The “I hate you!” phase

I don’t know if this is true for all teachers, but as I start my third year now I notice some basic phases of the school year:

Week One: Okay, we’ll play nice. Maybe talk a little too much, but that’s all.

Week Two-Week ___: I hate you! Slow down! Stop asking me to work! This is too much! Why won’t you repeat everything you said in the last 15 minutes? Why can’t I walk in 3 minutes late – I was looking for my lost purple bunny so I had a good excuse! Why can’t you give me a pencil? Why can’t I have a “female emergency” three times a month and go to the bathroom for half an hour? I hate you!

Problem is, I can’t remember around when the “I hate you!” phase ends.

But its really getting me down right now.

It is SO tempting to stop class and go into a lecture. You know “I’m trying to teach you for your own good, blah blah blah, don’t you want to be successful in life, blah blah blah, why don’t you appreciate me *sob* blah blah blah…”

I don’t though. I just calmly repeat the classroom procedure and either give a detention or a warning, then walk away.

But its so haaaard! Especiallly when they whiiiiine! Because I ask them to actually doooooo woooooork! Instead of sitting and watching the teeeacher do all the woooork! Oh my gooooosh! Whine whine whiiiine! Moan moan mooooan! Foul words muttered under breeeeath! Respond to redirect by distracting oooooothers!

Okay, that feels better.

I know that 95% of them get over it and start working and thinking and becoming a producing student, instead of an observer in my classroom. I know it, but I don’t FEEL it right now.

Right now I just feel like telling them what brats they’re being.

And the thing is, its STILL less than 50% of them. More than half are working hard and doing well. They’re great kids!

So why, why, why, why, why do I focus on the brats, instead of the superstars?

My prep period is ending in 15 minutes, and I still have 3 classes left today.

Goal for today: Redirect brats, but focus on superstars.