Comments on: Two In One http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2008/10/two-in-one/ Challenge The Status Quo Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:57:06 -0800 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Suzanne Shanks http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2008/10/two-in-one/comment-page-1/#comment-25671 Suzanne Shanks Wed, 22 Oct 2008 04:10:58 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/?p=728#comment-25671 I don't have any answers for you, Todd, but I wanted to thank you for the post and respond. It made me feel bad in a good way to hear about your students because last quarter I had the meanest comments of my entire career from one class. "You're a whore!" "I'm so much smarter than you are (inject nastiest tone you can imagine)!" "My mother REALLY doesn't appreciate your attitude (include head bob)." There were some other vulgarities I can't repeat here. And to top it off, they stole the rewards I bought for them (candy, office supplies, etc.) I used every trick in the book but just as I was beginning to get somewhere with them (after 6-7 weeks) they backslid. Sadly, I too wrote more referrals in those 9 weeks than I would in an entire year. It didn't even help. Did I think the office would have some consequences with actual teeth? Duh. The point is, nothing was different with that group. No other classes were this difficult. I didn't teach them any differently than my past classes or the other 5 present ones. 90% of those kids I had last year and the year before without major incident. Maybe there's something in the water. I don't know. I've decided not to dwell too long or hard on it. (Mostly because it HURTS to remember it-- I still feel a little bruised and incompetent.) I imagine this happens to all educators once in a while. So don't be too hard on yourself; you're in good company. :) I don’t have any answers for you, Todd, but I wanted to thank you for the post and respond. It made me feel bad in a good way to hear about your students because last quarter I had the meanest comments of my entire career from one class. “You’re a whore!” “I’m so much smarter than you are (inject nastiest tone you can imagine)!” “My mother REALLY doesn’t appreciate your attitude (include head bob).” There were some other vulgarities I can’t repeat here. And to top it off, they stole the rewards I bought for them (candy, office supplies, etc.) I used every trick in the book but just as I was beginning to get somewhere with them (after 6-7 weeks) they backslid. Sadly, I too wrote more referrals in those 9 weeks than I would in an entire year. It didn’t even help. Did I think the office would have some consequences with actual teeth? Duh.

The point is, nothing was different with that group. No other classes were this difficult. I didn’t teach them any differently than my past classes or the other 5 present ones. 90% of those kids I had last year and the year before without major incident. Maybe there’s something in the water. I don’t know.

I’ve decided not to dwell too long or hard on it. (Mostly because it HURTS to remember it– I still feel a little bruised and incompetent.) I imagine this happens to all educators once in a while. So don’t be too hard on yourself; you’re in good company. :)

]]> By: Ben Chun http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/2008/10/two-in-one/comment-page-1/#comment-25670 Ben Chun Wed, 22 Oct 2008 01:14:33 +0000 http://www.toddseal.com/rodin/?p=728#comment-25670 It seems like we have the same kind of approach -- this is my room and I'm responsible in here -- but I also have a limit or a line beyond which I have to just take it to the next level. What's interesting to me, reading your reflections here, is just how different that line can be in different schools. I've taught at places where this type of behavior would just be part of the conversation or negotiation I'd have with those students. By contrast, in my current school I'd be writing referrals just like you did. It sounds like in both of these cases it wasn't about you or your class... sometimes kids just have a lot going on and it spills over. It seems like we have the same kind of approach — this is my room and I’m responsible in here — but I also have a limit or a line beyond which I have to just take it to the next level. What’s interesting to me, reading your reflections here, is just how different that line can be in different schools. I’ve taught at places where this type of behavior would just be part of the conversation or negotiation I’d have with those students. By contrast, in my current school I’d be writing referrals just like you did. It sounds like in both of these cases it wasn’t about you or your class… sometimes kids just have a lot going on and it spills over.

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