Middle School Student Behavior

reply to post by queenofsheba

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Thank you for your post. However, we are trying to teach the students. No Child Left Behind has dumbed down the education in our public schools. The standards are lower. I challenge you to walk one day in my shoes, my friend.

reply to post by IsleptIdreamt


The first priority at school is safety. Too many students and staff are getting hurt. I was knocked own in the hall because the students were running like a herd of elephants. I landed on my left side, of which I have a very bad hip. Not one student offered to help me up. So, safety is utmost in our minds. There are fights in the halls, pushing, shoving. Cartwheels in a crowded hallway is very dangerous. It is a school policy to not do these things in the halls. Teachers enforce the rules, or at least we try to.

reply to post by aero56

Yes, I am serious. Cartwheels in a crowded hallway is very dangerous. Someone could have been hurt.

Yes, I can understand how it could be dangerous in a crowded hallway, especially if they have been told to stop already, but that's certainly not anything extreme. Surely you have some better examples than that? Tipping desks is the worste thing you mentioned, and I bet that isn't a very common occurrence is it? If what you describe truly are the worste things taking place at that school I say you have it pretty good. Now I'm not saying that's the worste of it, because I know exactly how bad modern day schools can be, but that's all I have to go on. So what exactly makes the situation so out of control?

Originally posted by mnmcandiez
When I was in school I hated teachers and despised the whole schooling system. I hated that a stranger that I didn't know had some sort of power over me. So, I can relate to such behaviors.

Most teachers treated the students as sub-humans. Even if you are young, you need to be treated with some sort of respect.

Of course you do, and I'm sorry you feel that you weren't. Teachers are the authority in a classroom, however, like it or not.

reply to post by WhizPhiz


Tipping desks is quite popular with the students. They think it's funny. I once had a student who tipped the chair over backwards and hit his head on a cement floor. It wasn't pretty. Safety first. People seem to think that constant talking and getting up out of seats isn't a terrible thing. When it goes on constantly, I mean non stop, you can't teach effectively. You are constantly re-directing the students to focus on their work. Having to do this throughout the day, takes away precious time for students who want to learn.

Originally posted by WhizPhiz
reply to post by aero56

 

Yes, I am serious. Cartwheels in a crowded hallway is very dangerous. Someone could have been hurt.

Yes, I can understand how it could be dangerous in a crowded hallway, especially if they have been told to stop already, but that's certainly not anything extreme. Surely you have some better examples than that? Tipping desks is the worste thing you mentioned, and I bet that isn't a very common occurrence is it? If what you describe truly are the worste things taking place at that school I say you have it pretty good. Now I'm not saying that's the worste of it, because I know exactly how bad modern day schools can be, but that's all I have to go on. So what exactly makes the situation so out of control?

I welcome you to spend a day in my classroom. Then you are in a position to form a more educated opinion.

reply to post by Facemelter


Thank you for your post. It was exactly like that when I was in school. It's a routine. There was some variety, however. It sounds a little boring to you, but structured. I am glad you don't have the issues at your school that I have described. Do well, my friend.

reply to post by Missing Blue Sky


One's rights end when they infringe on the rights of others. Cartwheels are dangerous in a crowded hallway. This is not acceptable behavior. Some one could get hurt. The injured person would then have a lawsuit against the school and the corporation, and perhaps against the family of the student doing the cartwheel.

reply to post by aero56


Aero you wanna know why these kids are the way they are? Look no further than some of the people in this thread. The enablers,, welcome to the politically correct pussified version of America. A switch never killed anyone and never caused permanent damage but it hurt like hell.

These kids need boot camp it shows them how tough they really are, so your so tough huh? Well lets run 5 miles and do 50 push ups.

I just saw the new Beyond Scared Straight. They took 6-7 troubled teenage girls into prison. They were face to face with some of the hardcore scariest women you will ever see. Some of these felons where murderers, robbers and the like. They scared the crap out of these troubled girls and all but one of the girls changed their ways according to the parents. I say thats a good ratio 6 troublemakers go in only 1 troublemaker comes out.

But see we have sissified people who think kids should run all over parents. This is the Oprah , Dr Phil generation.

These are the same people in the thread saying their is nothing wrong with cartwheels in a crowded hall but as soon as one of those kids cartwheels into their son or daughter and hurts them they will be ready to SUE the school.

reply to post by aero56

Teachers are the authority in a classroom, however, like it or not.

Yeah, but the kids are forced to go there. They don't have a choice, society deems it absolutely necessary to go to school and then get a job, preferably find a partner and have some kids, work until you retire and then do F all with your life since you're now to old to truly live. You need to understand they are young and can't really appreciate the importance of an education, and it often can be just as hard for them to get up every day and go to a place they absolutely despise. The schooling system is utter crap IMO anyway. 12 years or so of their life is dedicated to learning about stuff they don't really care about. I'm a programmer, and everything I've learn about programming has taken place after those 12 years. I've forgotten at least 50% of what I learnt at school, because 50% of it has absolutely no relevancy to what I do on a daily basis.

reply to post by NadaCambia


It used to be that way, my friend. This behavior is no longer a respecter of persons. It does not matter how good or how bad a teacher may be. I teach with veteran teachers, some very tough folks. The behaviors continue.

reply to post by aero56

I welcome you to spend a day in my classroom. Then you are in a position to form a more educated opinion.

Well, I wasn't really expecting any good examples anyway...I predict I've spent a day in plenty of classrooms more hectic then you'll ever know...anyway, good luck with your children, my time here is up.

