Thursday, October 15, 2009

It's Been a Long, Long Week

As I said in the title of this posting, this week has been a long one. Part of the problem is the five indoor recesses we've had this week (loved 'em as a kid, hate them as an teacher).

The other problem is my class. Or at least a handful of kids in my class. In addition to the disturbing conversation we had about revenge on Tuesday,(http://pigtailedteacher.blogspot.com/2009/10/disturbing-discussion.html), I've also had to deal with a variety of behavior problems. The main focus of my attention this week has been directed at "the new kid" (I'll come up with a better nickname for him later. My brain power is severely limited right now and it seems as if the creative thinking part is totally on hiatus). Anyway, in just the past four days I've had to deal with the following: "the new kid" wearing a fake, gold grill (with fake diamonds, of course) to school, him talking about "pimp slapping" someone, him bringing his DS game to school and losing one of the game cartridges underneath the trophy case in the hallway, him somersaulting into our carpet area and kicking someone in the face, him jumping into a photo last minute and accidentally kicking a plastic storage bin and smashing a huge hole in it, and him using a piece of masking tape to roll a pretend joint and "smoke" it in the middle of class. This is in addition to his "regular" behaviors: calling out, throwing his paper on the floor, moonwalking across the room, tattling on others, getting into his classmates' personal space, drawing while I'm talking, not listening to directions or looking at the board, laying down while I'm reading a story on the carpet, him "accidentally" falling out of his chair, standing over shorter classmates in a threatening way, spinning/jumping/sliding/crawling/sitting down/yelling/and a whole lot more in line, getting out of his seat to get a drink while I'm teaching, whistling when it's quiet, etc, etc, etc. This is not the sort of behavior we usually see at our school, so it really stands out.

I know a lot of the negative behaviors come from the fact that he's at least a year and a half behind in reading, writing, and math and that he'd rather have people laugh at him for being a clown, than for not being able to do the work. It doesn't help that his mom didn't show up for the special meeting we had before school on Tuesday and that no one seems to check his folder or help him with his homework.

Sigh.
I wonder what tomorrow will bring...

3 comments:

  1. I'm not a teacher, and this approach probably isn't allowed,but I think it's time to go ROGUE on this little beast! Drag his ass into a corner, and let little distract-o know that you've had it up to here with his mind numbing, bullshit behavior and that unless he wants to spend all day sitting in the corner staring at the wall he'd better straighten his ass up!

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  2. Wow Kamstar, that sounds like are in a Monty Python skit instead of a classroom. Who knews you maybe teaching the next Great Circus performer! =)oom.

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  3. Thanks for the vivid idea urbanite mommy. (Watch out Muffin! Don't ever cross your mommy!) :) But without little darlings like New Kid I wouldn't have much to write about.

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