schools the same?

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Home : 2003 : January : 4

schools the same?
By Carolyn B.

I have taught in several schools, and in several grades. I have gone as young as Grade 2, and as old as middle school, and I have seen these sorts of behaviors in virtually every grade I have worked in. I am not sure that
it's the school that affects the kids as much as the kids' upbringing. I strongly suspect, based upon interaction which I have seen with parents and children at school, that the behaviors which you describe happen at home, too. I teach fifth grade, and I have had numerous incidents this year of the sort that you describe. Am I in a bad school? No. I also wouldn't consider leaving

this school because of these kids.

I continue to try to work with the parents when I do have problems with their kids. This year I have a student who has a disorder which makes him fly off the handle. His mom says he has had seizures in the past and used to take medication for it, and while I haven't seen the seizures, I have seen the temper tantrums--throwing things, banging around, screaming at other students during instruction, etc. Mom and Dad are working with me, but they are basically scratching their heads over his behavior. They just don't know what to do with him. He has also been suspended once this year. He has also had problems in the school bus and throughout his school years.

Children also have bad days. I had a student who had an emotional outburst and ran away from me, crying, down the hallway one day. I just let her go. Later on, she returned calm and ready to learn again. I didn't say a word to her about it after she returned. I spoke with her mother about it, and she said that her child acts this way at home. We both feel that it's the emotional roller coaster of puberty.

I don't think you should take these problems personally. I also don't think you should take these as a sign that you aren't doing your job correctly. Children seem to be very emotional beings. We just have to do the best we can with them and try to understand the causes for the problems.