capitalism runs deep...sympathy from a stranger
The current behavioral wisdom endorses rewarding improvements in behavior; with that in mind, our school offers a schoolwide reward day for bringing the number of serious infractions ("pink slips") down from the same month last year. It is a method of group contingency I cannot endorse, because 1) there are different students from year to year; 2) the under-10 set are notoriously bad about giving a shit about anything beyond 'tomorrow'; and 3) it is the same dozen kids who ruin things for everyone, every damn time.
The kids shot this month's reward to hell in the first week.
The deciding factor in canceling the "Hay Day", as it's called, was the decision of a 10-year old to bring in porn magazines & DVDs to sell to his classmates. In his defense, I figure he was trying to raise bail for his dad, who was incarcerated for the umpteeth time for theft. The kid's been wearing Pop's "#1 Dad" ballcap for a week now. Anyway, it's doubtless that #1 Dad was the source for the goodies; every kid has found a stash of something illicit at some point or another, but to have the cajones to bring stuff in to sell in an elementary school...that's an entrepreneur.
I realize the entries are sparse. It's not due to a lack of material, I can assure you; rather, I am overwhelmed and burnt out on the topic. I met a woman on my flight back from my hometown and we struck up a conversation; she blanched slightly when she heard me mention where I taught. She was a counselor here half a dozen years ago for a couple of years. With thirty-four years of educational counseling under her belt, she told me what I already knew: this place is messed up. She shook her head and gave me her sympathies. I guess people gave her a hard time, too, and were mean and catty and gossipy. Good to know it's not just me being harangued. She asked me about some people she knew. Turns out we have been through a minimum of three high school principals, three elementary school principals, two superintendents, and half a dozen counselors since she was here in the 1999-2000 school year. This is far from normal. This is the turnover rate for your typical McJob, not professional positions held by people with advanced degrees. How many people has this place driven from careers in education? Does anyone care?
The kids shot this month's reward to hell in the first week.
The deciding factor in canceling the "Hay Day", as it's called, was the decision of a 10-year old to bring in porn magazines & DVDs to sell to his classmates. In his defense, I figure he was trying to raise bail for his dad, who was incarcerated for the umpteeth time for theft. The kid's been wearing Pop's "#1 Dad" ballcap for a week now. Anyway, it's doubtless that #1 Dad was the source for the goodies; every kid has found a stash of something illicit at some point or another, but to have the cajones to bring stuff in to sell in an elementary school...that's an entrepreneur.
I realize the entries are sparse. It's not due to a lack of material, I can assure you; rather, I am overwhelmed and burnt out on the topic. I met a woman on my flight back from my hometown and we struck up a conversation; she blanched slightly when she heard me mention where I taught. She was a counselor here half a dozen years ago for a couple of years. With thirty-four years of educational counseling under her belt, she told me what I already knew: this place is messed up. She shook her head and gave me her sympathies. I guess people gave her a hard time, too, and were mean and catty and gossipy. Good to know it's not just me being harangued. She asked me about some people she knew. Turns out we have been through a minimum of three high school principals, three elementary school principals, two superintendents, and half a dozen counselors since she was here in the 1999-2000 school year. This is far from normal. This is the turnover rate for your typical McJob, not professional positions held by people with advanced degrees. How many people has this place driven from careers in education? Does anyone care?
