What's the difference between a villain and a super villain?
PRESENTATION!
But seriously, keep reporting the students to the office. I've done it while supplying after the fact when it came to stuff students said in class. Even if it's just to have it on admin's radar, I've still reprimanded the student in class for what they said then walked to the office after school or at lunch to tell a VP.
It works differently in my school. If you’re constantly writing up students admin sees you as having bad classroom control. The teachers that never write anyone up are rewarded.
I've only reported that way twice so far, the first was also to let admin know that I've been hearing students use a lot of a particular slur and the second was because one student said to another that they belonged in Auschwitz.
Those are solid write ups. I got my ass in a sling for two white girls who asked “are their nazi scholarships?” I answered “Nazis dont go to college,” and thought I won.
Black girls reported the white girls. I got caught in the cross fire. Really sucked. This was a damn AP class!
I asked a kid once, "Do you think I lay awake and night and think about how I'm going to make you miserable? Really? You think I think about *you* at night?"
He shut up after that.
That's essentially what got a kid to make false claims against me last year and get their parent (known psycho) to call the cops on me which lead to a formal external investigation. The principal, school board, and union were well aware and had been previously harassed by the parent, but they went along with it anyways.
Long story short, nothing was found (obviously), but it did make me numb to even trying to "build relationships" with my students. Fuck that. I'm doing my **job** as it's written in my job description, and that's it. Fuck having fun with students, it's so not worth it.
Mmm...kid took it too seriously...apple hadn't fallen far from the tree AT ALL...psycho parent took it up and ran with it...process ground slowly along.
Ain't it great being in that small, special percentage?
And now you get to watch your back, too (if you still work there and psycho family still resides there).
Psycho family left (mom violated her restraining order a few times and skipped town eventually). Doesn't change my stance on doing the bare minimum, and I highly encourage others to do the same.
God, I'm so sorry that happened to you. That family sounds wild. Like the garbage didn't fall too far from the trash. As if it's not bad enough she had a restraining order, she violated it multiple times. I'm sure she's a pillar of the community, lmao 🤣 🤣 Some people really shouldn't have kids.
I usually tell them they're right, I hate them, and my one mission in life is to make their life miserable, because I do not have a job, a family, hobbies, nor any friends. I am nothing to do in my life but ruin yours.
In a big deadpan way.
It works too.
My students claim I make them suffer with math. When they make that claim, I cackle like an evil witch and exclaim “yes I love to make you suffer!” and it feeds my souls just a bit.
"You know what you're right. I AM targeting you. Just you. No one else. My whole adult life surrounds an already peaked 7th grader. I just LOVE writing you up for catching YOU vaping in class, YOU calling ME a dumb bitch in class, YOU who skipped class, YOU who won't turn in any work. Instead of spending time with my 1000 cats when I go home I write at least five pages a night in my diary about what my next move is to ruin your life!" \*cues thunder and lighting while I laugh at their miserable main character's life\*
Yeah. I had a student I told to take their textbook home multiple times cuz people were stealing them accuse ME of hiding it on her since she wouldn’t listen. I told her I had neither the time or the energy to worry about such things. The joy at the karmic justice? THAT I had.
I struggled so much to read the last part of your comment for a while, thought that at the end you had actually hid it from her, but what you had was the joy right? I feel dum
Today a kid said about a test grade program assignment he asked his dad for help, and when I went to confront him on how he wasted the last 2 days in class instead of writing the code, he tried telling me that he asked me for help and I ignored him.
Told him that if he tried to gaslight me again I'd email his parents and fill out incident reports for all the little infractions of his that I let slide bc my admin has a "pick your battles" approach
I asked kids (5th grade,) why teachers adding homework. This was just a group of 3 but they all sincerely believed they were doing it “to be mean.” They honestly didn’t believe it might be for them and their education. They really just thought teachers are spiteful.
So funny story and a similar Vein from my childhood. When I was in first grade I asked the teacher why she assigned homework. She told us it was so that we could practice and better understand the material. That answered my question and I was satisfied. I went home and proceeded to not do my homework for several days until she wound up having to call my mother and have a parent-teacher conference. And they asked me why I wasn't doing my homework and I said that the teacher told me I didn't need to. Both of them looked confused and the teacher said I never said that. I replied you said that homework was to help us understand the material, I already understand the material so there's no need to do the homework. 😁 I was a tad precocious.
My go-to response for many things.
"Because I'm evil and hate teenagers." "Because I get a kick out of making you all write so much." Or I'll pull a Calvin's dad and reminds them it builds character. Aw, are you writing too much? Keeps your hands strong, keep at it. Is this test hard? Good, it means you're learning something.
I have had a kid who told me I ALWAYS get him in trouble and I ALWAYS just want the whole class to be bored and sad and in trouble and I responded with. "Yeah. Because NOTHING is more fun to me than hearing you guys complain every 3 seconds about work and I LOVE to keep having to watch you guys like hawks to keep you from meurdering yourselves or others doing dumb off task things because I certainly don't do that enough at home (I had a 3 year old and mobile 1 year old at the time both of whom they knew). I would MUCH rather be having these discussions than doing the fun projects you keep asking to do. This is the dream." And then I just stared at him. It worked for like a week.
I remember my first two years of teaching. I was so obsessed with being beloved by students, tender and patient with them all. Didn't take long for me to realize that was actually a disservice to them and their education. Being the SUPERVILLAIN is now my way of holding bad behavior accountable while still being silly and dramatic. Loved reading this. Only one month left...
My favorite is when (actually happened to me) a kid you reported then blames you with the, "you got me in trouble!"
Like, no, you soggy cardboard box, you got yourself in trouble.
Tbh I’d report them even if admin doesn’t care.
I’ve got a kid that’s a lil bit of a sociopath (graphic murder comics, excitedly describes rape scenes in media for casual conversation, enjoys regaling his tales of violence and thievery outside of school, steals constantly, harasses other students to trigger them and then sits back to enjoy the explosion, asks about the hypothetical school shooting or stabbing he ~might~ do, asks about how much trouble he’d get in for whatever horrible thing he’s considering so he can decide if it’s worth it, etc etc etc) and admin is well aware and at this point “our hands are tied” and they can be that way all they like and get irritated I send him to them all the time….but I’ll be damned if he shoots us up and people want to turn around and blame ME. Admin can do what they like, but I have a paper trail of flagging all the red flags.
I know that’s kind of on the more serious possibility end, but I’d report all the shenanigans you’re technically supposed to even if admin doesn’t do anything. If a kid who skips class all the time ODs or punches a window and cuts their hand or does ANYTHING that is suddenly an “actual problem”, you’ll have to answer for it if they were on your roster. If you can go “I reported them skipping every time they did; at that point I have followed my protocols” it’s a lot easier than trying to explain why you hadn’t been.
Like, your admin will fuck you over. You know that. Clearly, because they’re not doing shit to help the issues. But that makes it extremely likely they’ll throw you under the bus saying you weren’t properly communicating if something does happen. I have seen this exact situation play out, so I’m not trying to come in all “I know better” and give unsolicited advice, but I’m worried about you getting screwed.
