Yes! An interactive activity, they are totally going to get into this. We are defining between what two integers the positive square root of 30 is, and then it begins...
Cherry and Newwneww exchange choice words, coming back with more and more harsh retorts. Cherry will not stop. I ask the class to "calm down" - which, of course, does nothing. Cherry continues her verbal assault against Newwneww. I ask Cherry specifically to cease her attack. Instead of complying, Cherry cries out, "OH Helllll no!!" ripping off her hoop earrings, bracelets, shoes, and jacket - preparing herself for a physical altercation and moving aggressively towards Newwneww.
Oh no; this is not about to happen in my classroom. I step in between the two girls, arms spread open, front facing Cherry. "Cherry, that's it! Absolutely not! Walk with me to the hall, walk with me to the hall." I start walking her out, but she has to circle back towards Newwneww to grab her belongings. I failed to get in between the two girls and feared for a moment that my attempts to disperse the hostility had failed.
Cherry approached her desk, Newwneww about 2 feet away. I catch up to Cherry and step part-way in between the two. "Cherry is just going to walk with me to the hall" I assure the class (i.e. myself). I get Cherry outside and tell her to sit in the back of a nearby classroom and complete her quiz.
Coming back into the classroom, I hear a kid say, "Ms. Fisher ain't scared of Black kids!" Then someone else say, "Were you scared?"
"Was I scared?" I ask. "No, I wasn't scared, I feared that someone was going to get hurt, but I didn't think it would come to that. I had faith that you guys wouldn't let a fight break out; that you would step in between them." A few murmurs informed me that quite the opposite was true.
In the future, I can't let it get this close. Could have been really serious.
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4 comments:
8Hey man, totally sorry to hear that it has gotten that bad. Good for you for handling it so well, considering that after 3 hrs with those kids I would probably loose all my hair, and decide to reinstate certain measure of corporal punishment which I know to be ineffective the long run but satisfying for the time being.
Miss you bro, talk to you soon.
wow...
you are like a teaching super hero
Hey Katie! Wow, your first week sounds pretty intense. I think your job is one of the hardest there is out there, so good for you for surviving the first week. You're going to be super-tough after this.
In about a week I'm heading out to the mountainous interior of the Dominican Republic to live and teach in a tiny community next to a coffee farm. It should be quite a different teaching experience. Anyway take care, and good luck!!
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