Last
year, I got hired mid-year to take on a middle school ELD class in a new school
district. When I interviewed, I discovered that this class had gone through
three, count 'em THREE, teachers prior to my being hired. This information
in-and-of-itself was a bit terrifying, that and the fact that I had gone from
teaching adorable little elementary kids to giant, hormonal tweens and teens.
It
was one of those whirlwind job opportunities - the kind where you hear about
the position, interview and sign contracts within a few days. Before I knew it,
I was being introduced at a staff meeting, sent off to curriculum trainings and
in the classroom with some very wild kids. I was lucky enough to get to work
with the long-term sub (who had been there a few weeks and done a great job
with the kids) for a few days before being left on my own.
Now,
let me be clear. My initial thought when I heard that these kids had been
through three teachers in just a matter of months terrified me to no end. I
assumed that their behavior was so atrocious that the original teacher and two
subsequent teachers had run screaming from campus. I could just picture the little monsters and
hellions throwing things, talking and fighting in class – kind of like every
teacher-goes-to-rough-neighbor-and-tries-to-make-a-real-difference-in-students-lives
movie every made.
But
that was not actually the case. By some twist of fate, the teachers had never
actually set foot in the classroom. The first teacher taught there for a few
years prior, but had accepted another position over the summer. The other two
teachers had interviewed for the job, but for some reason or another never
showed up on their first day of work. Both of them. Months apart.
Honest-to-goodness truth.
It’s
bizarre, but I like to think it really was fate, and that I was the teacher who
was supposed to be there. As my principal joked, “third time’s the charm.” When
I arrived for my first contract day, my principal pointed out that I was
already ahead of the curve because I actually showed up!
Even
though the kids hadn’t actually scared off the other teachers, it was as bad,
or even worse, than I had imagined. The long-term sub that had been there for a
few weeks prior to my being hired was amazing. She and the instructional coach
had taken some good steps towards getting some control of the class, but after
an entire trimester of having a string of short-term subs with no management
skills whatsoever, the kiddos were really out of control. Fights, graffiti,
overall classroom destruction were everyday occurrences.
At
first the students didn’t seem to believe that I was really their teacher and
there to stay. They actually got into arguments on a regular basis about
whether or not I was a teacher or a sub. While it was amusing, it broke my
heart. These kids seemed to feel unwanted and some even seemed hopeful to have
a “real” teacher. I promised them that I wasn’t going anywhere and that I was
there “real” teacher, at least through the end of the year. [Because of the
nature of my work (and the funding source), I have always been on temporary
contracts, which are only a year at a time.]
The
first few months were, there’s no other word for it, H-E-double hockey sticks.
During that time, I have never been more exhausted or more discouraged. I had
also never been more determined. I have always felt confident in the classroom,
but these guys had me seriously doubting my management skills.
I
had to be at times so patient and permissive and at others so mean and so LOUD.
I’ve never thought that yelling was a good management technique, but with this
group nothing else seemed to work (this was verified by the instructional coach
and the admin!). It was a tough crowd, with a lot of drug and gang influence.
At various points in the year, we had a tagging crew, drug dealers,
gang-related fights and other such ridiculousness on campus.
Our
school had more suspensions and serious behavior issues than any other in our
district – not because we had that many more issues, but because our principal
is amazingly supportive and believes in following through with consequences and
being consistent.
I
was so fortunate to be surrounded by welcoming, hard-working professionals and
all-around good people. I was immediately adopted into the school “family” by
coworkers and supported immensely by my administrators.
Last
year was truly a battle each and every day, but I was determined I would be the
victor. There were a lot more tears than I would have liked (on my part, and
more due to the stress of a family illness and eventual passing of a loved one
during that same time), but I survived. And I think, like a battle, the kids
and I were irrevocably bonded by the end of the year. The kids made such a turn
around that behavior and grades improved significantly by the end of the third
trimester. Our class was even chosen to be a model classroom where the author
of one of our textbooks filmed a training video. I was so proud of my kids and
myself.
It
was by far the most challenging and most rewarding school year yet. I cried yet
again when my principal renewed my contract for another year. I am so excited
to be coming back. I have so much more work I want to do and can’t wait to
refine my middle school teaching technique.
