From the Other Side of the Desk

Here is some of what I hear everyday:

So far in my 20 weeks of teaching I have encountered many surprises and situations which college classes didn't necessarily prepare me to handle. For example, bodily functions in the classroom. I expected I would have the occasional bodily function disruptions, but I did not expect it to interrupt my class multiple times in a week! This week and even into last week I have been dealing with serious disruptions caused by flatulence (a.k.a passing gas or fluffing or farting).

Now, I know you are probably laughing, but I'm telling you its BAD! 4th period I have this one boy who flatulates multiple times throughout class and it is thick! It is so terrible that half the students are coughing, some are opening the door, the other the windows, and one is even spraying my air deodorizer. All the students know it is this boy and so they are making comments to him like, "Come'on man!" or "I'm gonna put the air freshener up your butt so when you fart it sprays nice smelling stuff," or "Go out into the hallway!" His response, "I had some really good beans last night." Apparently, he isn't that embarrassed.

Obviously, somehow I have to address the situation. I can't really say, "Hey _______ stop farting." I can't really send him to the office. Instead I just told the student he could go into the hall whenever he needed . . . like that wasn't awkward! What else was I supposed to do though? Today, it was even worse, if you can imagine. I had 2 students flatulating! How am I supposed to teach my kids when every five minutes they are gagging from the most foul smelling farts ever!?! It's all I can do to not puke in my trash can or have a sour face, seriously. I never really thought I would have to deal with this situation, it is just so awkward. If you have any suggestions feel free to make a comment and share. All I have to say is freshman boys stink.

From The Other Side Of The Desk -- Gagging

Last week was a hard week of teaching for me. I worked very long hours and had some horrible parent teacher conferences. One of my students was staying after school on Friday and commented that she had heard I had some difficulties with parents at conferences. Shocked, I asked her how she knew. She said, everybody knew. Curious, I asked her how. She said she heard it from the student whose parents didn't like me. All I could manage to say was, "oh," but really I was thinking "great, so now students are bragging about their parents ripping on me."

Lost in reflection over this, I barely heard what my students said next, but I am so glad I did. She told me that even though people were saying I was a bad teacher she wanted me to know that she thought I was doing a good job for my first year. She said that I was the first math teacher she had ever understood. In her previous math class the teacher never really taught them and she was entirely lost. She thanked me for explaining the math step by step because she got it that way. She said her mom also agreed I was a good teacher based on her new understanding of math.

She just wanted me "to know." She was thoughtful, sincere. She'll never know what that meant to me.


From the other side of the desk--thankful I'm not the "worst" teacher in everyone's eyes

They told me the first year was "the worst," that there would be hard days. I knew that, what I didn't know is that there would be more hard days than good days. They told me that I would work long hours and stay after school a lot. What I didn't know is that I would be living, eating, and breathing my very job.  They told me that I might have difficult parents to work with. What I didn't know is how horrible I would feel when they accused me of their child's failure in my class. I had no idea they would pick apart my grading scales, classroom procedures, and assignments. They told me I should differentiate my instruction to meet the needs of my students. What they didn't tell me is that I would have brilliant eighth graders who can teach themselves out of the book and juniors who can't do basic arithmetic in the same class. They told me I would make mistakes and that was okay. What I didn't know is that those mistakes would happen every single day, every single class  period. They told me I was supposed to teach to the state standards. What I didn't know is that students would come into my class without the prerequisite skills they needed making it impossible to teach all the standards for the course. They told me not every student would pass, that some students would be unmotivated. What I didn't know is that I would receive blank tests, that I would have a hard time separating my feelings of success from student performance. They told me a lot, but I didn't know even more.

From the other side of the desk--a little down

Here is a rap I wrote and am going to do with my middle schoolers tomorrow for standard equations:

Ax plus By is C
That's what a standard equation should be
A is always positive
If not you have to multiply it
If A's a fraction don't wait till later
Multiply by the denominator
If A is zero B is not
If B is zero than A is what you got
Standard equations are hip and rad
They make graphing not so bad
You have two intercepts x and y
Plot those first then draw a line
To find the x replace y with zero
Switch it up to find y and be a hero
Ax plus By is C
Now I think you know what I mean


Can't wait to see how this goes over, but I think they are gonna love it, now I just gotta get the guts to go crazy!!!

Today one of my students returned from juvenile detention. He was gone all of last week because he was there, not sure what for. This is his second time this year being in juvy. My heart breaks for him and I find myself wondering what he is thinking, what the 14 years of his life have been like, what he has done to get into so much trouble. I wonder if he has a plan for his life or just lives by the day. I wonder if he understands why his behavior warrants consequences. I wonder if anyone has listened to his story. I wonder what I can do.

The return of this student wrecked havoc on my class. He constantly disrupts, puts others down, says defiant comments to me . . . all the other students get annoyed with his behavior to the point of being angry with him. Today he was whistling, then he was copy catting what I was saying, then he was telling people to shut up, then he was refusing to take notes, then . . . *sigh* This misbehavior must flow from an unmet need. Maybe he has only had this behavior modeled for him in his life thus far. Possibly he needs attention and this is the only way he has been able to receive it. Maybe he is insecure and feels he must put others down to hide this. I don't know.

Somehow I must show grace yet still hold him to expectations, I must have patience but consider the learning environment, I must love while following through with consequences. I want to get through to this student and to see him reach the potential that I know he has. I want the best for him. I want him to make good choices and do something with his life. I want him to know that someone cares about him. I want to help him, but I'm not sure how. For now I will wait, watch, think, and bring him before my Heavenly Father who knows him best.

From the other side of the desk--heartbroken for my student(s)

Yesterday I made a mistake; I spoke to a student harshly out of frustration for the first time since I began teaching. I knew the day would come, I just was hoping it would come a lot later. Two students had been talking almost constantly, bickering back and forth, and had been fidgeting around fake punching or whatever flirting is these days. I had spoken to them several times and given them the "look" if you know what I mean. Finally I turned around and one of them was leaning forward out of their chair talking to the other so I said, "Put your rear in the chair and listen." Well, as soon as the words came out I wanted to take them back in, but I couldn't. So yesterday I made a mistake, but today I looked at it as an opportunity.

Before I started teaching today I told the class I needed to take care of something. So with all 27 students silent and listening I apologized to the student I spoke harshly to yesterday. I told her I was sorry, it was wrong of me to speak out of frustration and that I never wanted to do that as a teacher. I then asked for forgiveness. Thankfully, she was gracious to me, said it was okay and forgave me.

It wasn't easy. I'm a teacher, she's a student. I'm older, she's younger. I'm in a position of authority, she is under my authority. It wasn't easy, but it was right. While we are different in the world's eyes, we are the same in Christ's eyes. We are both His creation and have the same value. I knew in my heart this is what I should do so even though my lip quivered a bit and I briefly considered backing out I couldn't. I knew I had been wrong.

I thank God for revealing to me that my mistake was an opportunity. I could model the behavior and character I want my students to show each other. I could become human just like them. I could show Christ's love. I could hopefully gain their respect. I could demonstrate admitting wrongdoing and sincerely apologizing. I could be an example. I pray this small incident plants seeds within their hearts and minds.Yesterday was a mistake, but today. . . today was an opportunity.

From the other side of the desk--Humbled