Hmph

Teaching is depressing at times. For instance, this morning a few teachers and I were asked to have a meeting with a trouble student and his mother. Now, I've taught for a few years and though I am by no means a veteran teacher, it is where I've taught rather than how long I've taught that has wisend and shaped me. Here's how the meeting with the trouble student goes:

1-The teachers, one at a time explain the problems they are having with said child. They then proceed to dump the child's progress reports (which are horrendous of course) on the parent all the while continuing to explain the disrespect, and apathy toward learning and bettering himself the child has displayed. The administrator present also took part, actually taking the lead. Kudos.

2-The parent nods after hearing the teachers while throwing a few, "Are you listening to them's?" and "Sit up's" to the despondent and openly resentful, rebellious child.

3-The child becomes defiant (sometimes openly, sometimes in body language) and the parent says, "I don't know what to do with him. He hates school and doesn't want to come. I can't do anything with him." Which is obvious, and honestly if the child's mother tried to do anything to him/with him he would probably beat her up, he was perfectly capable and seemed willing.

4-This is when all the adults in the room look at each other in bewilderment/pity/disbelief/frustration. Let's be honest, at this point not much can be done with this child beyond corporal punishment/incarceration. Let's review quickly before we wrap this up.

A. The child runs things and is perfectly capable of physically subduing the parent.

B. Due to A. the child is horrible in class and admittedly hates school.

C. The teachers are unable (by law) of physically "communicating" with the child. The mother (dad is not in the picture) is physically (and possibly mentally) overmatched.

5-The final scene goes down like this. The child refuses to attend school that day in front of the teachers and the administrator. The meeting is adjurned and the admin. counsels the mother of the child not to let the child into her vehicle and give in to his desire to skip school that day. The mother, who was almost ready to give in, denies the child access to the vehicle with the help of the admin. The child then decides he would rather walk home than stay at school and is picked up by the truancy officer and incarcerated.

I have seen this scenario played out far to often. Now, a 13 year old child that should be learning how to read and write is locked up wasting the community's tax dollars.

Frustrating on so many levels.