Wednesday, October 31, 2007

i quit...

Today I wanted to quit my job. I thought it would be funny to leave this post to just that sentence.

Two children got into a huge fist fight in my class, and after it was done, the Vice Principal came in to talk to me about it. (taking up my entire lunch period mind you)He asked me questions about what I could have done differently so as to have not let the situation escalate into the fight. It happened so quickly that the only thing I was able to do was to separate them. He kept pressing the issue that I could have done more and I finally broke. I gave him my usual "garth" analogies and it didn't satisfy him. So, I just asked him want he wanted me to do. He was wanting me to own up to the fact that if I had been paying closer attention to the situation, if I had de-escalate the problem, if I had ... He even asked me if I agreed with the direction the school was going. All to say that I didn't give him the right answers. So, I felt like saying "thank you for all your input, and you may now find another teacher to not only deal with the students that attend this school, but also the way that you support them when students are not doing what they should be doing". I didn't quit. But I wanted too. I actually told another teacher after school that I wanted to move back to California. It was just my wanting to go back to something familiar.

3 comments:

thompson said...

Garth,
It sounds like the principal is just another 'friend' to the students and doesn't want to hold them accountable for their actions. Great! Another generation slipping through the cracks to think they can do anything without consequences! Our wonderful educational system hard at work!
But, with teachers like you, there is hope! Keep doing what God wants you to do! God Bless! The Thompsons

foutfolk said...

You are so positive and encouraging! :) I really wanted to spank them. Both. Then, make them do about two hours worth of classwork, have them come to my house and do work, and then ask them if they EVER wanted to fight in my room again.

Tramp said...

Garth,

This principal is simply an uninformed, unintelligent, and unguided soul. He cannot realize that you were correct. He does not have the vision to see it. But the rest of us see clearly. Thank you for not giving up, the children need proper guidance, which he cannot give them. They need you.

Me thinks the good Lord guided you to this place for exactly that reason. And He created the beauty and the serenity of that place to hold you there.

Don't waste your time and your patience trying to guide a man who chooses to be blind. Give him what he wants and guide children who thirst for it, and will forever thank you and remember you because of it. That, my friend, is eternal life.

This man acts almighty and powerful because he knows he is not. He desperately needs to feed his insecurities, you do not. And all around you the people clearly see how you tower over him. So does he, though he would never admit it. Do not go down to his level, appease him and let him watch you grow even larger.

He knows.