energy

i don't reallly know how to deal with kids who suck this much of my energy every day. it's mind-blowing how much patience i actually have for them, when i think about it. there were 27 students in class today. i had to somehow reassure, support, have individual conversations with, or somehow make an exception for about 15 of them. at the beginning of class, i asked a pair of boys to step outside because they were goofing around and i couldn't deal with them. i had to ask them twice to get them to come back in, and then threaten a referral, before they would come inside. at least they came in instead of taking the referrals. i gave them a TON of positive reinforcement for choosing to come back in and learn.

then one of my girls was using her hand lotion and mirror. i asked her to put it away and told her that if i saw it again i was confiscating it. i saw it again (her friend had it.) her friend put it away and refused to give it to me. i can't back down--because when i let kids get away with things, it just starts a bad pattern of kids defying me. the girl whose mirror it was finally gave it to me and then got mad and stormed out of the classroom. i didn't know why, and i just went on with the lesson. eventually the friend went out, calmed the girl with the mirror down, and they got back into class. but jesus. come on.

at the end of class another two boys got into it. they also went outside and made nice. the whole thing was just ridiculous...like i said, a total energy suck!

must go rest.