MY STUDENTS TOOK CARE OF ME It never ceased to amaze me how my students took up for me in very subtle situations. In some of the less disciplined class I had, I would often need to stop instructions and reminds student that the real reason for being there was to learn, not socialize. Some days it was a serious battle. Those classes transformed into the most respectful and interested students when I was occasionally evaluated which each teacher is supposed to experience each year or two. On those occasions, the student looked at me (a rarity) raised their hands, asked questions and actually paid attention. After the administrator would leave I often asked them "Who are you and what have you done with my class?" On one occasion, I very vocally sent a student down with a referral that she was totally disrespectful of me, threw books across the classroom, cussed like a sailor and screamed at the top of her lungs. I slammed the door and turned around and faced my class and said with a smile, "I'm sorry you had to witness that." they applauded. The girl was suspended and after returning the counselor assigned her to another history teacher until the girl protested that she wanted to back in my class because she really liked me. The councelor called and asked if that
would be OK with me. Sure I said, if she acts like that with a teacher she likes, I can't imagine how she would act if she didn't like her new teacher. I accepted her with certain behavior requirements and she was an angel the rest of the year. Man, you never know.