Students getting me in trouble

[Mishellee99]

I just wanted to vent about something. I had 2 students come into my classroom and they were a little disruptive considering they were skipping a class. I had told them to leave and they didn't. Well anyway, another student who was actually in the class started getting mad and hit one of the students that weren't supposed to be in there. I turned the students in and the principal got mad at me, so much that I had started crying. I thought I was doing the right thing about turning the 3 students in but apparently not. What can I do about all this?

 

[kirsten]

why would they think they could go in your

room while they are skipping another class? And when told to leave, they wouldn't??? When they refused to leave, you should have picked up the phone, called the office, and reported the skippers - that would have prevented the fight.

 

[Mishellee99]

You are Right!

I should have done that instead of letting it go on like it did. I'm just very frustrated because like everyone knows this is my 1st year of teaching, and I honestly do not feel that the administration is very helpful at all on things. I am also afraid that with all the problems I have had this school year with this school that I will not be renewed next year. I am already in the process of looking for other jobs just in case. I don't think it's very fair to me as a teacher for my principal to talk down to me like he does. He comes off as better than everyone else, and talks down to people, especially me the most. It's just very frustrating.

 

[kirsten]

I didn't realize this was your first year

Sorry. I'm assuming you're in a highschool and if it's your first year then maybe don't look much older than many of the students? Principals get very nervous about that - I think because they don't want their school to be next in the headlines. I have a close friend who is very young looking and in the highschool. The prinicpal is hyper-sensitive to her being chummy with the kids at all and she was taking it personally until I (and several others) pointed out to her that what's really going on is he's afraid somebody will cross a line. It does sound like the kids are taking advantage of you a bit. Actually, they were of her as well. Showing up and begging to stay in her room instead of going to a study hall or whatever and she was letting them. We had to tell her, you are insulting the teacher they are supposed to be with when you let these kids hang in your room instead of going to study hall and getting their work done. They would sing her a tale of woe and she fell for it. This is her 3rd year now and she's finally caught on. This isn't a problem I ever had because teaching was a second career for me, but my daughter is a first year teacher and quite attractive. She hasn't had a problem, but her supervising teacher told her that the way she dresses and carries herself the kids can sense she's not one of the gang. She felt like she was being called a snob but I assured her at this stage of the game because of her age, she just can't be chummy with the kids - they'll take advantage and administration gets the jitters. Best of luck!

 

[Mishellee99]

Thanks Kirsten!

Kirsten, thanks for replying to my post. I am a 1st year teacher in high school. I have weekly meetings with the principal and we have ours today after school. I talked to my boyfriend and he thinks that the reason why the principal was so upset is because he thinks I have so much potential as a teacher and wants to help me and thinks that if he is harsh in his ways and giving advice it will help. I hope that's all it is. Oh well, I'm sure I will hear about what happened yesterday and if anything else goes on today in my weekly meeting with him. Thanks again for your help! As for the way I dress, I do dress professionally unlike some of the other younger teachers there. Of course, Fridays we have casual Friday, so I love to wear my jeans and tennis shoes. I will definitely keep everyone updated on what is going on.