New Kids, New Hassles, New Lessons to Learn.

So I was recently confronted with the fact that I teach at a great school. I teach a great class. I have LOVED going into work this year. And I still do, but something happened this past week that has made me realize how great I have it at my school.

I have a very small class size this year, 23 students showed up at the beginning of the year, as one student decided to attend Amish school instead of Westview. Knowing that I had the smallest class size, it was inevitable that when a new student arrived, they would be placed (most likely) in my class. And low and behold, on Tuesday, my principal entered my room to inform me that this was to be the case starting the following day, Wednesday.

Great, turns out it is a female student who has moved in from another state. So I grab a desk, write out a name tag and laminate it at the end of school, and then pull together all of the materials my new ward would need.

My class was so excited when I told them that we were to get a new student. I was excited too, until the next day, when reality hit. My new student entered the room.

I know I have it good, the students in my class are great workers, no complaining, just minimal management issues. Sure I have one or two who have a little attitude, but we're working on that, and they're willing to work with me. I was nervous when the first few words out of the new student's mouth were, "I don't like to read."

It wasn't the fact that she said it, it was how she said it. With wide eyes, boisterous enough for the rest of the class to hear, and a little giggle under her breath. I knew I was going to have my hands full when she continued to shout out at times that were completely inappropriate, and even my not-so-socially-aware kids were looking at her in puzzlement. But I could handle this, a little out of the ordinary, a little rough around the edges, but I can get through this... right?

Day two: Wardrobe Mishaps.

Like most schools, we have a dress code. My little girl, decided to ignore these and wear her halter-top dress. Thankfully the principal caught this before I did, and gave her own jacket to my new girl to help her cover up. Though her justification for wearing such an outfit to school was that her bra straps were not showing as she was not wearing one. Great.

Day three: Money for Exchange of Services.

On the third day of school, my new girl arrives with five dollars. I see her playing around with it, and I inform her to either keep it in her pocket or her backpack. Later on, I see her messing with it again, and tell her one last time to put it away. Then I check my e-mail. Apparently, she had informed another teacher that she had earned this five dollar bill from accepting a dare from another student to kiss a boy on the bus. She and the other boy did so (but didn't ever really kiss, they just got close enough to make it look like they were...), and she earned five bucks. After reading the e-mail, I confront my girl about the matter, to which she informs me that this is true, through her giggles, and that she just doesn't know what to tell people about her boyfriends, since she's had so many already. Nine, to be exact. Whoa buddy.

In the course of three days, I have had more to deal with than I have the previous nine weeks. I've forgotten how easy I have it with the school I'm at, with the students that have been placed in my class, it truly is remarkable that my biggest issue lies within smart alack comments. Now I realize, those days might be over. And I find myself wishing that this little girl would move again sometime so that way I could have my old class back.

And here's where I have to stop myself. Because I know that this girl's life, has been so different from my own. It's the students like her that need teachers the most. Teachers who truly do care about them, whether or not they succeed. Teachers who provide a place that helps students like her realize that they are worth something. That they don't need to resort to accepting bribes to get the attention they desire. That there's more to life than what they have experienced so far. I know that I will probably not turn this girl's life around. But maybe, if I watch my words and actions, I might be able to turn her day around. And even though it's a lot more work for me in the long run, and my patience will be tried, I hope I get to see just one more day with her in my class.

Big Girls Don't Cry: But What About Boys?

Before I started teaching sixth grade, I had a skewed veiw of this particular age group. When I thought of sixth grade students, I thought of students with gigantic stature. I thought of kids with attitudes bigger than Texas. I thought of pupils with textbooks bigger than my repertoire of knowledge.

But then I started teaching sixth grade.

I learned that these giants with major attitudes with a lot to learn, were actually just little guys who have just as much attitude as any kindergartner I've ever met, and... well their textbooks are still bigger than my repertoire of knowledge, but I'm working on that!

However, there was one paradigm that has proved to be true. Sixth graders are emotional. The hormones, the friendships that are in constant change, and the emotional roller coaster of sixth grade relationships, it's a wonder we all make it through a day without ending up in tears! Well, at least most of us don't end up in tears.

This year, I've encountered something that I've never seen before, and am a little bit flabbergasted over. Several times throughout the course of this school year one of my boys, who is fairly high maintenance, has ended up in tears!

First it was over several kids in my class getting on his case about popping his popcorn on the wrong day. I let my kids bring in popcorn if they want, but I limit who can pop and when through a schedule. My kid wasn't paying attention to details (as usual), and the other kids in my class were all to willing to point out his mistake. Before I could respond to the other kids, he was in tears. Everyone in the class stopped, none of us knew what to do! Never have I seen a sixth grader cry without blood or a broken bone. I could understand if it was a sensitive girl, but a boy?

Is this normal?

Since then he's teared up two more times. A phone call to mom is going to happen tomorrow, just to see if there's more to this going on at home. But I get a feeling, that this is just the way the kid operates. Which, that's fine, the kid can be sensitive... but he's gonna get beat up emotionally if he continues to cry in front of his classmates.

The first time that it happened, I thought maybe it was a bad day. The second time it happened was in front of the music teacher, and I wasn't there. The third time it happened was during play practice (we're doing a play!), and I couldn't address everything right then and there. The next time it happens, I'm stopping everything, and the kid and I are going to go out to talk away from everyone.

But I'm not the only teacher who has had to deal with criers this year. I've heard of several other sixth grade teachers in my building who have had both boys and girls cry over ridiculous things. A lost pencil. He pinched me. You looked at me. I remember being ridiculous in sixth grade due to hormonal emotions... but never in public, and NEVER in front of my peers.

Are we raising babies? What will the long term effects be of kids who cry at the drop of a hat? Is this the continuation of degenerative competitiveness, where everyone is a winner, and if you whine or cry long enough, we'll give you what you want if you'll just shut up?

I tell you what I want to say to the kid, but am too afraid of getting sued.

Suck it up kid.

It's what my dad said to me, what his dad told him, and it's what I'll tell my kids (if and when I ever have any). Sometimes you just have to get over it, and deal with it. And you know what, somethings are just not worth crying over. Toughen up kid. You've got a long life in front of you.