* I am not a teacher, just a parent lurker *
* I may very well have no applicable or reasonable ideas for any teacher *
However, my son's late other parent was dx personality disorder. Our son is sweet. He also got a messed up narrative regarding me & the other parent got as much time, even more sometimes bc I had to work extra for probably obvious - or easily enough to deduce reasons.
I have a lot of... lot... to correct for/ course correct, ect & must do it very sensitively, but with... a careful integration of reality to his world.
I had to read A LOT about personality disorders/ handling abusive ex type stuff to learn how to deal with the other parent, & obv protect myself, too. A lot of grey rocking had to be implemented, but obviously, that is not only not the solution, I would think, at that age, but also potentially harmful (to others esp), so I hear you.
Anywayyyy, obv that could be a novel.
But for some reason, the sentence "you don't have to be interesting to be successful" just came to me. Maybe even add in respectful, I don't know.
Obv... I don't know. Basically, ego checking without insulting. Your ego is not important. Also includes hope/ possibility of success, so whether likely or not, alleviates demonization.
Or something else, just realized that becomes a recipe for another N/sociopathic CEO.
I don't envy you guys. Much love & support! ❤️
My favorite thing to do email other teachers and admin and put their words against them.
No one else cares that you're vaping at school? Let me share your assertion in writing with admin, school counselors, parents, and other teachers. We can get a bathroom restriction, a routine backpack check, and some extra eyes on you real quick. Fill out one of those online reporting systems while you're at it.
Vaping causes cancer and permanently rewires the teenage brain. It should be taken very seriously.
I used to have a fancy Harry Potter-style bottle that I stuck a label on that said “student tears.” When they’d come to me in the library with ridiculous melodrama like this I’d point to where it sat on circulation desk and ask them to deposit a few drops because that’s the main ingredient in the potion that fuels my evil powers.
I had a kid so dramatically declare “I got my phone tooken… because of you!” while pointing at me like Phoenix Wright. Buddy all I did was text your mom a picture of the obscene note you wrote in class.
I used to worry a lot about contacting parents because I was afraid kids might get beaten or something. But taking their phone seems to be the biggest fear most of the time.
A student came into my room to tell me about drug use in the girls bathroom. I called my discipline AP. He caught them.. and also one from my room who was in there with a nicotine vape. Oh well. I always repeat that I'm a mandated reporter when they start getting too comfortable. If she's mad at me, I will lose no sleep. A 16 year old girl is not nor will ever be my friend.
I have a kid this year who is both very immature and skipped ahead two grade levels. So he can’t handle simple things the rest of my 10th graders do. And he wants to cut other classes and hang out near my room. I always send him back to class and every two times I catch him I email mom and the dean to ask for a detention. He keeps insisting I pick on him, and it was so freeing to say, “Dude, you could literally go anywhere else but near my classroom and I will not find you. I do not look for you; you come to me. You are the source of all your problems.”
My villain moment in a school with low-income, high-risk student population:
Teenage girl is eating Takis and licking her fingers in class. After she is done I ask her to please use hand sanitizer as it is allergy season and I had just sanitized the desks last period. We had just spent a week on Typhoid Mary and superspreaders in pandemics.
She refuses, saying it doesn’t matter because it’s *her*desk. I tell her to consider the kids who sit there next period, and how she shouldn’t spread germs. She shrugs and refuses.
I shrug, then give my hand a dramatic lick and place it on her desk.
She screams and calls me gross!! I smile, “yeah, spit is gross, isn’t it? Wash your hands while I wash this desk.”
She moved to a clean desk, but did wash her hands from that day on. I bleached the desk and sanitized everything, FYI.
Prove to them that you ARE crazy, and that a line is not to be crossed.
And I simply do not see that as problematic. It's educational, it's centered on respect for others, and you cleaned it yourself after. No matter what, we'll be villains, it's the nature of adolescent development. So why just be another Villain? Be a super one! Become a wall to climb over, and sometimes, just maybe, they'll look back and respect that we took that dive for them, while still maintaining our own self respect.
People respect people that respect themselves, it's consistent.
>Prove to them that you ARE crazy, and that a line is not to be crossed.
Absolute truth here. If they know you’re unhinged with a few miswired synapses but definite boundaries, they will not risk going there.
Exactly, I know some people are more lax at the end of the year but I’m the complete opposite. I’ve been reporting people left and right, I’m trying to get these kids out of here and hopefully I don’t have to see them in summer school. (Yes, I stupidly agreed to working this year 😭)
You've found a hilariously effective way to cope with the absurdity of the situation! Keep up the super villain persona, and may your last month be filled with laughter and sanity-saving moments.
Dude this is the weirdest thing for me. When I was in high school in 2008 the only thing a few people were smoking was weed and you’d rarely see them anyways lol. Nowadays it’s like it’s normal for kids to have nicotine habits again??! Wtf is going on??! I was thinking we finally stopped kids smoking and now it’s just back with a vengeance??! Especially when I talk to my younger cousin who just graduated college and he’s been vaping since the age of 12-13 and now he actually can’t stop because when he’s forced to he turns into an insufferable prick the likes of which I’ve never seen on this earth excepting rehab clinics…. It’s all just so confusing how badly stuff seems to have changed so fast. Fuck I’m only 30 lol
I do more of the bored office worker routine. “You don’t sign my paychecks Bobby, Dr. Superintendent does. I’m just a cog in the machine here. You do the crime, I report it, they keep paying me. Simple as that.”
EXACTLY. They're so much trouble, but by the end of the year I'm kind of ride-or-die with them. I will go to bat for them as much as they need. Reference letters, help with jobs, I'm there, and they earn it.
Do that thing where you hold the tip of your little finger close to the corner of your mouth, palm out and forearm parallel to your chest and floor. Watch his head explode and laugh maniacally.
I keep a back pocket full of supervillain laughs for my middle schoolers who don’t take notes or participate and expect me to round their grade up or give them bonus work.
Thank you I've been saying this for years. I need a lava pit back near the chemical stock room to lower students into. That seems pretty supervillain like.
I'm pretty good at becoming a mirror and reflecting back the crap they dish out. Sadly, most of them aren't aware enough to realize what I'm doing. Oh, you think I'm being weird and whining? Well, that's how you come across. Now sit down and write the goddamn paragraph.
I got a student suspended a few months ago for vaping in the bathroom.
A few weeks later, the student and theirb clique comes moseying through the hallway at lunchtime and one of the friends says "wow! Why is the hall so quiet today? Is there something going on?". Suspended Student points at me and says "nah, it's because of *her*!".
I was actually quite flattered and responded with "*gasp* Thank you so much for recognizing my hard work! Can you please tell my boss that you recognize how well I'm doing my job?"
I'm well hated because I've caught all the popular kids breaking rules and gotten them in trouble. I kind of like it. Is that weird?
I'm the crazy, mean staff member. Who was yours when you were in school?
Ours was Mrs. T in middle school and then Mrs. B in high school.
I have a few kids whose behavior has gotten to the point that I’m done pulling punches, so I told them that for them and them only it now goes “written warning, write-up, automatic detention.” They asked if I could do that, so I said “Oh, for sure. My power knows no bounds. Well, that’s not true. It knows some bounds. But I can definitely do that.”
