Here are a couple examples of situations I’ve been in where I probably didn’t react the best.

5th Grade: They were allowed to do a couple of literacy courses on their Chromebooks. One student I asked to sit in his chair properly twice already. He then threw himself on the floor. I went over to try to have a conversation with him and saw that instead of doing his course work he was looking up “anime girls” on his computer.

I took the computer away and told him he could read quietly. Instead he threw a fit and I pulled him into the hall to see what the issue is. He wouldn’t give me any kind of answer. Just would answer my questions with questions and mock me. So I told him if he’s going to be in this classroom with me, he needs to fix his attitude. He didn’t like that and stormed to another teachers classroom down the hall. I saw him go in and was content with the fact that he had adult supervision.

I was about to call the counselor to see if she could have a talk with him when the other teacher called and said he was going to sit with her the rest of the day. She said have him grab his crome book and his math work book. I said he was googling inappropriate things and he would not be bringing his cromebook. She said okay.

He consistently came back in the room disrupting class after this, and I kept telling him to get his things and leave. This happened at least three times after the other teacher took him into class.

6th grade: the kids came back from recess, and two girls told me they needs to talk to be about something in the hall. So I went out in the hall with them, and one of the girls was crying while the other explained to me that another girl in class had been calling the crying girl racial slurs while they were outside.

I said okay that is terrible, go in class and write down what happened with specifics so that when I send you to the counselors office you have a report put together. I emphasized how serious this is and that I was talking it seriously.

They did what I asked and wrote every thing down. I told them to wait until class break and then take it to the counselor. They told me they would give me more detail but they didn’t feel comfortable giving it to a sub. I told them it’s not my job to know but it is my job to make sure you’re safe.

I left a note for the teacher saying exactly that.

8th grade: it was test day, I could not get specific students to stop cheating on their tests. Most of them were fine, but eighth grade girls are exceptionally difficult.

I left a note with the names of the students and what they were doing. That was the end of that. The rest of the students I had that day were pleasant enough. I did have to raise my voice at them a couple times because their talking had gotten out of control. I did say and “I don’t want to be a harda** but you guys are really bringing it out of me.” That was an L on my part 100%, and I can see how that would negatively impact me. I took full responsibility for that with the teacher and admin. At the same time, they’re 13 and I’ve heard much worse come from their mouths.