SUBSTITUTE TALES: THE LIBRARY

Does anyone remember the library being…well…sort of a sacred, magical place that demanded a different, quieter disposition? 

I just don't remember EVER eating there, and definitely not standing on top of the tables, turning over chairs, throwing books off of shelves, running, fighting, screaming, drumming on the doors and windows, writing on the furniture...or bouncing a basketball.

I've been assigned to a rather beautiful school library. It's filled with new books and state-of-the-art technology. 

It has brought back so many wonderful memories of Mrs. Reamer, our librarian at Abram Simon Elementary School in the 60's and 70's, and the children's reading room at the old Washington Highlands Library on Atlantic Street. 

Every morning when I walk into the space, I feel great. 

The eastward window lets in the morning sun, and the view, as familiar as it is to me, is stunning. 

I think to myself, "Who wouldn't want to study and learn, or even just be in this space?" It couldn't be more inviting. 

A large, framed photograph of one of my former supervisors, the late Bessie Wells, daily reminds me of her leadership, kindness, wisdom, and dedication to the success of students in Ward 8.

Most of the kids seem to love coming to the library, and I've loved preparing lessons, reading to them, and discussing even some of my favorite childhood storybooks, each day. 

This afternoon, however, I'm ashamed to say that I came extremely close to hanging up my chalk...or should I say, my dry erase marker.
Ironically, I read the following message when I got home. It was in my inbox yesterday when my computer decided to be temperamental:

"You are about to throw out the proverbial baby with the bath water.  But, I tell you that you need to exercise patience and make small adjustments that will be consistent with flowing in the Spirit, says the Lord.  Overdoing correction is the result of being out of control emotionally.  Settle down, and trust Me to give you the wisdom to do the right thing for the right reasons. 

Ephesians 4:26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath."

Thanks, Marsha Burns. Better late than never, I suppose.

This afternoon, I felt so sorry for the kids who have no idea how their horrible attitudes, inappropriate behavior, and outright defiance is working, and will work against them, socially, spiritually, economically, and academically.
I felt...well...I don't know how I felt, and I was still a little stunned some 4 hours or so after I arrived at home (and what was on one of my favorite television shows,"Master Chef", tonight? A bunch of screaming school children.) Hilarious.

I heard someone say, "Your problem is that you care." Wow. Caring used to be a good thing.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to talk with a parent as I was leaving this afternoon. It turns out, the parent, and the friend who was with her, used to be former students at the school where I formerly taught. They have memories of being respectful, and never getting into trouble at school. However, they struggle with keeping their own offspring in line--one of them to the point where it's seriously affecting her health. 

What used to work for their mothers, isn't available to them--or so they think. They feel their hands are tied, and effective methods to correct their children's behavior are few. They talked about boot camp as an option for their children. They even noted the cameras at the school as if they are there to record them in the act of disciplining their children at school, and not to keep their children safe from outside intruders.

All I know is that if I had said "No!", or "I don't have to!", or "I'm getting ready to!" or continued standing, when my teacher, or any adult for that matter, had told me to simply "Have a seat", well, I would have been having a seat alright, but not in a chair. I would have been on the floor...holding on to my lips...under my desk... where I would have fallen... after my teacher had slapped the living daylights out of me...and Lord help me if my parents found out I had been disrespectful. But, of course, those abusive days are no more...and today, some children are so unbelievably rude, impolite, nasty, manipulative, disrespectful and out of control that if you didn't see it with your own eyes, you wouldn't believe it.

One little boy lamented how he hated the school. He called it "dumb" and bragged about the "academy" he used to attend (when he wasn't running around the library, knocking papers and books from the counter onto the floor, playing on the telephone, and standing up in chairs.)

When asked why he was no longer there, he said, "I got put out for fighting".

I guess when some schools say they are institutions of learning, and do not tolerate any disruption of the learning process, they mean it.

Unfortunately, some of the students don't appreciate, or respect the library (or adults) at all. It would seem that the presence of several adults would curb some behavior, but no.

You see, when there are no effective consequences, and the kids KNOW it, it doesn't matter who shows up. Some kids are now convinced that THEY are in charge. Their classwork, reading skills, and test scores, however, paint a dismal picture of their grand delusion.

Somehow, teachers, principals, and school staff members keep getting shifted around—and even fired—in an effort to revitalize schools. 

When will anyone recognize that it's the lack of order and enforced standards of student behavior that will sink a school? 

The elephant in the room that keeps getting minimized or swept under the rug, is the child or children who consistently—daily—keep learning from taking place.
There are enough of the defiant ones to present a huge, desperate problem for the kids who are anxious to listen and learn. 

(Pray for the well-behaved student who has the misfortune of being in a class full of clowns. Poor things look like deer caught in headlights thinking, "Mommy, Daddy, anybody, GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!)

I'll try again. Tomorrow's a new day. 

Thanks again, Marsha Burns for this message, sent as I slept:

 "Beloved, rejoice in small victories and little breakthroughs, for they are signs of a greater triumph.  Your praise will be like a seed sown in good ground that will grow into a rousing shout of joy, says the Lord.  Your faith will also grow as you recognize and appreciate the small steps of progression instead of waiting for the final outcome to give thanks.  Gratitude is a mighty weapon against discouragement and defeat."