So I'm going to say this week was a good one. Whoa there was just an earthquake. I hate earthquakes. Anyway...
I think I am getting a feel for this whole "letting things go" thing, and as hard as it might be, it is a lot easier than dwelling and killing myself over everything that could have been different or better. I need to stay in touch with my more positive and confident self.
I have been having strange experiences with a student recently that are quite puzzling. This student was one of the first in the class he's in to really be nice and friendly. He's really sensitive and into things that the other students are not. For that reason he's always been really alienated from the rest of them. Besides this, he takes the class really seriously and participates thoughtfully, which also seemed to deflame his character in the face of the others.
I really can't remember in the last however long if I have done something terrible that I have subsequently blocked out, but you might think so by the change in his behavior towards me. Lately he's been making a point to remind me at points how inferior I am to my master teacher. He has called me unfair for my "everyone at least in class by the late bell" policy, and has been criticizing every single activity. He's not been misbehaving in any other way, and really his comments are annoying more for their frequency and not their content. I'm ok with the idea of students not liking me, or disagreeing with and challenging the way I do things, but this kid seems to make it his special task each class.
I guess it is also strange since it seemingly came out of nowhere. My conclusion of the "why" is that teenagers are insane, but I am starting to wonder if I should dignify all this by talking to him seriously about his comments. I answer him the best I can when his challenges come up, but he ignores these responses mostly. I am starting to think he wants a more emotional (angry or upset) reaction, and he's really not going to get it. Would a talk with him be pointless because it will just perpetuate this attention seeking behavior? Or could I find out that his comments are stemming from a deeper issue? Choosing battles wisely is something that I need a little more practice in.
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I wish I had more advice for you, but really...I'm still thinking about that rat on the toilet. Do you still have that? If so, let's frame it. Evidence of the craziness of our student-teaching year.
After my thoroughly scientific survey of students between the ages of 14 and 18 over the last twenty-nine months, I conclude that while 93% of these teens have a good brain in their head, only 0.25% of them are actually sane more than 16% of the time, therefore, logic (as a tool or weapon) only works 8.3% of the time.
[accuracy: +/- 84%]
I suppose I would consider it worthwhile to ask him to stay after class and mention that you had been really impressed with his sensitivity and seriousness but have noticed a change in his behavior. Tell him how much you appreciated his prior participation in the class and ask what it would take to help him return to his previous positive and interested self.
Whales,
You could really benefit from some of the advice my friend James gave me. Although James wasn’t really giving me advice, just telling me about his day, I adapted it and now pass it off as such.
James works as a physical therapist with an older aged clientele.
Poor Old Person: blah, blah, blah, blah.
James: What’s that? Oh, some more useless shit I don’t care about? Oh, really some uninteresting crap you’ve already told me a thousand times? No way, really? Why don’t you just hurry up and die already?
I had to clean that up a bit.
Yeah, James is the reason I smoke. Young death beats physical therapy insults any day.
You may want to look at adapting this to fit your student.
Regards,
Taco Fighter 3011
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