Originally posted by aero56
reply to post by NadaCambia

 

It used to be that way, my friend. This behavior is no longer a respecter of persons. It does not matter how good or how bad a teacher may be. I teach with veteran teachers, some very tough folks. The behaviors continue.

Like I say, I couldn't really comment on America. A generation filled with chemicals and poison, raised on 'timeouts' , doesn't surprise me if they don't have respect.

Haven't read all the pages. The problem starts in the home. Where is the father? The father is the authoritarian of the house. Detention? Wait til dad finds out.

Things will sort themselves out. I fear that the way they do will be police. They're already at most schools. They were at mine. Causing trouble in class? Disturbing the peace. Police on duty at schools, arresting children.

reply to post by WhizPhiz


We used to appreciate education and respect our teachers, at a young age. What has happened? Yes, people must be educated. Kids don't have to go to a public school; they can be home schooled, or go to a private school. In any case, education is a must.

Are they black students?

IMO, this is a simply bad parenting. Bad people having reproduced. Let me clarify a bit on bad. If you've taken a basic psychology class then you have learned about Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche and the id, ego and superego. Our superego is developed when we are young and is the responsibility of our "caretakers" to embed in us. Simply put our superego is our CONSCIENCE. Our little angel on our shoulders whispering what to do in our ear. What's happening is children are not being taught right and wrong. They are not being taught respect and discipline. They are not being taught empathy nor compassion. Parents have no idea how to be parents. Unfortunately most everyone knows how to have unprotected sex though, doesn't take an aerospace engineer to figure that one out.

We talk on this site a lot about what's scary and damn people to me this is pretty scary. Kids with no morals, values or any type of right/wrong structure at all growing up into the future adults and leaders of this country is a pretty scary future.

reply to post by MrWhite665


Actually, color has no place in this conversation! It was white boys getting their butts popped with the wooden paddle when I was in school! Let's leave race out of this!

A coach here was recently called down for paddling disruptive students. Parents wanted to file suit, etc. Guess where this coach is .... yep, back coaching and teaching! I was paddled in school for being rude. I asked for it!

This day and time no one wants to take responsibility for their actions. I know if I do something stupid and something horrible happens, I have only myself to blame!! This has always been the case.

Originally posted by Imightknow
They are not being taught empathy nor compassion.

More drivel! This generation has more empathy and compassion than any previous generation. It's irrefutable.

Are you forgetting that your generation is made up of racist, bigoted, ignorant war mongers? Or does respecting authority make them better people regardless? Shame your generation had no respect for anything other than authority. If they had the ability to think for themselfs, along with the most basic of moral compasses, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in now.

Is it really that hard to figure out why elders aren't respected in Western countries?

There could be a whole website started to log teacher complaints. I worked in Philadelphia as a teacher until recently. Its not just the parents here in Philly. Don't get me wrong ,they are definitely a problem but get this... the day I quit:

I taught 8th grade mathematics in a K-8 school

11:00 - picking up the class I dropped off at gym 45 min earlier. While walking past my wife's classroom (she is the Art technology teacher), a boy who is the worst behavior problem in the school, left the line and got himself lost in a huge group of students in front of her room. I see him come up behind my wife, put his hands around her neck in a hug like manner, and then slid his hands toward her boobs. I was only a few feet away, grabbed him by the wrist, pushed him away from her and said " you never put your hands on my wife " and went to walk away before I exploded in anger. The whole time he had the most sadistic evil smile on his face.

a minute and half later.... he shoulder checked me to my back as I was escorting the class.

11-11:45 - He has a Theraputic Support Specialist (TSS) who is supposed to be with him at all times to keep him from doing these things. Well two of them appear in my class to sit with him. The whole class period he's yelling that he's going to kill me, beat me up, and all kinds of horrible threats.

12:30pm - I write everything down on a pink slip and take it to the acting principle (the usual one is out sick for weeks now, probably just looking for another job). I explain what happened with my wife, the shoulder check, the threats. He says "give it to the disciplinarian."
I replied " I know this is your first day here sir, but our disciplinarian is a 75 year old retired woman who is a volunteer reading specialist (she taught for 60 years) and she's not even here today. I think this is a serious situation which requires immediate attention"
I get back " did you hear what I said !!!!! put it in her box! "

I got yelled at for asking for help.

2:00pm - I have to teach a 25 min corrective reading class (yes I am a math teacher). The same kid should be in this class. I look out in the hall to check for late comers before I close the door and I see said kid, dragging a girl by her ankles down the hallway. Not being allowed to leave my classroom unattended (immediate firing offense) I called the office and said "guess who is dragging a girl down the hallway by her ankles." The secretary tells me principle is already on his way up.

The principle brings the kid to my class without the TSS workers and tells him to enter the class and sit down. I immediately objected and asked politely "where is his TSS?"
"don't know"
"well I do not think its a good idea for him to be in here without any supervision given the threats and his behavior today so I really do not want him in here"
(yelling at me in front of my students) "Do you know who I am??? I am a former superintendent!! Now get in there and do your damn job!!!!"

I reached into my pocket, pulled out my keys to my class and building, tossed them to him and said "screw this, you teach them... this is some kind of joke.. no wonder these kids are so unruly, people like you"

I turned to the class and apologized that they had to see this. Explained to them the reason they can't have good teachers is people like "that man" (while pointing at the principle)

I had a great relationship with 95% of my students. They are still asking about me and hate their new math teacher who they tell my wife knows nothing.

Our future is in trouble, I am not the only teacher things like this have happened to.