Why do some people tend to act as “know it all?” Today, first thing in the morning after reading about the news of sending and receiving emails (Yahoo mail) through one’s cellular phones, I let our administrator know about this and he is like: You aren’t up-to-date man! It’s NOT something new. You should only pay 10$ to activate the service and all the bla bla bla! Sometimes, he is a real pain in the you know where…
Location: Language School Students: Grown ups (5 girls, 5 boys) Grammar Focus: If clause
Me: If I become the president……. Who wants to talk about the consequences? Any volunteers? A 25 year old university student with a grin on his face speaking mockingly: If I become the president I will “wipe off” Israel from the map of the world. I started laughing out loud, so did the rest! A 50 year old guy: If I become the president, I will give 500$ to every Iranian if they accept me as their president. Another laughter followed then.
A 25 year old girl volunteered to change the subject and I gave her the go ahead.
If I buy a dog, Another 25 year old girl: If I buy a dog, I might take a walk with the dog. I started writing the sentence on the board: If I buy a dog, I might take a walk with ….I turned to her and said” take a walk with Him or Her?” Others started laughing and she continued” A HIM is better!” Me: Don’t you think that there are better choices than a dog? Right there one of the guys said” she is a dangerous girl ’cause she thinks of the males as dogs.” Me: I really couldn’t help laughing and said:” If you think of yourself as a dog you might get offended and think of her comment as an attack to the male species otherwise that can be considered as an ordinary comment. Right? The whole class was bursting in laugh for minutes as all these happened within 5 minutes. I don’t wonder why” Laughter is considered to be the best medicine.”
How can you fix a damaged self esteem? Let me tell you how I did it.
“Mr. Frankie! YOUR class is one of those classes in which you don’t have much control over. The kids aren’t as well behaved in your class as they are in Mr.X class because Mr. X sometimes gives us “good” talking-tos. You just don’t.” One of my students said to me in person.
(Inside my head) How come? I can’t believe my ears! After years of teaching I had thought of myself as an assertive teacher whom no one could dare to challenge! And now my heart was fatigued with anger and dissatisfaction with myself. Unconsciously, I deiced to give them a good lesson they never forget to fix this self esteem. As I entered the same class in the following day one of the students in the back rows made a sound which I took it as an “insult” Although, he might not have thought of it as an” insult.” I was LOOKING for the wrong action by the WRONG student in the WRONG time to establish myself and my authority again. They had too learn their lesson by hook or crook! Though I am not a fan of physical punishment but, sometimes I think that’s THE only way which brings discipline into the classroom and works however, I truly believe if you don’t know how to use the weapon it backfires. I ordered him to come closer and I slapped him on the face and I was careful not to hurt him too not because I felt pity for him but I was afraid of the consequences. The class was silent for moments; then I sat back and enjoyed the whole class. God is the only one who knows how much this class has caused my brain cells to commit suicide and I think he deserved it. I had used almost every trick in my bag with this class already. I am wondering as how classroom management is established in other countries?
Moral of the Story?
Speak up and establish your authority as a bully quickly. This immediately eliminates any misunderstanding about you not being in control of your class. Staying there in times of acting up make them understand they can walk over your shoulder for breakfast, lunch and dinner. .
Location (Public School) Level (Junior High School, Kids between 14_15)
As I entered the classroom I noticed a sentence on the blackboard: "Ali kicked his ass good-bye for goods." I thought to myself that something awful must have had happened to Ali but, what could it be? The classroom bell rang and the students rushed out to leave their cage immediately. I was happier than my students. Why? It’s just one of those classes which is hard to deal with. I saw Ali down the hallway waiting for me. Hey Ali! How you doing boy? "It couldn’t be worse." He said. Ali was one of those kids who at first encounter you get an impression of a nice, quiet and shy kid. He is a bit chubby with his always smiling face. "Why were you absent today"? I said. "I was kind of busy." "What business?" I said." Actually, my parents have decided to change my school for some reasons." what reasons?" I insisted. (I know this kind of relationship is being considered as putting one’s nose in other people’s affairs but, these kinds of relationships are quite normal here.) "Some of my friends and I were going to pick up a girl on the weekend to have some "fun" so, I stole about 500$ from my father and now my daddy has gotten wind of it and has decided to send me to a Private school." He said. I really couldn’t believe my ears! "Picking up a girl? YOU?”I said. “A private school?" I said it with lots of exclamation marks in my head! "Halalam Kon"(Forgive me Mr. Frankie) He said. Kid’s minds are occupied with having a girlfriend to be proud of and Instead of studying and planning for their future_ with these undefined relationship among boys and girls_ some become one track mind kids with sex on the top of their priorities. The whole energy and youth is wasted over having sex and relationship with a girl. Where the hell are we all going to? A black hole?