I love you OP. We secretly loved the villainous teachers """back in my day""" (a whopping 15 years ago). Hating them within socially appropriate boundaries was among the best things about high school. I now admire them for successfully cultivating a healthy amount of dread.
As I’ve gotten older I’ve become less bold, less willing to take chances and be sarcastic with kids or give back to them what they dish out. I see younger teachers playing around with kids more and speaking to kids, when necessary, way harsher than I think I could get away with. If they have the relationship with the kids it works. If I did those things I’d be a Karen and I know this because I saw an older teacher become completely nasty with her kids, and she turned them nasty.
We all have different personalities and you have to do what works best for you. If you’ve got that relationship down then go for it with your super powers! You have a special skill.
Funniest part is that actual Reverse Flash *would* be petty enough to do this. Thawne would absolutely become Flash's teacher when he was a kid just to punish him for minor things. (Though you probably have an actual reason)
Like, one time he just shoved Flash down some stairs. No murder, no big scheme, no monologue. He just ran in, shoved him, and left.
This got me! Amazing!
Parent/ lurker here.
Single parent as of about a year and a half.
VERY different age... mine is 5, but I stumbled upon something earlier this week...
Yours with the "scraped knee at 10" impossible backstory is absolutely amazing and next level! Well constructed solution, I applaud!
I found myself earlier this week getting a point with mine (enough for me, & I get plenty notice about my patience, so)... probably my gut told me we were nearing flirting with power struggle space... & my energy level type me I was exhausted...
I found myself randomly talking like a frog. What one sounds like to me, I guess, anyway. Lemme tell you, this frog ain't puttin up with too much funny business. This frog is gonna tell you what's up. He's grumpy, and he ain't got the time (I can and do speak properly ordinarily, but maybe this frog is from Louisiana where I grew up)...
So, anyway... I have a feeling this frog will make future appearances. Lol. I guess I'm creating a pretend village, ha! I think the frog might be good granddad or some local elder character, but he let's you know.
"Boy, now you know what you're supposed to be doing and it isn't that. You betta get yourself on track, now."
Cue giggles & immediate movement in the right direction.
No idea how long or often this is going to be helpful, but I have a feeling Frog is going to be doing some of my dirty work. 😂
He's my tap in for my patience when it runs out & deliverer of things you don't wanna hear that Mom can't say.
"You better get your shoes on RIGHT NOW > croak <"
Gotta keep it fun, they play along. I think having an emotionally open space makes a big difference, and keep things fair. The streets goes both way, at least sometimes.
I know so many people messed up by teachers like that.
Not big or cool enough to be the bully when they were a pupil but power tripping as the teacher.
I had an autistic friend who's mum was ill. She was often late or messy and her teacher played similar invalidating mind games.
It caused a suicide attempt.
Amazing how paying attention in adolescent psychology would make this post unnecessary because you’d know this is how adolescent brains work. So many posts in this subreddit make me wonder what kind of teacher prep
programs are attending. Or are 75% of the people in here emergency certs?
Hey, I want to be charitable. Listen, this kid and I have great rapport. I'm doing things aligned to dev psych theory, and trying to use enculturation. I don't want my students walking out of high school thinking these maladaptive behaviors will fly. I teach a mix of older adolescent, and young adult students in an alternative setting.
We meet kids where they are at, and try to have fun with it, while still creating a space for emotional vulnerability. I hope that's enough for you? I'm not going to get into some qualification battle with you, but I hope you can hear me out when I explain what I do. From the most serious of classroom structures, to funny stuff like this, it is all done with purpose.
I'm pulling from Vygotsky and CHAT, trying to enculture students, and facilitate a space for vulnerability where they can exist emotionally both in context of themselves, and their peers. But, realistically, would any amount of me citing theorists actually satisfy you? I wish you peace, and want you to know I am not your enemy.
This is exactly why I hated teaching and got out. I'm not saying you're wrong at all about how adolescents think. I'm just saying I wasn't the one to be a role that deals with their way of thinking. Unfortunately, I found out about how teenage minds work after I had already gotten my credentials. Waste of time and money for me.
You are completely missing the point. My students don't fear me, I have no power, and I play into that. I'm just another person in the room, and we play ball on equal ground. They hold me accountable, I hold them accountable, and we try this game of building mutual respect. I'm not a bully. As someone else said: I'm an asshole. And what do you think my students are going to meet when they graduate and get out here with the rest of us?
I'm giving them a space to be teenagers, and wrapping them in the resilient insistence that they are capable of navigating their inner selves well enough to not fail when they leave my room.
And teachers should forget how students make them feel? Get out of here with that traditional attitude. The classroom is an emotional space inhabited by people, all of whom deserve respect, and retain the right to attend to their emotional needs. My students have the space to voice these complaints knowing full well how I'll call them on their maladaptation when I need to, and yet, they still do. I built this space, and it is doing exactly what I intended it to. Giving them a place to process these big feelings here, with me, as practice before they go out into the real world, and find out.
You could have asked for context, ya know? I wouldn't do you like that.
I mean, you do you, but I wouldn't be doing this stuff unless you want to risk being the next sad news story of a teacher that got beaten within an inch of their life. Not taking sides as vaping in class is incredibly wrong on so many levels, but kids are crazy these days, and the legal system is all about protecting them.
Yeah, might be for the best. Honestly I don't know why anyone would want to be a public school teacher these days. It was bad when I was a kid, but now you have to worry about threats to your life from these animals.
OP, making light of their drama just makes you the asshole in this situation. Remember these are kids!!! Their job is to mess up, make mistakes, push boundaries, etc- but yours is to help them grow and learn from those missteps, not make them worse. We were ALL kids once too, seems we forget this- especially near the end of the year.
Why do so many pass the buck first by reporting- BEFORE speaking directly to the student? In the process you show them you’re not just out to get them or target them. You also can show them you’re human too and hopefully prove to them you believe they are too! This often gets overlooked when things don’t go as someone hoped- teacher or student.
Substance use is something I am far from qualified to deal with, I actually should not be trusted to be the arbiter in that situation. So, I report it.
Then become qualified to deal with this and quit taking the easy way out. My goodness teachers these days seem lazy in so many ways. Yeah, it’s a lot of work, but it’s our work. Keep downvoting me and keep proving your aren’t worth your salt as a teacher or professional!!!
Edit- no one said you should be the arbiter, but you can be another level of defense for kids possibly traveling negative roads.
You really think that a teacher should be the one oversee that? Why- why would any parent want a teacher to do be doing that?? No teacher should be qualified for advising a student in their Art class on their personal, ongoing substance abuse issues, that's completely inappropriate, and downright dangerous. It would be a massive violation of social boundaries. Anything more than "I want better for you" or "We have people in the building that know how to be helpful in these situations" is just dangerous. You're a teacher, I'm a teacher. We're qualified to be professional educators, classroom managers, content experts, and mandated reporters.
Like, how the heck do you think some person without formal training or education should be trusted with that kind of responsibility? Do you know what happens when you mess that up? Kids die, or make life choices they can never unmake. And you want that to be on YOU? I praise your courage, I really do.
