Female Teacher vs. Male Teacher

[Buffy]

Originally Posted by HydrogenBond

It is sort of a sport team and miltary teaching strategy where the screw up is corrected by punishing the rest of the team, until the team insists on team spirit. Next year, you will have a tough-nice reputation.

This almost always backfires: You *do* want to get the rest of the class on your side, but you make *enemies* out of them when you give the pop quiz no matter *who* you say is "responsible."

It may have worked in boot camp, but rarely works in school or work environments: its just bullying the same way the disruptive kid is bullying.

Carrots in the same situation though work *wonders* as I gave as an example above.

Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out,
Buffy

[palmtreepathos]

I don't think they do it on purpose; I think it's more of a subconcience thing.

This speaks to the deeper issues that we are facing in society. When it is acceptable to disrespect those who nurture our youth then that disrespect is learned from youth up, hence making it second nature (a subconcience thing) to look down on or discount a womens worth in general. Even girls have been subconsciously programmed into a feeling of helplessness in the face of male distain and either cave in to it or adopt a get tough attitude. They then disrespect themselves and other women to prove their worth to dominant males (out of self-loathing/anger). This may be more obvious in suburban areas. Also I find some men are more passive in this distain but it then shows up as patronizing behaviour. Those who fall in the group that respect women are often classified as weaklings. When you have a dominant male at home only approving of you if you show such toughness it is bound to affect your attitude. Or alternately the father has fled and the woman is blamed by the father and sometimes the children, transferring to teachers. With marriage failure at a rampant rate this affects over 50% of families. It is a sick world.

Another thought that crossed my mind is that of the academics, language is often looked at as a womanly(alas weak) skill and it threatens those with less than solid character. If it is not learned at home in semi-supportive conditions it is hard to develop further unless lead by a manly person, the type they wish they had at home. sort of a catch -22

I would not take it personally and head on confrontation is most assuredly doomed to failure, absorbing your time, peace of mind and/or ruining the class's right to focus on the things at hand.

people who just enlist who still aren't smart as a whip spend their time in the Air Force as janitors and cooks!

Some combination between Buffy's logic (love this point) and HydrogenBond's I know, not much help from this contributor...

[LaurieAG]

Originally Posted by ThisIsMyName

Yesterday I came up with a decent three step system (1: Detention, 2: Parent Conference, 3: Suspension). When I informed my students, many of them expressed that their "Eigth Grade block system was harsher than that" (which is when the teahcer has the student name and checks next to their name on the board- that's what i understand, anyway.).

Hello,

Surely the school itself should have a standard set of disciplanary procedures like what you had to create?

Also, it might be a 'hormonal problem' if the person who disrupts your classes is into pumping weights (i.e. like in the Tour De France).

[ThisIsMyName]

I feel the need to contribute to this conversation somewhat myself.

This is the real ThisIsMyName.

Our entire school line (The connected Elementary School + High School) has a weak discipline system. When I moved from what you would think of as a "normal school" with regular teachers and traditional punishments etc. I remember being surprised and relieved when I found out how laid back everything was. (There was a time when I did something at a dance and should have been put up for expulsion but didn't get much more than a slap on the wrists) Now that I've matured a bit since, I realize I should have been horrified. And just recently our school "remembered" that board rules say that after three detentions it's a suspension (after a couple students had up to eight detentions).

I have had personal encounters with Mike; I know he is an utter sexist. Most of us have learned not to let it get to us. It is difficult because he's one of the top dogs at our school, so people are afraid to stand up to him because of his power that he supposedly weirlds over these teenagers that can't realize high school as just a temporary state (EG: Who think if they piss of the almighty one, they're entire future will be ruined). It's difficult to deal with.

I can vouch for my teacher. She is an AWESOME teacher. I just can't understand why these people find it so hard to respect her. And I think it's unfair with the staff/principal constantly being changed there's no chance for anyone in "power" to develop a record of these kids who need an eye kept on them.

But for now I think we're in the stage of just letting it go because when it comes to SATs and Air Force sign ups and University Essays... The things that count that your friends won't be around to copy off of, they'll get their just desserts.

[Buffy]

Originally Posted by ThisIsMyName

It's difficult to deal with.

It sure is. And because your school system is entirely dysfunctional, its not going to get better until something horrible happens or enough people get together to complain about it.

Some very brave people are going to have to band together to take on the school board. This will unfortunately be very hard until someone is seriously hurt because of the lack of discipline, or worse, because some persecuted kid takes the discipline into his own hands (not a suggestion, just a reminder that it does not take much to create a tragedy).

Originally Posted by ThisIsMyName

I can vouch for my teacher. She is an AWESOME teacher. I just can't understand why these people find it so hard to respect her. And I think it's unfair with the staff/principal constantly being changed there's no chance for anyone in "power" to develop a record of these kids who need an eye kept on them.

When kids find out they can diss the teacher--no matter how good a teacher they are--and get away with it scot-free, it just plain snowballs. Why *should* Mike stop? He gets more powerful every time he does it! And he apparently has absolutely nothing to fear.

And the more he does it, the more others will emulate him in order to get the kind of "popularity" that he has.

One thing both of you have left unsaid is what the situation with Mike's parents are: usually such kids come from horrible homes, and throwing them out tends to be easy. But if his parents are "community leaders" then it could be that the Administration/Board is scared of *them*. If that's the case, then there's even less that can be done about them unless they get publicly embarrassed by him getting caught (and unfortunately once in high school, he might well kill somebody for driving drunk which he does because he's learned that his actions have no consequences).

Originally Posted by ThisIsMyName

But for now I think we're in the stage of just letting it go because when it comes to SATs and Air Force sign ups and University Essays... The things that count that your friends won't be around to copy off of, they'll get their just desserts.

I certainly hope that this kid's bad Karma catches up with him, but I hope its a lot sooner than that!

Sounds like you have a real train wreck there and my condolences go out to both of you. Unfortunately your alternatives are limited to keeping your head down and suffering, leaving town, or risking a lot to bring everyone together to fight it.

No Bully Left Behind,
Buffy

[C1ay]

Originally Posted by ThisIsMyName

In my classes, there are some male students (A group of Freshman and a group of Seniors) who are incredibly disrespectful. I have tried holding discipline with detentions and warnings, but nothing works; it's all a joke to them!

Can't you just throw them out of your class and tell them to take it up with the administration?