Saturday, February 4, 2012

Six Word Saturday



Do I need to understand why?


For more Six Word Saturday participants, click here.

If you, as a high school senior, decide it is appropriate to throw paper wads at people (and hit them), do I (as your teacher), need to understand what possible motivation you have for repeated disobeying me? Or should you just be removed so that I can teach?

If you, as a teenager old enough to own your own car, decide that you do not have to get to school when it starts but can drift in when you feel good and ready to get up (if today is indeed one of those days when you actually decide to grace the school with your presence), do I (as your teacher), need to understand that it is because you feel the need to express your individuality and I should embrace this? Or is it your job to figure out if you are not here to get the assignments and understand how to do the work, not mine to chase you down?

If you decide that other people's things are attractive and you have just as much right to them as the people who worked for them and earned them, is it my job to understand the inner need that made this seem reasonable? Or is it my job to protect people from you?

If you have the managerial skills of Atilla the Hun, personality of Leona Helmsly, and the organizational skills of Francesco Schettino, is it my job to understand that you are new to this level of management and mean well? Or is it my job to protect myself from you?

Yeah, I see the path that is mine.

6 comments:

Ron. said...

Thanks. Now I remember why I'm no longer teaching.

God bless you & all those who continue. Thank you.

Ricochet said...

I am wondering - this year for the first time - why in the world I wanted to do this. Then one of my students from a prior year walks up and hugs me for no reason and says he needed that.

Sigh.

ChiTown Girl said...

That last paragraph literally made me laugh out loud!! Thanks, I needed that today. :)

Ricochet said...

It would be funny if that was not my life. Geesh.

tilden talks... said...

I don't know if you need to understand why, but it would be nice. I apologise for the problems you face to teach our children everyday. Strong, intelligent, dedicated teachers deserve respect and support. All teachers deserve our respect and support, and combat pay. Thank you for fighting in the trenches day after day...

insomnia said...

I am so glad I am not in school anymore. Times have changed but the same tired behaviors have not.
Children are our future. Bless you!