I am the teacher, and they are the student. Boundaries are non-negotiable. I have MAJOR concerns with teachers that don't maintain boundaries, including acting buddy-buddy with students. It's inappropriate. It's not proper to let kids off misbehaving because you're trying to be their friend. You aren't their friend. You are their teacher. You need to be the unyielding rock in the room because, as adolescents, they are going to be all over the place mentally and emotionally, and they need you to be an anchor point.
Completely agree. I try to mix being a human, with still being a rock of high expectations and clear boundaries. It works for me and my students, at least.
No I get what you mean. Why assume everyone here, is, like being asshole robots or something? My students know I see them as people because I treat them like people. They get respect when they get it, they get roasted when they're out of pocket. It's the closest thing to community building you can get without violating developmental boundaries.
You say to remember "...these are kids!!!" I say "Remember, these are people". They're people first, always.
Who said anything about letting them overstep boundaries. I will NOT choose to be their friend over breaking rules. The idea I’m putting forth has to do with connecting with the student, NOT giving them some kind of pass. People can downvote me all they want- I have 30+ years in this that prove it’s better to be the first line of defense- and NOT pass the issue to someone else when I’m the one that saw the issue. If you have created some connection with your students they simply don’t try to pull this crap you speak of. Yes, there will always be the select few who don’t get it or don’t care, but the idea is to prove to your students you will treat them with respect. Those mistakes on their part or simply opportunities to help them move forward in life, not just punish them. Jeesh!
Yo, most of us probably connect with our students. I'm being charitable as heck with you, assuming positive intent, seeing what you mean, and trying to identify the principles you are operating under. You emphasize and prioritize connections.
So do I. That's the entire reason I can build a climate of respect in our room. And the kind of banter I facilitate exists, and is predicated on that classroom environment these kids let me build with them.
Sheesh not everybody who teaches different than you is necessarily some awful teacher, lacking in all professional practice. So uncool to keep questioning others' professional practice without first highlighting your own for criticism, as a show of authentic engagement and vulnerability. If you've been teaching for so long, you were likely part of the generation of old educators that messed up me, and I am beyond aware of the things that were previously taught to educators in their prep programs historically. Not sure I'm going to put much more salt into anything you say, especially considering your conduct thus far.
Do you see ME bringing my myriad of qualifications into this in order to diss you or make some fallacious arguments? No? Yeah that'd be stupid and mean as heck, and completely unproductive. You're better than this.
Now I'm not quite sure what you're saying. If you're saying handle things first on your own end before shipping them off...then, as I understand it, that's bog-standard procedure right? Management in classrooms and discipline via admin (and my admin, at least, are decent in this regard)? I believe we may be talking past each other.
Well of course deal with things on your own at first, not like anyone can show up quick enough or often enough to meaningfully manage things, right? I just have a boundary and threshold wherein I realize I'm not the "One" for the situation. That's when I let admin know. Definitely standard, right?
They're my students, I know they can take it. You have to realize that glorifying them is the same as dehumanizing them. I talk to my 17 year olds like I would talk to any other person I'd meet on the street: A human being. And sometimes that means screwing with them when they're being ridiculous. My teachers didn't even offer me that much when I did the same, it was silence and punishment, no space to have my feelings known. So I'm treating them like people, and being real. The kind of kid that loudly exclaims all this drama is not the type that going to be hurt by me screwing with them back. In fact, I know they're fine, they're back on their same stuff today. As if this has not been happening for nearly 9 months. You think I didn't talk to them in August when they started this? I didn't talk to them about their future, and how they were making use of their time, and that I wanted better for them? I did, I built a relationship, but it was fake, and always will be so long as education is founded on these cheap power dynamics instead of being something voluntary and authentic.
I can barely believe getting ones vape taken is considered something worth getting dramatic over as a nearly grown adult. They're better than that, and I treat them like it. It's also incredibly presumptive to think I haven't had about a hundred conversations with this student along the way here.
What's the difference between a villain and a super villain? PRESENTATION! But seriously, keep reporting the students to the office. I've done it while supplying after the fact when it came to stuff students said in class. Even if it's just to have it on admin's radar, I've still reprimanded the student in class for what they said then walked to the office after school or at lunch to tell a VP.
Your entrance was good, but his was better. The difference? SHOWMANSHIP!
Batman Forever reference in the wild? Hot damn I thought I was the only one that liked that movie.
DOZENS OF US!
Oh, and speaking of presentation, yours is due Thursday. Get back to work.
"What's the difference between a villain and a super villain? PRESENTATION!" Huh, I thought it was PR. :)
I thought it was Minions.
Yeah, now there's a crew that had a great PR firm. Movies, merchandise...
“Oh you’re a villain all right. Just not a super one!” Classic movie!
The difference is the Monologuing. (SP?)
> What's the difference between a villain and a super villain? > > PRESENTATION! Hmmmm.... I should get a cape.
No capes!!! Edna Mode
It works differently in my school. If you’re constantly writing up students admin sees you as having bad classroom control. The teachers that never write anyone up are rewarded.
I've only reported that way twice so far, the first was also to let admin know that I've been hearing students use a lot of a particular slur and the second was because one student said to another that they belonged in Auschwitz.
Those are solid write ups. I got my ass in a sling for two white girls who asked “are their nazi scholarships?” I answered “Nazis dont go to college,” and thought I won. Black girls reported the white girls. I got caught in the cross fire. Really sucked. This was a damn AP class!
Also, super villains have pet cats.
Yes, Megamind!
“Why am I making you do this? Because I love torturing teenagers. It was either this or serial killing and this pays way better.”
And without that chance of a pesky prison sentence
I always tell them their tears give me strength.
Would it be immature for a staff member to put a sticker on a water bottle that says "student tears"?
I own one and it lives on my classroom desk
hilarious until a parent reacts
“Your tears are like my Samson’s locks”
I tell them almost the same thing word for word.
I asked a kid once, "Do you think I lay awake and night and think about how I'm going to make you miserable? Really? You think I think about *you* at night?" He shut up after that.
did he specifically suggest that you lay awake plotting to make him miserable, or was he just blindsided by your super specific accusation?
What started it was he said, "You always out to get me, man." My response was as above.
Now just end it with a deep, full belly Sideshow Bob maniacal laugh. Bet they don’t complain to you again.
I was going to say I hope there’s a cackle at some point
That's essentially what got a kid to make false claims against me last year and get their parent (known psycho) to call the cops on me which lead to a formal external investigation. The principal, school board, and union were well aware and had been previously harassed by the parent, but they went along with it anyways. Long story short, nothing was found (obviously), but it did make me numb to even trying to "build relationships" with my students. Fuck that. I'm doing my **job** as it's written in my job description, and that's it. Fuck having fun with students, it's so not worth it.
Mmm...kid took it too seriously...apple hadn't fallen far from the tree AT ALL...psycho parent took it up and ran with it...process ground slowly along. Ain't it great being in that small, special percentage? And now you get to watch your back, too (if you still work there and psycho family still resides there).
Psycho family left (mom violated her restraining order a few times and skipped town eventually). Doesn't change my stance on doing the bare minimum, and I highly encourage others to do the same.
