I am substitute teaching today. All was good until 2:05pm in the afternoon. I had a small class and all the kids wanted to sit at the same table. They would not listen and had smart alec answers to all the questions I asked. I think it was a combination of it being a long day for me and maybe for them too. Then the lights went out and everyone was asking if they could leave and did they have to do the assignment, etc.

I snapped at them, I asked them to stop talking and to listen to the instructions. They got all indignant and said we are always this way, the regular teacher doesn’t like us either, yah da, yah da, yah da. I decided to walk out in the hall and take a couple of breaths. I came back in the class room and pinned the answer key up on the board where they could come up and see it and sat down and began to write this blog.

I had had a nice day until this class (this was my fifth class). It’s funny, I think that human interaction breaks down with a weird equation. Maybe both parties have to be stressed; or one of the two has to be really stressed; or I don’t know? I do know for me it is best to take a time out (if you can) and regroup. Because if you really do get mad, then it is hard to recover from it.

Sitting here at my desk, one of the rowdy students at the crowded table, quipped, “Wow, this table is really working”. Maybe my little outburst was effective. But it still bothers me, probably because I want to be liked all the time. Anyway, right now my body is trying to recycle the adrenaline and other nasty chemicals that were being pumped into my body when I was getting mad.

Hopefully I can relax and enjoy the rest of the day (one more class after this).

Cheers, Todd

PS: Just now a student brought in a baby, and I held it for a couple minutes. That is definitely good for a calming effect…