The poor parents think private schools are much different with public schools. Yeah! They sure are different not in terms of education but, in the amount of money they receive from the parents. He was carrying a notebook and he asked his teacher to write a sentence or two to be kept as a memento for him. He asked me to write something in his notebook. In English, I wrote "Lots of luck."
I was called by the principal to go to his office. I already knew it’s another complaint toward me by the “nice” parents who think they have EVERY right to believe the bullshits the kids convey them.
The principal: Mr. Frankie? I want to ask you a question which I hope you don’t mind?
Me: Sure, Go ahead!
The principal: The other day one of the parents gave me a call to let me know that somehow…I don’t know how to put this! She was saying that you happen to SLEEP in the classroom! Is that true?
Me: Said who?! Whoever he/she was, he/she can go fuck himself/herself! I said it exasperatingly! Remember the last time you talked to me on being less “assertive” in the classroom because some students might go under stress and that might “damage” their left hemispheres therefore, it might impede their “learning” ability? Do you remember that I agreed without any justification of my actions? Now that parent has to face to face this with you and me and apologize if he/she can’t prove his claim! I really can’t imagine myself to sleep while teaching and working in the classroom!
Principal (a bit shocked after the “rude” comment) Yeah! He/she must apologize if they are wrong!
Me (inside speaking): Being assertive sometimes works if he is your principal too; let alone in other situations and with kids!
Teachers are scrutinized for almost every word, action, they say and do and even their way of dressing is being questioned sometime! Ahmadinejad’s government seems not to pay any attention to teachers just like the rest. Polluticians (pollution+ politicians) seem to be the same everywhere no matter where they are. There are no independent unions to support teacher’s rights in Iran. I had almost forgotten that I am a human first, then a teacher!
What am I talking about? ”Human rights”?! What a fucking funny word!
This post is dedicated to all those reporters and other people who lost their lives on C-130 transport plane this Tuesday. Click Here to read:
Times have changed. The dominant role of religion in society is Diminishing. Human lives& rights are worthy. Education has the final word in everything. People don’t think that the plane crash was an “Act of God.” Those higher-ups who are responsible for this and other similar plane crashes in the past few years resign because of their inefficiency.
These thirteen year old kids! To use the class time more suitably, I ask some of the top students to go over the other students’ homework. Except a couple of students, the rest seemed to have done their job well. As I was going to go through the lesson one student came to me and while his head was down_he wasn’t looking me at the eyes_ he said that “Mr. Frankie I haven’t done my homework!” I turned to his classmate” monitor” (Sar grooh) and said:” Why didn’t you go over his homework? Did you misuse your power as a monitor?
Monitor: He came to me and asked me if it was possible not to mention his name to you as someone who hasn’t done the homework and NOW he has came to you to let you know about this!! He HIMSELF asked me not to inform you about this time and let the sleeping DOG lie! He said it angrily.
I turned to the student and said:” Why did you ever betray your monitor who is your friend as well? Why did you tell me about that? Why didn’t you keep the secret? Weren’t YOU the one who asked him to keep this as a secret?
I turned to his “monitor” and said:” You betrayed me boy! I trusted you! You misused that trust! But since I value honesty and frankness too much, I let it go this time!
Before you turn into a “devil” grownup, since your soul is without dirt you still have your right angel beside you who monitors everything you do and talks to you! When you become a grownup little by little the left angel rules over and you aren’t as Frank as before! Ah, To be a kid again!
Fears! Constant fears on how dark and gloomy my future might be! Resent! Constantly from unknown sources! I only live once so, why shouldn’t I fulfill the unfulfilled wishes in me? Why do I sometimes get the cold feet doing things? How can I inject more enthusiasm in myself? Empower myself more? Where should I hang myself to in order to get more energy? God, Myself or What? I am all left alone by myself on this lonely planet. Gimme hope, wish me luck! Fuck! I am drained…