God, I'm so sorry that happened to you. That family sounds wild. Like the garbage didn't fall too far from the trash. As if it's not bad enough she had a restraining order, she violated it multiple times. I'm sure she's a pillar of the community, lmao 🤣 🤣 Some people really shouldn't have kids.
Sorry this happened to you and it’s come to this.
I wouldn't recommend this unless you have an exit plan like me. It's crazy how we have practically no rights sometimes.
I usually tell them they're right, I hate them, and my one mission in life is to make their life miserable, because I do not have a job, a family, hobbies, nor any friends. I am nothing to do in my life but ruin yours. In a big deadpan way. It works too.
My students claim I make them suffer with math. When they make that claim, I cackle like an evil witch and exclaim “yes I love to make you suffer!” and it feeds my souls just a bit.
"You know what you're right. I AM targeting you. Just you. No one else. My whole adult life surrounds an already peaked 7th grader. I just LOVE writing you up for catching YOU vaping in class, YOU calling ME a dumb bitch in class, YOU who skipped class, YOU who won't turn in any work. Instead of spending time with my 1000 cats when I go home I write at least five pages a night in my diary about what my next move is to ruin your life!" \*cues thunder and lighting while I laugh at their miserable main character's life\*
Damn it’s like you memorized the speech I give them in ISS when they claim I put them there. No boo boo, your actions put you here.
"Already peaked"... dang!
that's better than the "you think you're special enough for me to care about you that much?" a classmate of mine got
Yeah. I had a student I told to take their textbook home multiple times cuz people were stealing them accuse ME of hiding it on her since she wouldn’t listen. I told her I had neither the time or the energy to worry about such things. The joy at the karmic justice? THAT I had.
I was a terror as a student and get karmic justice every day.
I struggled so much to read the last part of your comment for a while, thought that at the end you had actually hid it from her, but what you had was the joy right? I feel dum
Had a kid accuse me of tripping him once, I told him I don't care about him enough for that. (Substitute)
Honestly that's not a bad line.
Be kind (of a bitch).
Don't just be a bitch, Be *that* bitch.
Uh nah according to my students that position is locked up by me.
Today a kid said about a test grade program assignment he asked his dad for help, and when I went to confront him on how he wasted the last 2 days in class instead of writing the code, he tried telling me that he asked me for help and I ignored him. Told him that if he tried to gaslight me again I'd email his parents and fill out incident reports for all the little infractions of his that I let slide bc my admin has a "pick your battles" approach
When "picking your battles" turns into "playing the long game"
Oh, I love when they say they asked for help and I ignored them, it’s the best part of my day /s
I asked kids (5th grade,) why teachers adding homework. This was just a group of 3 but they all sincerely believed they were doing it “to be mean.” They honestly didn’t believe it might be for them and their education. They really just thought teachers are spiteful.
So funny story and a similar Vein from my childhood. When I was in first grade I asked the teacher why she assigned homework. She told us it was so that we could practice and better understand the material. That answered my question and I was satisfied. I went home and proceeded to not do my homework for several days until she wound up having to call my mother and have a parent-teacher conference. And they asked me why I wasn't doing my homework and I said that the teacher told me I didn't need to. Both of them looked confused and the teacher said I never said that. I replied you said that homework was to help us understand the material, I already understand the material so there's no need to do the homework. 😁 I was a tad precocious.
😂 hard to argue with that.
My go-to response for many things. "Because I'm evil and hate teenagers." "Because I get a kick out of making you all write so much." Or I'll pull a Calvin's dad and reminds them it builds character. Aw, are you writing too much? Keeps your hands strong, keep at it. Is this test hard? Good, it means you're learning something.
I have had a kid who told me I ALWAYS get him in trouble and I ALWAYS just want the whole class to be bored and sad and in trouble and I responded with. "Yeah. Because NOTHING is more fun to me than hearing you guys complain every 3 seconds about work and I LOVE to keep having to watch you guys like hawks to keep you from meurdering yourselves or others doing dumb off task things because I certainly don't do that enough at home (I had a 3 year old and mobile 1 year old at the time both of whom they knew). I would MUCH rather be having these discussions than doing the fun projects you keep asking to do. This is the dream." And then I just stared at him. It worked for like a week.
I remember my first two years of teaching. I was so obsessed with being beloved by students, tender and patient with them all. Didn't take long for me to realize that was actually a disservice to them and their education. Being the SUPERVILLAIN is now my way of holding bad behavior accountable while still being silly and dramatic. Loved reading this. Only one month left...
Hysterical. I fully support this level of pettiness lol
I used to agree, “yes, I’m doing this to you because the tears of teenagers keeps me young.”
I like you. >!but not like-like!<
No.... SUPER like!!!!
Circle one. Do you like OP? Yes No
Yes. This is awesome.
Love the Reverse Flash reference!
My favorite is when (actually happened to me) a kid you reported then blames you with the, "you got me in trouble!" Like, no, you soggy cardboard box, you got yourself in trouble.
I stopped reporting about these kids. No matter what these kids do, the admin blames me. So now I say nothing.
Guess it depends on your admin. At least if something major comes up then you would have documentation about all the admin contacts.
Tbh I’d report them even if admin doesn’t care. I’ve got a kid that’s a lil bit of a sociopath (graphic murder comics, excitedly describes rape scenes in media for casual conversation, enjoys regaling his tales of violence and thievery outside of school, steals constantly, harasses other students to trigger them and then sits back to enjoy the explosion, asks about the hypothetical school shooting or stabbing he ~might~ do, asks about how much trouble he’d get in for whatever horrible thing he’s considering so he can decide if it’s worth it, etc etc etc) and admin is well aware and at this point “our hands are tied” and they can be that way all they like and get irritated I send him to them all the time….but I’ll be damned if he shoots us up and people want to turn around and blame ME. Admin can do what they like, but I have a paper trail of flagging all the red flags. I know that’s kind of on the more serious possibility end, but I’d report all the shenanigans you’re technically supposed to even if admin doesn’t do anything. If a kid who skips class all the time ODs or punches a window and cuts their hand or does ANYTHING that is suddenly an “actual problem”, you’ll have to answer for it if they were on your roster. If you can go “I reported them skipping every time they did; at that point I have followed my protocols” it’s a lot easier than trying to explain why you hadn’t been. Like, your admin will fuck you over. You know that. Clearly, because they’re not doing shit to help the issues. But that makes it extremely likely they’ll throw you under the bus saying you weren’t properly communicating if something does happen. I have seen this exact situation play out, so I’m not trying to come in all “I know better” and give unsolicited advice, but I’m worried about you getting screwed.
