Re: Middle School

Ben

Posted on 1/03/10

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Bill Cosby (in his "Pound Cake" speech) says "when I was
growing up, behind every drawn curtain was an eye, and when
Mama got off the bus she knew if you were playing hookey."

This is the key to keeping kids safe; an eye behind every
curtain. I'm not advocating "helicopter parenting", where the
parents "hover". I'm saying that the parents have to be
constantly vigilant.

The parents have to say: "Your teacher says that you disturb
the class, so you're not going to be socializing with them
until the teacher tells me things have improved, case
closed."

You need to tell the parents that they need to follow this
plan. I had the same problem as you, and I said to the
parent:

"If you want your son to learn and accomplish, then you must
support what I do. I need you to be vigilant, and look at his
schoolwork every night. That way, your son will know you are
watching him. You need to tell him that if he's breaking
rules at school, he might as well be breaking them at home."

But the parent wasn't cooperative. She thought I was
criticizing her son too much. So I said: "Your son's
behavior tells me he doesn't want to be here, and your lack of
cooperation tells me you don't like what I do. Perhaps you'd
rather find your son another school?"

On 12/15/09, teacher 3 years wrote:
> I am looking for help and suggestions---I have 4-5
> students who are constantly challenging (They feed off one
> another and know how to get each other started)! We have
> tried isolation at lunch and recess, even in the morning--
> to help them---we have tried for a period of time to help
> protect them from themselves----now parents are concerned
> about this because the kids complaining at home about
> not "socializing" with their friends----any ideas of what
> we can try that we have not to help them! teacher for 3
> years!

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