Thursday, March 28, 2013

More of the same


IT is the “next” quarter and here we go again. The same old student is not doing his work, lying to this mother, lying to the assistant principal, trying to lie to me, and everyone is believing him – except me. He is telling people that he turned his work in and I must have lost it - NOT TRUE or either count.

I have had enough. His mother came in a couple of days ago in tears because she “saw him working on the assignment” but she never saw him turn it in. I did – didn’t see him turn it in. All this forced me to go through everything three different times – with no luck. I have taught 25 years and I have NEVER lost anyone’s work EVER! No matter what this kid says, I know my practices and he did not turn his work in resulting with a “0”.

The teacher who worked with him last year tells me that he tried this last year and the year before. Other teacher’s that have had him or currently have him tell the same story. The kid is a compulsive liar and he is mad because he is being held accountable by a “new guy” who won’t let him slide by.

All I want is to get the work and stop bitching about it, talke your punishment and get over it. Own up to your being lazy but he won’t. He has his momma – a fellow teacher – believing every word out of his mouth.

I don’t and won’t fall for his tricks.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Lies, Lies, Lies


I have been spending the last 24 hours wondering if I did the right thing when I left public school. Coming to this private school has turned out to be problem after problem after problem. Oh I know the drill. I have been teaching for 23 years before I came here. I have been coaching young girls for more than 30 years. At NO TIME has anyone ever accused me of anything that would jeopardized my upstanding behavior.

However, since I have taken the job here at this private school there has been nothing but complaints – none of which are true – all flat out lies – but they are getting back to the principal and I am being called into her office about these complaints.

Yesterday’s was the most flagrant and NON-TRUE of all but I am still on the receiving end. According this one student’s mother, the students told her that I held her back after class, grabbed her by the shoulders and told her that I expected more out of her and I liked her but she was not working up to the standards in class. What could be so wrong about this?

One, I have NEVER held a student back after class. Two, it was on Monday while we are out in the pod. Three, she was headed to recess. Four, there were two other boys still in the classroom – which are always the last one’s out due to problems with their book sacks. Five, she is already making a 100 in class and has done everything I have ever asked of her. Six, her brother was in my calls last year and he and I worked well together. Seven, – oh heck, you get the point! Lies, lies, lies. And why? For what reason”?

She made the mistake of telling about a class were she has NEVER been the last one out, there are student’s in the classroom after her, and I have to go unlock the outside building door just to let them into the building because they are so-o-o-o slow. Why would I even talk to her about her grades since she is making the top grade for this quarter she could get? Lies, lie, lies.

I have coached for years and years and no one has ever complained about me and my girls. I have taught for years and there has never been a complaint from any principal about me, my work, whant I have done for the students, my love of teaching, the field trips I have taken them on, nothing. Nothing until I came here.

I honestly believe it is just this group of girls. I dealt which their lies last year and again this year. I am the new guy so I get all the blame. The sixth and seventh graders love the help and encouragement I get them everytime they ask. They know me as a great teacher and love the job I do. They have never said anything to tarnish my reputation but this current group of 8th grade girls is terrible. The boys all love me and work hard to do well in class. Some of the girls have worked super hard and know what is going on and why these other girls are the way they are but won’t go and tell.

At lunch yesterday I stopped and asked the two boys who were “last out” on Monday if they remembered and YES they did. One even told me he knew he was last out because of his “blasted rolling book sack and dropping stuff allover”.

Why did I decide to leave the public school? I had a good thing going and I should have stayed!

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