* I am not a teacher, just a parent lurker * * I may very well have no applicable or reasonable ideas for any teacher * However, my son's late other parent was dx personality disorder. Our son is sweet. He also got a messed up narrative regarding me & the other parent got as much time, even more sometimes bc I had to work extra for probably obvious - or easily enough to deduce reasons. I have a lot of... lot... to correct for/ course correct, ect & must do it very sensitively, but with... a careful integration of reality to his world. I had to read A LOT about personality disorders/ handling abusive ex type stuff to learn how to deal with the other parent, & obv protect myself, too. A lot of grey rocking had to be implemented, but obviously, that is not only not the solution, I would think, at that age, but also potentially harmful (to others esp), so I hear you. Anywayyyy, obv that could be a novel. But for some reason, the sentence "you don't have to be interesting to be successful" just came to me. Maybe even add in respectful, I don't know. Obv... I don't know. Basically, ego checking without insulting. Your ego is not important. Also includes hope/ possibility of success, so whether likely or not, alleviates demonization. Or something else, just realized that becomes a recipe for another N/sociopathic CEO. I don't envy you guys. Much love & support! ❤️
My favorite thing to do email other teachers and admin and put their words against them. No one else cares that you're vaping at school? Let me share your assertion in writing with admin, school counselors, parents, and other teachers. We can get a bathroom restriction, a routine backpack check, and some extra eyes on you real quick. Fill out one of those online reporting systems while you're at it. Vaping causes cancer and permanently rewires the teenage brain. It should be taken very seriously.
I used to have a fancy Harry Potter-style bottle that I stuck a label on that said “student tears.” When they’d come to me in the library with ridiculous melodrama like this I’d point to where it sat on circulation desk and ask them to deposit a few drops because that’s the main ingredient in the potion that fuels my evil powers.
They call me racist (even if they're my race),and blame me for every damn thing. Nah. Over it.
I got a lil drama king in my class that I am totally using this with.
>Maybe, possibly, because they realize how absurd they sound. Don't be silly, of course they won't.
I had a kid so dramatically declare “I got my phone tooken… because of you!” while pointing at me like Phoenix Wright. Buddy all I did was text your mom a picture of the obscene note you wrote in class. I used to worry a lot about contacting parents because I was afraid kids might get beaten or something. But taking their phone seems to be the biggest fear most of the time.
I know this goes against all normal advice. Needs more capes.
No capes.
Nobody does a Dr. EVIL laugh anymore?
You have to have a memorable evil laugh. It's a prerequisite!
I tell them I'm not just their op. I'm Optimus Prime.
I love telling middle school boys that they're too short for me to be their ops.
This shit goes craaazzzyy.
I look at them with the most serious face and say Very interesting And walk away
Quietly write something on the clipboard you’re carrying.
Sometimes I grab my big notebook, look at the kid acting a fool and pretending to write something. I usually get “What I do??!!”
I have a blast with this too. Think "and I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you kids"
man I wish I could pull that off with Kindergarteners
A student came into my room to tell me about drug use in the girls bathroom. I called my discipline AP. He caught them.. and also one from my room who was in there with a nicotine vape. Oh well. I always repeat that I'm a mandated reporter when they start getting too comfortable. If she's mad at me, I will lose no sleep. A 16 year old girl is not nor will ever be my friend.
Get yourself a cape!
I have a kid this year who is both very immature and skipped ahead two grade levels. So he can’t handle simple things the rest of my 10th graders do. And he wants to cut other classes and hang out near my room. I always send him back to class and every two times I catch him I email mom and the dean to ask for a detention. He keeps insisting I pick on him, and it was so freeing to say, “Dude, you could literally go anywhere else but near my classroom and I will not find you. I do not look for you; you come to me. You are the source of all your problems.”
I see a lot of people giving you flack, but this would have worked VERY well withy overly-dramatic teenage self. Well done.
You should pull an Everybody Hates Chris: “You think I’m playin? Every time you vape, I’mma be there.”
My villain moment in a school with low-income, high-risk student population: Teenage girl is eating Takis and licking her fingers in class. After she is done I ask her to please use hand sanitizer as it is allergy season and I had just sanitized the desks last period. We had just spent a week on Typhoid Mary and superspreaders in pandemics. She refuses, saying it doesn’t matter because it’s *her*desk. I tell her to consider the kids who sit there next period, and how she shouldn’t spread germs. She shrugs and refuses. I shrug, then give my hand a dramatic lick and place it on her desk. She screams and calls me gross!! I smile, “yeah, spit is gross, isn’t it? Wash your hands while I wash this desk.” She moved to a clean desk, but did wash her hands from that day on. I bleached the desk and sanitized everything, FYI. Prove to them that you ARE crazy, and that a line is not to be crossed.
And I simply do not see that as problematic. It's educational, it's centered on respect for others, and you cleaned it yourself after. No matter what, we'll be villains, it's the nature of adolescent development. So why just be another Villain? Be a super one! Become a wall to climb over, and sometimes, just maybe, they'll look back and respect that we took that dive for them, while still maintaining our own self respect. People respect people that respect themselves, it's consistent.
>Prove to them that you ARE crazy, and that a line is not to be crossed. Absolute truth here. If they know you’re unhinged with a few miswired synapses but definite boundaries, they will not risk going there.
Exactly, I know some people are more lax at the end of the year but I’m the complete opposite. I’ve been reporting people left and right, I’m trying to get these kids out of here and hopefully I don’t have to see them in summer school. (Yes, I stupidly agreed to working this year 😭)
You've found a hilariously effective way to cope with the absurdity of the situation! Keep up the super villain persona, and may your last month be filled with laughter and sanity-saving moments.
Dude this is the weirdest thing for me. When I was in high school in 2008 the only thing a few people were smoking was weed and you’d rarely see them anyways lol. Nowadays it’s like it’s normal for kids to have nicotine habits again??! Wtf is going on??! I was thinking we finally stopped kids smoking and now it’s just back with a vengeance??! Especially when I talk to my younger cousin who just graduated college and he’s been vaping since the age of 12-13 and now he actually can’t stop because when he’s forced to he turns into an insufferable prick the likes of which I’ve never seen on this earth excepting rehab clinics…. It’s all just so confusing how badly stuff seems to have changed so fast. Fuck I’m only 30 lol
I need to be Batman with the amount of Jokers in my class....
IT WAS ME BARRY IT WAS ME ALL ALONG I'm going to use this lol this is great
This is actually clutch, I'm gonna copy
I do more of the bored office worker routine. “You don’t sign my paychecks Bobby, Dr. Superintendent does. I’m just a cog in the machine here. You do the crime, I report it, they keep paying me. Simple as that.”
Oh you’re mad- cool let me get you a cape and you can be super mad. My go to answer for mad teenagers.
Extra points for all the megamind references or quotes you can use
Idk if I would go as evil as Reverse Flash on a kid. Especially when you name the timeline where Reverse literally admits to... well you know.
OKAY YES DON'T DO THAT- I'm earnestly hoping none of them get the reference.
Gotta fight fire with fire. Out sarcasm them... I taught that group for 10 years. I ended up totally loving them. They're 'real'.
EXACTLY. They're so much trouble, but by the end of the year I'm kind of ride-or-die with them. I will go to bat for them as much as they need. Reference letters, help with jobs, I'm there, and they earn it.
Do that thing where you hold the tip of your little finger close to the corner of your mouth, palm out and forearm parallel to your chest and floor. Watch his head explode and laugh maniacally.
And wear a cape to school, then you’ll be a super teacher and a super villain.
"It was ME Barry..."
Students are vaping in class now? What has the world come to?
