--and no one is challenging them. 

The opinion is that some of the white teachers cannot control the children, scream incessantly, and out of frustration, teach to the test, and allow the students to do whatever they want--or turn them over to technology. 

Their classrooms also tend to be a bit...well...untidy because the teachers don't feel that cleaning up behind the children is a part of their job description. 

Black teachers are resentful, because veteran teachers are considered useless, and out of touch. 

Black teachers also believe that the white teachers, whose supposed true motive for teaching is to have student loans repaid, don't really care about the whole child, and never truly intended to pursue Early Childhood Education as a career. 

The prevailing belief is that as soon as the last penny of their loans are repaid, and their 2-5 year stint in the hood is over, those white teachers are rolling out, taking their ideas, philosophies, equipment, data, and resources with them to places where their presence will be appreciated. 

Just as soon as they are debt free, they are happily leaving those ignorant, uncontrollable black children and their equally ignorant and uncontrollable black parents behind. 

That's the gist of the narrative. 

But, what if that's not the case? 

What if perceptions are standing in the way of a teacher--any teacher--doing an effective job? 

Is there some evil plot to keep schools in a low-performing category forever? 

When a teacher, ANY teacher, crashes and burns under the weight of cultural differences, poor classroom management skills, and parents with bad attitudes, and is given no help from administrators or fellow teachers, it's no wonder they choose to walk away. 

When everyone is standing by laughing, whispering, criticizing, shaking their heads, failing to intervene when they could, or saying "I told you so", everyone fails to realize that there are classes of children suffering from the impact, and choking on the smoke.

Nothing bothers me more than for someone to see a problem; know there's a problem, and act as if it doesn't exist--or only speak up when the problem has overtaken someone who was trying to solve it. 

Why stand by and watch something fall apart, just to prove a point? 

Seriously, what about the children? 

When someone is set up to fail, they suddenly realize it, and drastically change their tactics in order to be successful, those who were banking on failure get awfully busy. 

If I hear "Children First" from one more person who doesn't think children need discipline, caring, and order, I'm going to scream.

Parents need to wake up immediately. 

If the child's teacher is Black, white, or green with orange polka dots, the bottom line is the child's education, and an alliance needs to be formed to ensure that child's mastery of the grade level subject matter. 

Parents and teachers don't have to be bosom buddies, but they'd better be on the same team--and they sure as hell better inform their children, daily, what their role is in the educational process. 

It is NOT to go to school, act like a fool all day long, drive the teacher batty, have breakfast and lunch and a snack, and keep themselves and others from learning.

I'm always dumbfounded how a child can be allowed to continuously cause problems at a school, and be allowed to remain; 

how a bully can terrorize another child, and be sent right back to the scene of the crime. 

I'm always greatly dumbfounded by parents who know full well they haven't done a good parenting job, but expect a teacher to put up with their child's foolishness.

It's a shame for a class to lose a great teacher at the end of the year because of ONE consistently disruptive student, who it seems, EVERYONE from the school nurse to the crossing guard, to the custodians know of, and complain about.

 The exasperated teacher, worn out from spending days begging, "Please sit down", "Please line up", "Please stop that", "Please do your work", "Please pay attention", "Please keep your hands to yourselves", 'Please don't destroy the supplies", "Please keep your voices down", "Please get from under the table", "Please take that out of your mouth", ISN'T TEACHING VERY MUCH-- other than a lesson to him or herself: "I need a vacation, a stiff drink, or another profession".

It is a pity for a school to lose the expertise of a master teacher because of a student whose highly unacceptable antics are sure to guarantee that the learning process be interrupted daily, or is non-existent. 

Usually, such a student is emboldened by cowardly administrators and litigious, irresponsible parents--who, based on how the kid behaves at HOME, already KNOW their child is out of control, but send him to school with ZERO instructions about how to behave properly. 

What is this stupid war on teachers? 

I am in no way saying that teachers are perfect, but many parents have the essence of the educational process twisted, to the detriment of their own children! The only thing some parents tell their children before they leave for school is, "Nobody better not say anything to you!" 

They don't help them learn to read, write, count, or spell their own names, but their attention is suspiciously, squarely and negatively focused on the person who could help their child succeed, if they'd only allow it and be supportive. 

The teacher, whose hands are tightly bound when it comes to maintaining order and promoting discipline, may decide to give up a career in education--but that teacher, armed with a good education, still has options. If he or she decides to take their commitment, resources, and expertise elsewhere--he or she still gets paid. 

The child, on the other hand, is still disruptive, and as dumb as a box of rocks. 

Way to go parents. I guess you showed that teacher, huh? Whatcha gonna do now as you proudly brag how you told that teacher off? 

Now that the teacher is gone, are you gonna homeschool your little darling? Probably not. 

Parents must know that, when away from home, their children become quite different animals.
It is a sin for a class to lose the benefit of a caring individual who simply wants to make a positive difference in the lives of children--especially children who, scholastically, are woefully behind. 

If a school has to lose such an individual, let it be because of promotion, relocation, change in career, sickness, even death, but NOT because some irresponsible, clueless parent forgot to parent, and sent an undisciplined spawn to school and expected some teacher to work miracles.

There's NOTHING in a textbook that can prepare a new teacher for students whose behavior is uncontrollable, combative, disrespectful, rude, ignorant and downright demonic. I doubt if ANY teacher gets out of bed in the morning and says, "Let me go and see how quickly I can get a headache today" or "Let me see who I can hurt today", or 'Let me see whether I can teach this lesson, or spend the whole day trying to keep them from beating one another's brains out".

Parents, when YOU have NO control of your child, and don't require them to listen to anyone else, do you really think they'll learn anything other than how to be manipulative? WHY leave your child in the care of someone, and give your child the impression that he or she in charge of the adults around them? 

Little smart-mouthed, nasty attitude-having, grown-acting children are beyond infuriating. It's shameful. It amazes me how parents teach their children what their rights are but somehow forget to fill them in on their responsibilities.  Anyone who can yell, "Bitch, you ain't my mother! You better not touch me!" ought to be able to write those words in a sentence and spell them words correctly.

Parents, when you dare anyone to say ANYTHING to your child to correct him or her, how do you expect them to learn ANYTHING if YOU promote disorder? 

Don't tell me you love your child if you uphold him or her when he or she is wrong. When you send your child to school with the notion that they don't have to respect any adult except you, it's no wonder that their grades are abysmal at the end of the school year. Exactly who is hurt when a child shows off all year long, isn't checked by a parent, and subsequently learns nothing-- except how to behave like a fool? The teacher? The principal? The school?
Absolutely not.