OMG

I think I might be yelled to death by 8th graders.

I have been observing and 8th grade classroom for the last six weeks or so, and this week it was my turn to teach. Things started well. Lots of curious questions, rapt attention, and for writing too! But today, I almost cried. Not quite, but I could see myself crying in the coming week if my 2nd period keeps it up.

The class has what you might call..."personality." I can't be nice, because then they take advantage of me. I can't yell at them (or can only yell so much) otherwise they yell back. I've never seen a group of kids be more disrespectful. I could understand the grumbling, the chomping at the bit to leave class. But flat out refusing to work, saying every other thing is stupid and not meeting my request to tell me why (so I can fix it.) It seems like there is nothing I can do to make them happy. Which really isn't the goal, but would be a nice way to get there.

UGH!