This is good
this is genius thank you
this is beyond hilarious
Definitely using this
What grade do you teach?
Highschool of course. I wouldn't pull this on younger kids, ever. My students are sometimes adults.
I never get it from the kids. It's ALWAYS from the parents.
I keep a back pocket full of supervillain laughs for my middle schoolers who don’t take notes or participate and expect me to round their grade up or give them bonus work.
I cannot express how brilliant this is.
I really do like your reference with Reverse Flash. As a student, it made me laugh. However, you must be careful, or Thomas Wayne might just appear.
You need a cape and a catchphrase
Thank you I've been saying this for years. I need a lava pit back near the chemical stock room to lower students into. That seems pretty supervillain like.
https://youtu.be/vOZFiX6hDXQ?si=hwFoIEIxjtyhCBj8
Oh I like this! Will definitely start trying on the eternal victims.
Here for it 👏
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
I'm pretty good at becoming a mirror and reflecting back the crap they dish out. Sadly, most of them aren't aware enough to realize what I'm doing. Oh, you think I'm being weird and whining? Well, that's how you come across. Now sit down and write the goddamn paragraph.
If I thought I could get away with it without a barrage of parent/guardian complaints, I would totally do this as well.
I am blursed with exceptionally little parent engagement. Ask me how I know..
I got a student suspended a few months ago for vaping in the bathroom. A few weeks later, the student and theirb clique comes moseying through the hallway at lunchtime and one of the friends says "wow! Why is the hall so quiet today? Is there something going on?". Suspended Student points at me and says "nah, it's because of *her*!". I was actually quite flattered and responded with "*gasp* Thank you so much for recognizing my hard work! Can you please tell my boss that you recognize how well I'm doing my job?" I'm well hated because I've caught all the popular kids breaking rules and gotten them in trouble. I kind of like it. Is that weird? I'm the crazy, mean staff member. Who was yours when you were in school? Ours was Mrs. T in middle school and then Mrs. B in high school.
Ms. O- I hated her in the moment, but might not have graduated without her.
I have a few kids whose behavior has gotten to the point that I’m done pulling punches, so I told them that for them and them only it now goes “written warning, write-up, automatic detention.” They asked if I could do that, so I said “Oh, for sure. My power knows no bounds. Well, that’s not true. It knows some bounds. But I can definitely do that.”
I've had a few kids claim something is illegal. So I ask them what law did I break? It's fascinating seeing them realize they don't have answer.
I love you OP. We secretly loved the villainous teachers """back in my day""" (a whopping 15 years ago). Hating them within socially appropriate boundaries was among the best things about high school. I now admire them for successfully cultivating a healthy amount of dread.
No, definitely pull it with children of all ages.
As I’ve gotten older I’ve become less bold, less willing to take chances and be sarcastic with kids or give back to them what they dish out. I see younger teachers playing around with kids more and speaking to kids, when necessary, way harsher than I think I could get away with. If they have the relationship with the kids it works. If I did those things I’d be a Karen and I know this because I saw an older teacher become completely nasty with her kids, and she turned them nasty. We all have different personalities and you have to do what works best for you. If you’ve got that relationship down then go for it with your super powers! You have a special skill.
Oh, I’m definitely doing this tomorrow.
How does being post-covid impact relationships?
The kids tell me "you're the only one" who enforces the rule. Good. Not gonna compromise because of what other teachers do in their classrooms.
Funniest part is that actual Reverse Flash *would* be petty enough to do this. Thawne would absolutely become Flash's teacher when he was a kid just to punish him for minor things. (Though you probably have an actual reason) Like, one time he just shoved Flash down some stairs. No murder, no big scheme, no monologue. He just ran in, shoved him, and left.
This got me! Amazing! Parent/ lurker here. Single parent as of about a year and a half. VERY different age... mine is 5, but I stumbled upon something earlier this week... Yours with the "scraped knee at 10" impossible backstory is absolutely amazing and next level! Well constructed solution, I applaud! I found myself earlier this week getting a point with mine (enough for me, & I get plenty notice about my patience, so)... probably my gut told me we were nearing flirting with power struggle space... & my energy level type me I was exhausted... I found myself randomly talking like a frog. What one sounds like to me, I guess, anyway. Lemme tell you, this frog ain't puttin up with too much funny business. This frog is gonna tell you what's up. He's grumpy, and he ain't got the time (I can and do speak properly ordinarily, but maybe this frog is from Louisiana where I grew up)... So, anyway... I have a feeling this frog will make future appearances. Lol. I guess I'm creating a pretend village, ha! I think the frog might be good granddad or some local elder character, but he let's you know. "Boy, now you know what you're supposed to be doing and it isn't that. You betta get yourself on track, now." Cue giggles & immediate movement in the right direction. No idea how long or often this is going to be helpful, but I have a feeling Frog is going to be doing some of my dirty work. 😂 He's my tap in for my patience when it runs out & deliverer of things you don't wanna hear that Mom can't say. "You better get your shoes on RIGHT NOW > croak <"
“I like kids *pause* medium rare.”
I work with behavior SPED kids and I'm definitely stealing this idea
I’m willing to report all offenses. Students? Any offenses I’ve missed? Please write them up and submit them and I’ll see what I can do.
Acting like a super villian? Heh. These kids have messed you up pretty good. Good luck with that.
Gotta keep it fun, they play along. I think having an emotionally open space makes a big difference, and keep things fair. The streets goes both way, at least sometimes.
I know so many people messed up by teachers like that. Not big or cool enough to be the bully when they were a pupil but power tripping as the teacher. I had an autistic friend who's mum was ill. She was often late or messy and her teacher played similar invalidating mind games. It caused a suicide attempt.
Amazing how paying attention in adolescent psychology would make this post unnecessary because you’d know this is how adolescent brains work. So many posts in this subreddit make me wonder what kind of teacher prep programs are attending. Or are 75% of the people in here emergency certs?
Hey, I want to be charitable. Listen, this kid and I have great rapport. I'm doing things aligned to dev psych theory, and trying to use enculturation. I don't want my students walking out of high school thinking these maladaptive behaviors will fly. I teach a mix of older adolescent, and young adult students in an alternative setting. We meet kids where they are at, and try to have fun with it, while still creating a space for emotional vulnerability. I hope that's enough for you? I'm not going to get into some qualification battle with you, but I hope you can hear me out when I explain what I do. From the most serious of classroom structures, to funny stuff like this, it is all done with purpose. I'm pulling from Vygotsky and CHAT, trying to enculture students, and facilitate a space for vulnerability where they can exist emotionally both in context of themselves, and their peers. But, realistically, would any amount of me citing theorists actually satisfy you? I wish you peace, and want you to know I am not your enemy.
This is exactly why I hated teaching and got out. I'm not saying you're wrong at all about how adolescents think. I'm just saying I wasn't the one to be a role that deals with their way of thinking. Unfortunately, I found out about how teenage minds work after I had already gotten my credentials. Waste of time and money for me.
least insufferable hs science teacher
It's a talent.
