Maybe You’re Crazy
The last several days have been hellacious.
My sixth period class is just plain out of control. Nothing I do shuts them up. Nothing I do gets them to work. It’s just an all-out teacher v. student brawl for the last 59 minutes of the day and it’s wearing me out.
The crazy thing is, they are all (OK, almost all) really good kids. I asked my little class clown to step outside today after an vaguely inappropriate comment that derailed the class, but then couldn’t keep a stern face while scolding him because he’s just so good-natured. He just doesn’t know when to shut his trap, which is pretty much the general issue with the whole class.
There are other issues, however. Like the two ninth grade girls who told me, in succession, that they were pregnant this week. Or the other girl who, while I reminded her that her attitude needed a major overhaul or she would find herself kicked out of my class, rolled her eyes and drummed her fingers on the desk in a “can we get this over with please, you’re so insignificant” sort of way.
I won’t lie when I say I had to sit on my hands to keep from slapping her insolent little gum-chewing smirk right off her face.
So I’m taking Friday off. I was originally planning to do this out of necessity so that I could get totally caught up on my research and was not really looking forward to it, but now I’m calling it a delicious vacation from high school students.
Miss G: You know how you guys make me feel sometimes?
Students: Angry?
Miss G: No. Crazy. 100% nuts. Sometimes the bell rings and you all leave and I just stand here in the middle of the classroom and think, I am working in a looney bin with crazy people and you all are making me crazy too! Seriously, folks. You’re driving me up the wall.
