When the Cat's Away

My class has, with the help of a few individuals, deteriorated into a survival mode. This is thanks to approximately 5 boys who have hairline trigger switches. As an adult, I'm barely holding it together day to day. My poor students (those not included in those 5), are walking on eggshells. I've done everything I can, pulled every trick out of my bag, went to veteran teachers for help, gone to administration for help. Nothing has worked. My principal coddles the kids and they walk all over her. So we're now approximately 3/4 of the way through the year and my behavior problems have gone from bad to worse because they are not disciplined to the extent necessary. What's the motivation for behaving when misbehaving is so much easier and more fun?

But the cat (principal) is away...and the mice will play.

My vice principal is a godsend. She has been my support, even when her hands are tied and all she can do is tell me, "Hang in there." This weekend, though, she's acting principal while our principal is on administrative leave for the next week. And she's fed up. This late in the year, I don't feel like anything is going to change. But it sure helps to have action take place when I cry for help. She suggests a family meeting to include myself, my coteacher, the gifted resource teacher (I have the gifted cluster homeroom), the guidance counselor, herself, my students, and their parents. She wants to lay it out on the line for all parties involved. We'll see what happens.

One of my "time bombs" was suspended for 2 days today. His second time in 2 weeks. At the very least, it's a few less eggshells to walk on. One more day in the week.

So tonight I got home before 5, took a bath, emailed my husband to suggest a date tomorrow, ate a yummy (and totally unhealthy) dinner and decided I needed to schedule a pedicure for sometime in the next couple days. The rest of the night, I plan to spend in bed with a book.

TGI(almost)F!