Today I experienced complete disrespect. First I will have to admit I acted (am still acting) badly, but I have no time or energy for people with no respect for others and people who make decisions for others without thinking it through. Last week my team made a group decision about today's activity. We all decided how to do the activity and communicated it with the special education teacher attached to our team. In fact, at the time she (sp. ed. teacher) was pleased with the lack of disruption to her schedule. This morning two teachers decided to change the events without thinking it through or asking the input of others. When the team finally came together, after the decision was made, it was basically split (two against, two for, and one undecided). I had talked to the office to get there input. The rationale for the last minute change was "everyone else is doing it." What are we, seventh graders? Please!! The office of course agreed with me that it didn't matter. After all if we were truly going to "look good," we would have talked it up all week and collected more money. Quite frankly I'm not about looking good, but I do care greatly about the unit I'm finishing and the one I'm starting.
Let's not worry about looking good at the last minute and doing mindless conforming; let's do a little prep work. These two also didn't think of the details (already worked out with the first scedule). How were we going to leave the building? How were we going to line up with the students? What about the disruption to teachers plans? What about the two students with juvenile arthritis that now need to walk a three miles instead of one mile? I also found it quite convenient that the two of them placed themselves at the front and back of the line. Nice! How many disruptive kids are going to run to the front of the line? As for the back of the line, I don't think it should take an additional ten minutes to get everyone back to the start.
At the end of the walk, one made the comment that it went well. Went well? I engaged myself for 1/2 the walk before I decided not to worry about the discipline since no one else seemed to have a clue. This is what I witnessed in that short time: boys with big branches hitting each other, kids running through the elementary parking lot with the magnets they had just been given (brilliant), kids cutting the corners instead of using the sidewalk, kids running back into the building completely uncounted for, and mp3 players. This doesn't take into consideration the whining after the first block: I'm tired. Can I go to the bathroom? I'm hot.
I think a little more thought would have been crucial considering the calilber of kids we have this year. Of course no thought was put into this situation because they wanted to do what "everyone else was doing." I just checked out and decided to use it as my personal walk which since no one else seemed to give it any thought didn't seem like a bad idea. It's pathetic that they thought it went well. Maybe I wasn't the only one who decided to make it my personal walk. The final blow came when only one teacher bothered to see how I was doing (horrible) throughout the day, and he took time to check in at least three times even though I was an angry three year old. The two that set the entire disaster in motion never bothered to apologize or check in which I completely expect from the one but not the other. It's been a tough year, but today may have made things easier. I'll worry about me and my classroom, and the other two can make all the decisions and attempt to follow through. Maybe we can just do what "everyone else is doing!"
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