Educational Frustration

Some days it isn't worth trying. Today was like that. We have four teachers on our team. We are required to escort students to and from classes, but for the most part the transitions go from one classroom to another across the hall. The exception is lunchtime. I am always there early, and I guide the kids out, and hopefully another teacher is in the hall to take the front of the line. There are two teachers who NEVER come downstairs, which leaves two people to wrangle 100+ sixth graders. It doesn't often go well, and it is the least favorite part of my day.

Today as we progressed down the hall, and the dregs of my line were behind me (meaning the trouble makers who either aren't paying attention to the dismissal call, or hang back to goof and talk) a chunk of crayon skittered past my shoe. I figured it was thrown, but optimistically said to myself "maybe somebody kicked it." The next chunk of crayon hit me in the side of the head. Several of the boys laughed, but my back was turned. No win situations, but I called for an administrator and took all 12 boys to a conference room. Then I went back to my duties, knowing full well that nobody saw anything, and there would be no resolution. Which was correct - it is like dealing with witnesses to the Mafia - memories short out, nobody will admit they saw anything.

The victims here are the students who are good and responsible. Eventually this lack of respect from a segment of the students will drive good teachers away in frustration. Disruptions from children who haven't learned how to behave, or worse yet have had role models who have taught through example to lie, be selfish, cheat, steal and act offended when caught. The culture and society here in Memphis is one of entitlement.

Our school has over 85% of students who qualify for free or reduced lunches. But I have a significant number of students who brag of their $200 sneakers, and take extreme care of them, while casually tearing pages out of their textbooks. These students are not wealthy, but priorities are so skewed that materialism is replacing parental involvement. A parent might work 2 jobs, and be absent for most of the child's waking day in order to provide the expensive goods that the child asks for as a replacement for normal parental contact. These are the students who do not value "normal" social mores like honesty, hard work, respect (for adults or authority).

The cherry on top of all this is that I am white. Reverse racism is not only prevalent but exploited to the maximum. Complaints fly if I so much as raise my voice to some students, and I envision parents instructing their kids, verbally or by example, that they don't have to listen to me because I am "the man" and should be resisted and thwarted at every opportunity. Makes for a hostile work environment, not even taking into account vandalism to my car, verbal and physical assaults, and having my performance examined under a microscope as part of the federal educational initiative (No Child Left Behind) which is more about accountability than actually increasing student achievement.

I wish the bureaucrats could understand a bell curve and realize that you can't get 90% of the population to perform at 80% or better, especially without some massive influx of dollars and a new paradigm of teaching. I venture it could be done, but it won't be, because it is all about accountability. In other words, it is the teachers fault, and our elected officials will make sure those teachers don't screw up the educational process any more than they already have.

Some days I wonder why I took this career path.