Mademoiselle

I played a pretty convincing French teacher today, if I do say so myself. Oh, sure, the majority of what I said was in English, but when the kids asked to go to the bathroom or for a drink in French, I responded in French (not just "Non!" either!) and when they asked me grammar questions in French, I was actually able to help them.

Overall, the day wasn't bad. The boys seemed better behaved than some classes I have been in, though there's always one or two I have to avoid murdering in the parking lot when I see them after school. Today I confiscated an iPod, and the student asked if I was going to give it to the Disciplinarian. I didn't answer. After the period was over, I had had time to think about it and decided I didn't want to cavort with the Disciplinarian, so I handed it back, saying, "You're only getting this back now because you were actually not the most annoying kid in class." That was true.

Supplying is rough. Classroom management skills go out the window because you know the kids will show you no respect whatsoever. A friend has often told me, "Be ruthless!" and I try that but sometimes that won't work either when you get kids dropping F-bombs and just a complete lack of disrespect all around. I go around and around the room putting out little fires as they come up, but it doesn't calm the noise level down much and usually their voices are much louder than mine. Some days are really tough, even in the best of schools. Today, though, after one particularly excitable grade 11 class - the regular teacher had warned me about their talkativeness - I thought to myself, "What would people say who saw these guys in action?"

Just as I was starting to breathe again after the bell went, one kid who had stayed behind said, "You know, Miss, you do a lot better at keeping control than the other supply we had."

After my shock wore off that a kid would actually say that to me, I thanked him. Somehow, Mademoiselle wasn't as bad as she thought -- either at French, or at classroom management.