Middle school has always been the pits. You have kids who are still truly naive children in with pubescent, street-savvy kids. I remember one young naive sixth grader who was attacked on a school bus by older middle school toughs (girls). That attack changed a smart, sweet young girl into a gang-banger wanna-be. Only by being as tough or tougher did she feel she was safe. It was survival for her. It changed her life and took years for her to recover. This happened here in Las Cruces at a "good" school to a child from a "good" family.
--
In regard to the substitute who will no longer sub at middle schools...I don't blame you one bit. I work at a middle school and I have heard the same from other subs. Maybe someone higher up will notice and do something to fix the problem. The students know there is something going on and they are taking advantage to the fullest. Every day I hear students make comments that let me know they do not have to do anything and we can not discipline them. If they refuse to work, we have to let them turn in enough work right before grades are due in order to keep them from failing. If they cuss us out, we have to understand that they are teenagers and that might just be how things are in their homes. If they pick on other students, whether verbally or physically, we are supposed to tell the victims to avoid them or else they themselves will be punished along with the bullies. In other words, the students who are out of control, or lazy, or just plain don't care know that they are in total control of what happens in their school. Sad thing is, the board is on their side, if only by not supporting those in the trenches. Maybe the board and the employees who work downtown, away from the students, should spend a week doing what we do every day-try to survive.
--
Responding to comments on my 'fixing our schools' post... Teachers should not have to work until 9:00 every evening, and each kid is not working on 'multiple objectives' in each lesson. The child works on each objective, as he moves up the steps in the precisely organized curriculum. My approach, tried and tested thirty-five years ago, does really work. It is most needed at elementary and mid-school levels... until every student acquires basic skills that are necessary to move forward up the education ladder. The computer does the 'busy-work'... you, the teacher, then has the rare opportunity to TEACH.
--
Thank you for your words of support. As an employee, I know that many if not most individuals care about kids and are working hard to do our jobs well, regardless of wha they are. We are continuing to carry on professionally and personally to serve our students and families as we always have through hard times. It is a testimony to the district that regardless of the situation, instruction is being delivered and supported.