REDONE

So.

I went into an East Side school today.

Tried some different techniques.

Much better. There's still some troublemakers, but these kids are trapped for 2 hours doing something they don't want to. And I, strangely enough, don't have the discipline chops because they've never been needed.

But in any of these edge schools, anything but brutal, direct adhereance to the rules is percieved as weakness, and exploited. I thought I did horribly; just got feedback that I did fine. (WTF?)

So, thankfully, I'm subbing for Kelly Education services, and trying to use the training manual.

I still feel for the poor students trapped in the class who are trying to learn. Working there isn't teaching, it's maintaining discipline. My new rule?
Try not to work at campuses that require multiple armed policemen.

But...what the heck is a parabola good for for these guys? Why should they care about ancient chinese history? The relevance of the material is very, very weak.

Ah well. LIve and Learn.

I just hope I can get good enough so I can some fun, and spend less of my time on discipline.

(The solution seems to be: be exactly the sort of teacher I hate. Hidebound, rigid, and immediately pick one transgression and send them to the office to scare the other kids.)

EDIT: The real problem is how draining it is to have to fight for control all day. I know you're supposed to take and keep control, but the kids are experts at challenging, starting from the probing questions, going on. And insulting? I was slapped by nuns for less lip than even a fairly decent student will give, and the "Your Mama" crap is just not amusing to me. I feel wiped out, it's only Wednesday, and I've got a full day tomorrow and all next week...and if I go back to sales, I'll make 3 times the money and not get threatened with violence.

It's really depressing.