I got called into the assistant principal's office. Twice. In one day.
It was week two of the two week assignment at the continuation high school. I was covering the English 12 class. The teacher had retired.
The first time, I had sort of requested the interview. Student issue. The second time, however, took me by surprise. I was sure I was in trouble.
And I was in trouble. Sort of.
The students had complained to the assistant principal (AP) that I had been giving them too much work.
So, I told the AP exactly what I had assigned. I even emailed her copies of the all the assignments. She looped in one of the other English teachers, and I met with this other English teacher the next day to go over stuff. (I've subbed for Ms. S many, many times.)
Neither the AP nor Ms. S thought I was being unreasonable in my assignments. And it wasn't like I wasn't giving the students ample extra time to make things up.
In the course of our conversation, I mentioned to Ms. S that the AP had received complaints, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't overburdening the students. Ms. S then told me who the student was that complained...
I recognized the student's name. Because the school is so small, I know her face. But only because the school is so small. Not because I had seen her in class...
Ms. S and I had this conversation on day seven of my nine days covering this class. The student who complained? Had been absent all of those seven days. (She actually had the journalism class, too. She showed up for that class once. On a Friday. Twenty minutes late.)
Apparently the girl had asked what she missed of her fellow classmates and balked at the amount of work...
Nah.
I'm not sure what she was thinking, but she hadn't spent any time discussing classwork with her classmates. That would have required effort.
I never thought about the possibility of teachers being called in to the assist. principal's office. I think I would feel just like a teen in that instance.
ReplyDeleteWhen you don't know why, you think the worst immediately.
DeleteWhat she was thinking? Seriously, was she EVEN thinking? Do they think at that age? I am so thankful on a daily basis that teaching was not the way I went in my life. Afraid I would not have been able to retire, I think I would have been fired!!!!
ReplyDeleteIf she was well-practiced in the thinking department, she would not have ended up at this school.
Delete(Just had a good laugh. I mistyped "this" by swapping the S and T. Try it...)
Hi Liz - incredibly stupid behaviour ... not good for you - so much time wasting ... all the best Hilary
ReplyDeleteWow, way to call attention to your non-attendance. Brilliant plan.
ReplyDeleteI know, right? I have no idea if she thought ahead that someone might check up on her...
DeleteI can't believe they called you in because one student who wasn't even there complained. I guess it would seem like a lot to make up for when you've missed almost two weeks of school.
ReplyDeleteGrrrr. I too had a student who complained "No one can get an A in Mrs. Kane's class." Principal questioned me. I showed her the code listing the grade level, that student's grade. Nothing more was said. Again, I say, Grrr.
ReplyDeleteYou are awesome. So great to be able to show principal documentation.
I'm sure in some cases the complaints are warranted. And the assistant principal said she was sure that the students were just whining because they whine. But she needed the ammunition to be able to answer back. And I had that for her.
DeleteWow, she could have gone through the effort to ask her buddies daily for the assignment info instead of freaking out then going to the VP
ReplyDeleteOh no. That would have required effort. And she wasn't even making an effort to be in class even though she had to have been on campus to be in the office to see the assistant principal.
DeleteOMG! I hope that brat was brought into the principal's office and given a talking to. What a conniving little brat
ReplyDeleteShe got no credit from me. Which was a waste of two weeks. And she's so close to finishing up that it really is hurting her.
DeleteOh she was definitely in the wrong to ave missed classes and then she had the gall to complain. Cunning.
ReplyDeleteOf course 7 days of make up work is a lot of work! What was she expecting? 🙄 (I'd feel bad, but I'm guessing her lack of attendance is part of why she is going to this school.)
ReplyDeleteI seriously doubt she asked anyone what the assignments were. She was just telling stories in an effort to get out of doing anything. That's my theory, anyway.
DeleteWhat? How did she pull that off? And I just don't get some kids' attitudes. A local friend shared the fact her daughter refused to do a big assignment despite repeated nudges, then asked for an excuse to stay home when it was due. ??? Bless you for your work with these children.
ReplyDeleteI hope the friend laughed in her face and made her go to school that day. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. At some point the kiddo has to suffer the consequence for her inaction.
DeleteUnbelievable
ReplyDeleteWhen these things happen, I have to write about them. They're just so out there...
DeleteHmmm. Not fair you were called in. I hope she was asked about the truancy.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it came up.
DeleteOy that's really ridiculous in my mind that it even got to that point and wasn't just dismissed for her being ridiculous from the start. My how things have changed. lol
ReplyDelete