Starting with. The process has to begin somewhere. But wait, other than to make a bitchy, uniformative post you really didn’t have a purpose in adding this, did you?
Hey now. I had routine visits with the school psychologist throughout my middle school years.
Ah …
That explains a lot. 
I’m feeling much better now! 
You know I didn’t catch this the first time, and I’m still not sure I see what he’s trying to say. Best I can tell, it’s something along the lines of either: annual income is not compensation; or, summer off is not compensation. If it’s the former, the statement is so absurd no commentary is necessary. If it’s the latter, it’s a complete mischaracterization of everything I’ve said regarding comparative annual incomes.
Suffice it to say, to the extent that there is a “common misconception” that teacher’s get “paid for summer months,” that misconception ceases to hold any relevance in a comparison of annual incomes. I do see tdn’s point and acknowledge it, but I think scumpup maybe seeing a distinction where there is no difference.
This thread is not about exchanging harsh words. It’s about striking a teacher. And, yes, if one of my employees hit me (or another employee, or a customer…), he (or she) would be out on the street immediately.
Exactly what I was thinking. . . 
Don’t start feeling too sorry for the kid. Suspension for three days, followed by a transfer to another math class and he and his guardian will be signing an agreement that they understand that he is not to approach me at all for the remainder of his high school career. He will never be placed in my class again. He will also be given an all-expenses paid trip to nighttime anger management classes (for the three actual incidents I wrote up, some written by other teachers, and the threat to hit me again).
I’m satisfied with the result now. It’s a shame it took 3 days for this to happen, but it’s finally here. Thanks for the supportive words from those of you who gave them.
Good to hear that everything worked out.
Good deal. Really, 3 days for this to happen is not so bad.
Without commenting on Left Hand’s personality one way or the other, he was very clearly calling Diane a counselor and a psychologist sarcastically, as a way of mocking her lack of psychological insight. That is in no way, shape or form trolling.
As a side note, being small and female doesn’t make a difference in classroom management, conducted in the realm of the mind and attitude. It makes a difference when the student moves confrontations into the physical realm, which was the case here, and to think otherwise would be ridiculous.
Considering how long these things can be dragged out, three days isn’t too bad. Glad it came out all right for you.
First off, the “every two minutes” thing was an exaggeration and a figure of speech. I thought that went without saying. Do you really know someone who has a “ton” of money or was “going a million miles per hour” when doing some type of action? Are you people really so literal that I needed to spell out the obvious? It makes me feel like I am communicating with 3 year olds.
YES, I have taught my children to not be violent.
NO, they have never been in a fist fight, not even with each other.
To be clear, my kids, nor their friends hit each other every 2 minutes. Every once in a while they get physical with each other whether it be a friendly slug (yes, there is such a thing) in the arm or a headlock noogy. This may happen 3.254% of the time that a group of friends are together or an average of 2.3 times per 8.75 hour period the third Friday of every other month except under a ¼ moon (better? Specific enough?). My point for those who missed it, was that teenage boys can be physical. That’s what they do. I wondered, since we were told that the kid wasn’t angry, if maybe he hit her out of some weird bonding thing that he does with his friends without thinking first that it was inappropriate, I dunno, and after reading the follow up, probably not.
But you know what? I don’t know the motives behind the slugs and to be honest, I really couldn’t give a shit (please don‘t make me explain the figure of speech thing again). I don’t think it was okay, not at all. Here is the important part - I AGREE THAT THIS KID SHOULD BE PUNISHED!
Secondly, I stand firmly behind my comments about how the OP sees herself and how, IMNSHO, that could really hinder her abilities as a teacher, especially with junior high school kids. If these kids see her as a helpless little 5’2” blonde girl, they are going to walk all over her. Guaran-fuckin-teed. This is her first year of teaching, which seems to me the perfect time to show these kids she is tough and can hold her own (to a point, again I AGREE WITH THE ACTIONS BEING TAKING AGAINST THIS KID). You know, it’s irritating to have to type in CAPS, but my God, am I coming through better this time?
My objection was the way some of you were coming off in your hysterical, indignation. Holy shit, I was expecting a suggestion of the electric chair before page 2. It reminded me of sharks in bloody water, but it was entertaining nonetheless.
