This week was the second time I went with my cooperating teacher to late bus duty. At my school there aren't enough buses so some students have to wait for their bus to go on the first round and come back to get them. Most of these students live in the same neighborhood. Rude, disrespectful, and too street smart for their own good many of these 4th and 5th graders. And just like I had to point out to the assistant principal (who I had to go get at the request of my teacher who was breaking up a fight) there were some in the group who were doing as they were asked.
I agree with another teacher's comment, there has to be a better situation for these students. Many have been suspended from the bus due to their behavior. They have to sit closely in the hall as they wait for the next bus. Isn't there something more practical?
Why can't someone watch them on a recess field for those 20+ plus minutes? Why can't they go to the computer lab? I feel like this holding tank of a hall only exacerbates the problem. We have read in both texts and heard all semester long about cultural differences. The particular fight that occurred this afternoon was about one student talking negatively about another's mother. This is obviously my PG blog way of describing the situation.
These students have grown up in a culture where they observe the things to say that bothers someone and learn to defend their family at all costs, including fighting. How can you respectfully and figuratively shake them out of this mentally? That physical fighting and obscenities are really not the best way to conduct yourself? How do you tell them that what they have grown up seeing is not socially acceptable (regarding this specific topic).? And what about the few students who were doing what they were asked? The polite ones? Or the student who cried when he was told his mom now has to pick him up because he can't ride the bus? They live next door and in once case the same house as the other students. How can some realize the "right thing to do" and others don't?
If you know these tired children, who obviously need positive role models in their life, have difficulties EVERYDAY after school why not do something? I have much respect for this school's administration but I feel that there has got to be a better solution for these students than what is going on.
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Marissa,
ReplyDeleteThis story makes me so sad. You and Allison talked about it in the car and I just could not believe that this goes on. It also does not seem fair that some children have to wait and others do not. I love your suggestions of other activities, there has to be teachers who can take these children to do some kind of activity each day. Can't they trade off and take turns per day? What did the assistant principle say when you told her about it?