Friday, November 07, 2003

It is always kind of exciting to come back to school after a day off to see what occured in your absence. Being a teacher sort of makes me feel very important. I honestly have trouble understanding what my class would do without me. They are so difficult for me to handle, I always wish I could be a fly on the wall when someone else is there.

This was the best absence yet. Nothing stolen...as far as I can tell right now. And the sub said they were all pretty good.

The only trouble was really weird trouble. I have a student named Geneva who is really nice and sweet. She asked at the beginning of the year if she could sit at the table on the side of the room. I said, "Sure." So there she has been, all this time. Sweet as a pea.

I recently created a new seating chart and I forgot to write down that Geneva sits at the table. So yesterday, apparently, the sub didn't see her name on the seating chart and asked her to sit in a chair. Then, though I cannot imagine this at all, hell broke loose. Geneva freaked out in some major way, refused to sit in a chair, began cussing at the substitute, got sent to the office, and then started throwing things at the Assistant Principal. She is suspended for three days.

It is never what you think it is going to be. Who knew that her whole world was wrapped up in sitting at the table? I had no idea it was so important to her. I feel bad, because I should have written it down, but at the same time-- there is no excuse for her to act that way. I should probably call home and ask her what the hell she was thinking.

It is the weekend! Tonight I am going to Henderson to hang out with my friend Terri, who is a third (umm...fourth?) grade teacher. I am going to the elementary school "Fall Festival", so that should be exciting. I am hoping for little ones in fall costumes, but I don't know if that is what this is all about. It is amazing what I now do for entertainment. Then, to Chapel Hill, my home away from...well, Rocky Mount. ¶ 6:07 AM

I just found out that someone found my blog by typing in "what to do about a teacher screaming at her class" into google. I don't know how I feel about that. ¶ 2:07 PM