tryna get Miss G. in trouble
Never thought I’d have a student HATE me… but I definitely do. One particular student, now a 5th grader, just may be out to get me. I had issues with his negative attitude (dirty looks/eye rolling/non-verbal disruptions/refusing to do work/excessive talking/harassing other students/etc) last year and met with his parents. On Friday the attitude reached a new level. I simply could not handle the dirty looks, especially when I had other students saying “WHY ARE YOU LOOKIN AT MS. G. LIKE THAT?” So, after getting the rest of the class working, I called him over to my desk.
“See this?” I asked, waving a disciple referral in the air. “This is your last warning before I send this home. I don’t care if you like me or not - it does NOT change the fact that I care about you, your art work, and your learning. You are hurting my feelings with all the disrespect you’ve been showing me. Last chance to shape up.” Again, he got huffy but nodded that he understood. I watched him walk back to his seat and throw himself into it. I rolled MY eyes this time and 10 minutes later, went over to help him with his work.
This morning, my principle came into my room and told me that one of my 5th graders went home and told his mother “Ms. G. said that on Saturday she was coming into the school and throwing out all of our projects.” I almost let out a string of curses. Seriously? Seriously one of MY kids said this? “Look,” I said, almost in tears “I NEVER throw out any student work. I have a box of finished pieces from last year in my storage closet because some kids did not want them.” I then yanked open my filing cabinet and ripped out a stuffed manilla folder labeled ‘Gifts from students 2009-2010’ “See this? I literally keep EVERYTHING” tearing through it I showed him goofy little drawings and crumped papers with “I love you Ms. G.!” scribbled on them. With my level of irritation he told me he knew I was a devoted teacher and would never say such a thing. I told him immediately that I was almost certain it would be the 5th grader that I had issues with, and whose parents I reached out to several times last year. When I gave his last name he smiled, nodded, and said my guess was in fact correct.
You never want to dislike a student, but it is real easy to be disappoint and let down. I am livid that any parents, especially this particular pair, would believe such a terrible thing about a teacher that has gone above and beyond to help. I see over 400 students and have taken ridiculous amounts of time out for your kid’s bad attitude…….. and you still think I’m to blame?
That one little thing put a damper on my entire day. I have to get better at brushing things off.
