Most awful beggining of school

Well, school is back in swing. So far, this has been the worst beginning of school. Usually, the first few weeks are pretty good bec. the kids are a little nervous of a new teacher. Not these kids!!! I have came home with a headache almost every night. I already have 4 kids sitting by themselves and have already had several parent conferences. I hate it when kids don't behave. I think that I am a pretty good "teacher" and have a way of putting school work in "kid language". But, I am not a good disciplinarian of other people's kids. I expect kids to behave and I know how to handle my own personal kids. For some reason, they know I mean "business". But, when it comes to other kids, I just don't have the knack. I am not good with "consequences" like pulling cards. It seems that i can't find consqences that "fit". For example, if a kid doesn't do his work, he should get a zero or not get to play on Friday until his work is done. Makes sense to me, except the kid doesn't care if he is not playing, he just sits there instead of doing his work and if he gets a zero and has a bad grade on his report card,,, who is punished??? Me, bec. I have to fill out all of this paperwork about how I am going to help his do his work. Now, I understand if he "can't" do the work but, it is not that he can't, but he won't.

Now see with my own kids, if the teacher wrote me a note saying that my kid did not do his work, I would make sure it didn't happen again. There would be no TV, video games, nothing for a long time. But, not with the kids in my room. The parents don't seem to do anything bec. the same kid still won't do his work.

As a matter of fact, Gray got into trouble yesterday. I have been out sick for two days. I felt good yesterday and went to work but I couldn't talk above a whisper so I got a sub and came back home. I was sitting on the porch waiting for the kids to walk home from school. I heard the bell ring and see a little boy in a blue and white stripe shirt running out to the street and climbing on the "walk" pole which is near the road. I couldn't quite tell if it was Gray or his friend. I hear the teacher telling this kid to wait on him. Well, the light change and the "walk" sign came and he ran out half way to the road before the teacher got there. By then I could tell that it was Gray so I started walking toward the road. When I met Gray, I told him we were going back to the school to talk with the teacher that walks them. I went to this room and the teacher tells me that this is not the first time Gray has went to the road without him. (I am thinking,"why haven't you told me before?". So, we came up with the plan that if Gray ever runs out again then the teacher is to take Gray to the office and call me or his dad to pick up in the office. By the time we got back home, Gray's dad was home and Gray had to tell his dad why we went back to the school. Needless to say, if we ever get a call from the office that Gray must be picked up bec. he ran close to the road, it will not be a pretty day for Gray's backside. I mean, we talked to Gray about the dangers of the road and that even though the sign said walk he has to wait on the adult. I don't think he will do it again bec. he knows i mean "business". And if the teacher had of told us that he had done that before, it wouldn't have happened yesterday. I am just glad that I was home yesterday to find out about it.