The first few weeks

This is nothing what I imagined. I don't know what I really was thinking it would be like. I guess, to be honest, I pictured myself coming into an out-of-control classroom, implementing a simple but strict classroom management plan and watching my students begin transforming into model students before my eyes.

Instead this is what I have: an absolutely out-of-control, over-sized classroom where half of my students have failed 8th grade at least once, four of my students are 16 and three will be by the end of the year. Despite my simple, but (kinda strict) classroom management policy, and admittedly shakey, but in-tact positive behavior plan, my classroom remains out-of-control. It's quite beyond what I could imagine an out-of-control classroom would be like. I haven't even been able to begin the program I am teaching because the school board's tech services wasn't aware there are now 8th graders at the high school I'm at and therefore, my students were not imported into the system so that I could give them the prilimenary test they need to determine whether or not they should even be in my class (which, by the way, is holding the rest of the 8th grade up from leveling classes, leaving some classes still with 40+ students. Not really my fault, but add that hanging over my head).

Despite the fact that when I walk out of school everyday, I secretly (or sometimes, not so secretly) hope it'll be the last time, I am fiercly protective of my students. I am not writing this so everyone that reads can say, "poor Allison has it so hard," or "not surprising, she probably teaches at an all black school, and you know those black kids don't know how to behave." No. Because it's not because they're poor and it's certainly not because they're black. It's because the system doesn't give a shit about them, and I think they really know it.

They didn't say it would be easy, they just said it would be worth it. I'm starting to think 'they' didn't have my students, but I sure do hope that they knew what they were talking about.