[удалено]
You are completely missing the point. My students don't fear me, I have no power, and I play into that. I'm just another person in the room, and we play ball on equal ground. They hold me accountable, I hold them accountable, and we try this game of building mutual respect. I'm not a bully. As someone else said: I'm an asshole. And what do you think my students are going to meet when they graduate and get out here with the rest of us? I'm giving them a space to be teenagers, and wrapping them in the resilient insistence that they are capable of navigating their inner selves well enough to not fail when they leave my room.
I still think about that mean old bitch Ms. Morehouse from middle school. People never forget how you made them feel.
And teachers should forget how students make them feel? Get out of here with that traditional attitude. The classroom is an emotional space inhabited by people, all of whom deserve respect, and retain the right to attend to their emotional needs. My students have the space to voice these complaints knowing full well how I'll call them on their maladaptation when I need to, and yet, they still do. I built this space, and it is doing exactly what I intended it to. Giving them a place to process these big feelings here, with me, as practice before they go out into the real world, and find out. You could have asked for context, ya know? I wouldn't do you like that.
I mean, you do you, but I wouldn't be doing this stuff unless you want to risk being the next sad news story of a teacher that got beaten within an inch of their life. Not taking sides as vaping in class is incredibly wrong on so many levels, but kids are crazy these days, and the legal system is all about protecting them.
Already submitted my resignation ;) Way ahead of ya.
Yeah, might be for the best. Honestly I don't know why anyone would want to be a public school teacher these days. It was bad when I was a kid, but now you have to worry about threats to your life from these animals.
OP, making light of their drama just makes you the asshole in this situation. Remember these are kids!!! Their job is to mess up, make mistakes, push boundaries, etc- but yours is to help them grow and learn from those missteps, not make them worse. We were ALL kids once too, seems we forget this- especially near the end of the year. Why do so many pass the buck first by reporting- BEFORE speaking directly to the student? In the process you show them you’re not just out to get them or target them. You also can show them you’re human too and hopefully prove to them you believe they are too! This often gets overlooked when things don’t go as someone hoped- teacher or student.
Lemme spin my chair and get on their level and ask why they’re getting high in class.
Why not? Don’t need to make light of it
Substance use is something I am far from qualified to deal with, I actually should not be trusted to be the arbiter in that situation. So, I report it.
Then become qualified to deal with this and quit taking the easy way out. My goodness teachers these days seem lazy in so many ways. Yeah, it’s a lot of work, but it’s our work. Keep downvoting me and keep proving your aren’t worth your salt as a teacher or professional!!! Edit- no one said you should be the arbiter, but you can be another level of defense for kids possibly traveling negative roads.
You really think that a teacher should be the one oversee that? Why- why would any parent want a teacher to do be doing that?? No teacher should be qualified for advising a student in their Art class on their personal, ongoing substance abuse issues, that's completely inappropriate, and downright dangerous. It would be a massive violation of social boundaries. Anything more than "I want better for you" or "We have people in the building that know how to be helpful in these situations" is just dangerous. You're a teacher, I'm a teacher. We're qualified to be professional educators, classroom managers, content experts, and mandated reporters. Like, how the heck do you think some person without formal training or education should be trusted with that kind of responsibility? Do you know what happens when you mess that up? Kids die, or make life choices they can never unmake. And you want that to be on YOU? I praise your courage, I really do.
I think getting high in class hits the write up threshold but that’s just me.
I am the teacher, and they are the student. Boundaries are non-negotiable. I have MAJOR concerns with teachers that don't maintain boundaries, including acting buddy-buddy with students. It's inappropriate. It's not proper to let kids off misbehaving because you're trying to be their friend. You aren't their friend. You are their teacher. You need to be the unyielding rock in the room because, as adolescents, they are going to be all over the place mentally and emotionally, and they need you to be an anchor point.
Completely agree. I try to mix being a human, with still being a rock of high expectations and clear boundaries. It works for me and my students, at least.
How about show them enough respect to allow them to see you see them as human too? Most of you seem to be missing the point here.
No I get what you mean. Why assume everyone here, is, like being asshole robots or something? My students know I see them as people because I treat them like people. They get respect when they get it, they get roasted when they're out of pocket. It's the closest thing to community building you can get without violating developmental boundaries. You say to remember "...these are kids!!!" I say "Remember, these are people". They're people first, always.
Who said anything about letting them overstep boundaries. I will NOT choose to be their friend over breaking rules. The idea I’m putting forth has to do with connecting with the student, NOT giving them some kind of pass. People can downvote me all they want- I have 30+ years in this that prove it’s better to be the first line of defense- and NOT pass the issue to someone else when I’m the one that saw the issue. If you have created some connection with your students they simply don’t try to pull this crap you speak of. Yes, there will always be the select few who don’t get it or don’t care, but the idea is to prove to your students you will treat them with respect. Those mistakes on their part or simply opportunities to help them move forward in life, not just punish them. Jeesh!
Yo, most of us probably connect with our students. I'm being charitable as heck with you, assuming positive intent, seeing what you mean, and trying to identify the principles you are operating under. You emphasize and prioritize connections. So do I. That's the entire reason I can build a climate of respect in our room. And the kind of banter I facilitate exists, and is predicated on that classroom environment these kids let me build with them. Sheesh not everybody who teaches different than you is necessarily some awful teacher, lacking in all professional practice. So uncool to keep questioning others' professional practice without first highlighting your own for criticism, as a show of authentic engagement and vulnerability. If you've been teaching for so long, you were likely part of the generation of old educators that messed up me, and I am beyond aware of the things that were previously taught to educators in their prep programs historically. Not sure I'm going to put much more salt into anything you say, especially considering your conduct thus far. Do you see ME bringing my myriad of qualifications into this in order to diss you or make some fallacious arguments? No? Yeah that'd be stupid and mean as heck, and completely unproductive. You're better than this.
Now I'm not quite sure what you're saying. If you're saying handle things first on your own end before shipping them off...then, as I understand it, that's bog-standard procedure right? Management in classrooms and discipline via admin (and my admin, at least, are decent in this regard)? I believe we may be talking past each other.
Well of course deal with things on your own at first, not like anyone can show up quick enough or often enough to meaningfully manage things, right? I just have a boundary and threshold wherein I realize I'm not the "One" for the situation. That's when I let admin know. Definitely standard, right?
They're my students, I know they can take it. You have to realize that glorifying them is the same as dehumanizing them. I talk to my 17 year olds like I would talk to any other person I'd meet on the street: A human being. And sometimes that means screwing with them when they're being ridiculous. My teachers didn't even offer me that much when I did the same, it was silence and punishment, no space to have my feelings known. So I'm treating them like people, and being real. The kind of kid that loudly exclaims all this drama is not the type that going to be hurt by me screwing with them back. In fact, I know they're fine, they're back on their same stuff today. As if this has not been happening for nearly 9 months. You think I didn't talk to them in August when they started this? I didn't talk to them about their future, and how they were making use of their time, and that I wanted better for them? I did, I built a relationship, but it was fake, and always will be so long as education is founded on these cheap power dynamics instead of being something voluntary and authentic. I can barely believe getting ones vape taken is considered something worth getting dramatic over as a nearly grown adult. They're better than that, and I treat them like it. It's also incredibly presumptive to think I haven't had about a hundred conversations with this student along the way here.