I have 33 sophomores in this class. Up until two days ago I had 31 desks. A student from my formerly difficult period 6 class was transferred to this period 4. Almost always everyone is there. There were a group who were elected as class leaders at the beginning of the year. About every other Tuesday they leave during Sustained silent reading time to go to a meeting. Frankly I am not really sure that they actually go to a meeting. They are the six of the most difficult kids in the class. Today a student came to me and told me that they were actually hanging out in the library and socializing. I emailed the vp on the issue. Actually this is the second time, I believe, that I emailed the vice principal.
This student also told me that one of these girls in bullying her. I also emailed the vice principal on this. Thirty three for me is just a little too many to have in a class. Perhaps the fact that they are sophomores makes them more difficult.
I have regressed to giving them checks for bad behavior. I have one angry badly behaved boy in the front who claims that he is not being graded on academics but on behavior. And I said if his behavior was good, he would have higher marks. He does not like this answer.
Then I have a group of chatty girls in the back, not obnoxious, but chatty. It is always the seating chart that I am tweaking. In this class it is hard to get it right. Someone is always near someone they shouldn't be. These are some of the things that make teaching hard.
1 comment:
33 teenage students in one English class is preposterous. Multiply that by however many classes you have and you come up with a student load that begins to dictate what and how you can teach. Darn right that's one of the things that makes teaching hard. Classes should cap at 20!
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