The Usual Suspects: Dream Team Elite = Boys with a Bright Future...

[wango]

Have you had any students attack you physically? I think it's one thing to break up a fight between students, and another when the violence is directed at you as an administrator.

BTW, never wanted to be an administrator, teaching was really my life’s calling and I had a blessed 21 years.

I’ve had kids want to fight and actually approach me. Lots of profanity, obvious body language. You remain firm, confident, in control but you don’t risk physical exchanges because that is a lose/lose situation. I’ve been reprimanded for language usage, but in some instances it established more seriousness in my authority and it de escalated the situation. No one has ever touched me in class. Outside, monitoring hallways and separating kids, I’ve been bumped up against chest to chest, but they knew better and backed off, even the older/bigger ones.

Each distinct race, nationality (we had at our particular school) had specific tendencies that you need to be in tune with because of how they deal with authority figures (clearing voice here, like the ref at a basketball game). I’ve been called racist by kids and their parents too many times to count so you have to be very cautious in that setting how you approach it. It’s particularly challenging when a parent just moved their kid out of a rough school/neighborhood and they have to adapt to a stricter set of rules.

When we have a shortage of substitute teachers you’ll have to cover an unknown class during your preparation period. That can be trippy as you truly hear outrageous horror stories about what happens occasionally in classes with subs, it’s truly FUBAR. The reason I took my stance regarding this video, is that it seriously is amusing when a kid smaller than you and with far less strength tries to challenge your authority. I’ve actually laughed, which in a lot of occasions just deflates the kid. Seriously, untill you are regularly around 9th graders even, the size discrepancy between you and them is laughable and I don’t care if there’s a bunch of them (and between you and me, keeping this private, you know the group that I mean. They like to brawl and brawl in packs, never singularly).

Keep in mind as well, you are always being videoed by kids. Every remotely questionable move or word you utter can possibly get you suspended or fired.