Brazen Attitude

What are students thinking when they sass a teacher? How about their tricks to spoof a substitute? Do they think they have won a battle? Do they think they have gained some new power coin? What are students thinking when they steal from the supplies in the classroom? Do they think the items in the room belong to the "school" system and are free for the taking, since somehow the taxes covered the materials? What are others thinking when they see the theft, hear the disrespect, sit near the rudeness, or face the prospect that a peer is willing to cheat. How about the number of times the vulgarity and Lord's Name in vain is spoken in the presence of an adult, and in the classroom or on the bus? What are students telling their parents when a teacher knows about their antics and tries to cover up their behavior? They don't tell the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth! They lie, they leave out incriminating parts or they add to the story, to divert the attention on their own involvement!

The sad fact is that the students justify their behavior as something everyone does, and normal. They rationalize the wrong behavior into a behavior that is just fine! Parents deny that their children could be doing something wrong. The teacher is expected to bow down, turn the other cheek, give in, let it go, let them have control. I have been referred to as "mean" because I expect students to follow rules, and do their work! Then, when students don't do their work, parents are begging for extra time (weeks) & "bonus" work!

But the real problem is - that new teachers and student teachers are learning fast, that this environment is not the enjoyable and glorious environment or profession it could be; and in the past 10 years, a steady decline in the moral ethics of students, the need to "help every student" achieve, has resulted in an overture of entitlement, to good grades, and honor roll status, and positive rewards that aren't deserved. I can see that there is a storm brewing, and I have a rocky road ahead of me.

Lord God Almighty, from Whom all good things come,
tell me there will be light at the end of the tunnel.