Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Bullying
The last few days have been the hardest I've faced as a teacher. Despite my best efforts to create a safe space for my students, the bullying and harassment that has been present all year with 8B has surfaced with a vengeance. I was tuned in to potential issues, recognized a problem, attempted to stop it but the students ignored my instructions and went ahead as planned with a play presentation that was hurtful to another member of the class. I shouldn't have trusted they would make the right decision. I should have checked their scripts before they performed. I was tired, overwhelmed and I dropped the ball. I have done my best to repair the damage that happened on my watch. I have had a solid community circle with the perpetrators, apologies have been well thought out, plans of action put in place. Guidance is involved and stepping up efforts to deal with the seismic divides in the classroom. This week, caring was not enough. And yet the fact that I do care leaves me so broken hearted that I wasn't able to be the teacher that I want to be. And that is a really shitty way to wrap up what has been a successful practicum.
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That sucks dude. I'm sorry you had to go through that. I had some of those issues in my class too. Although it wasn't the same, it wasn't a public presentation in front of the class, it was just as serious. One student, who has been picked on a bullied because he doesn't always interact too well with students discovered girls this last term. He also hadn't learned good touch from bad touch and while i was there one girl came forward about it...and then another 6 or 7. it was hard to be around. and once we were aware we made every effort to stop anything from happening in the future. the accusers and the accusee. obviously principals, guidance and parents were involved. But you're right, caring didn't prevent it. But you also can't kick yourself for what happened. That student made a conscious decision and you can't control every little movement of every student in your class.
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