Back to school for teachers. The meetings, the hugs, the surprise announcements of pregnancy and engagements. The excitement/boredom combination that only that particular week can bring. I've been to two days now, and something is disturbing me. It's August 2014, and the town of Ferguson, MO is in such a state of unrest that it's affecting our nation. The National Guard has helped out, and fifty-seven people were arrested last night. They were protesting, throwing Molotov cocktails at and even shooting at police. (The article stated that only four of those arrested lived in Ferguson, proving that people will go a distance to protest and cause harm.) I am not taking a stand on the Michael Brown case. I feel so sorry for his family, just as I do for anyone that loses a family member. I am commenting on the vaguely-named "protesters". If you know me at all, you know that I am seriously anti-violence. I have trouble with the idea of military and war at all, but this world makes forms of such an evil necessity. I do know that a family lost somebody they loved and cared about, and rather than use the peaceful tools available, many of these "protesters" are causing more harm, injury and even death to try to.........what?
Yesterday, we played a game with our teacher handbook. Various questions were asked, teachers had to locate the page number and answer, then run up front and ring a bell and see if their teams answer was correct. Shorthand: these are the issues that teachers don't do well on, let's pound them in your head with a game. I stopped participating when something on page 14 caught my eye. Under "Principles of Effective Classroom Management" it stated: "Discipline students in private. Do not redirect or reprimand in front of the other students."
I am at a loss for words. I don't know if I can keep teaching. I can't ask some boys and girls in my classroom "Please stop talking."" "Please don't touch her" "Put your rhythm sticks away, you broke the rules."? I know there are many other ways, but sometimes a polite direct request works the little miracle we need at the time. I teach between forty and fifty-five students at a time. Alone. Do I have to step out in the hallway with a student that is not allowing me to teach due to misbehavior? Who watches the others?
Today, we had a presentation on classroom management. The presenter was all about being positive. Before I go any further, I have to say that I pride myself on being positive with children, and encouraging them constantly by praising good behavior. The presenter this morning claimed that she only ever does that, and the worst children that are having a "bad day" are brought around by her praise. Going into my twenty-fifth year, I can agree with that technique, but only for about 75% of the time. There are some individuals, small as they may be, that (due to whatever life has dealt them) don't care, don't listen to the praise, abuse the privilege of being treated nicely and even cause a violent happening to a fellow student or myself.
I think there are grown-ups that don't care to obey the law today because the authorities in their young lives let them see by example that they would be rewarded if they chose to do wrong. Should the authorities in Ferguson need to take one protester at a time to a side street and have a talk with them? That's what education in America has led them to expect. I'm glad I only have a few years left, and I hope I didn't scar any of the little darlings that I've corrected in class over the last twenty-five years.