Lastly,
I quit reading Daniel’s posts a long time ago for this very reason. He’s a fuckin’ mook.
Daniel - You were thinking you were so clever in your comments regarding my career (as if that tired joke hasn’t been used on the SDMB 9000 times before - insert “literal” explanation here - ) that you kept missing the obvious and much funnier response. I even gave you three chances but you struck out with two and by the third I had decided to keep it for myself for later use.
You missed your opportunity, homey.
Helen’s Eidolon - Yeah, we all got Daniel’s intention. It just wasn’t funny or original.
I agree with you, size and gender does not make a difference in classroom management. I also agree with you that it does make a difference if things get physical. That wasn’t my point whatsoever. My point was that the OP sees herself as a 5’2", blonde girl. To me, this just screams out “poor widdle helpless me”. In your opinion, is this the type of image junior high school students are going to respect?
That’s hot.
So would you hit it?
When you say “hot”, do you mean like stove hot? Campfire hot? Old menopausal women fanning themselves with folded paper hot? Habanero pepper sauce hot? Leather pants in an overcrowded gay club hot? Touching the end of an electric screwdriver after you drive a screw hot (I know this one first hand - and by first hand I mean . . . . whatever).
Could you be a bit more literal please?
And when you say “hit”. . . .
Ahhhhh fuck it.
So I guess you would, then. 
Sultry. Like fire in a swamp. Hot, hot fire.
Bummed that I missed this. End-of-year stuff means it’s hard to find time to visit the SDMB.
I’m a former fourth-grade teacher, inner-city Houston (Fifth Ward for those of you in the know), in a 1-8 school. Elementary and MS kids were basically separate, though they did occasionally mingle after and before school. Currently working on a doctorate in education (higher), and I have a masters in education (higher, again).
El Perro Fumando, congratulations on handling a difficult situation rather well. If you stay in teaching you’ll learn techniques for getting control of difficult spots, though I’m not critiquing because it seems you took care of business as you should have. I’m a six-foot African American male and I had a hard time with classroom management initially, but I found myself inservicing other teachers on how to manage classrooms a while later.
Can I just say that it is never okay, in my opinion, for a child to strike any supervisory adult that they interact with? And let’s not bring in ridiculous situations, like being abducted by the boogeyman or things along those lines. Whether it’s a bus driver, nurse, teacher, or a babysitter, the rule stands. Conversely, an adult should never strike (or touch without permission) a child. Exceptions for hugs, handshakes, and high-fives, kids tend to do these things without provocation at times. The student in question needs to learn this lesson, stat. Furthermore, even in my school, with extremely poor leadership from the administrators, I am certain that a student “laying hands” on an adult in the school would be immediately suspended, possibly expelled - the student’s re-entry would certainly require a parent or guardian conference. It doesn’t matter that the “punch” didn’t leave a mark or a bruise!
Diane, I fail to see how your comments are helpful in the discussion. I happen to think it’s possible to be assertive and confident and NOT transform into a caricature of oneself. If you’re naturally soft-spoken, small, or even blonde , it is entirely possible to learn to be an effective classroom manager without resorting to yelling or growing “gonads.” The one-upmanship among students and teachers to see who is tougher is ultimately counterproductive for both. I’d be just as indignant if I heard this story concerning another adult working with children.
scumpup pretty much hit it on the head. Teachers are primarily pedagogues, and part of this requires some counseling skills, listening, and even surrogate parenting at times. It’s important to note that teaching requires a inordinate array of skills, like many other jobs, but the compensation (and preparation!) are hardly equal to the position. The student needed an educational intervention to learn that his behavior is completely unacceptable, and other students needed to see this as well. Developmentally teenagers are not adults, have issues with impulse control, but most manage to not hit teachers - even “playfully” - and most are developed enough morally, mentally, and physically to know that touching a teacher is verboten.
I kind of expected that at some point in my teaching, given my presence at school before and after the bell, coaching, and other extracurriculars, that I would get in a confrontation with a student. It happened a few times. Each time, though, the student thought better of his/her actions and we resolved it peacefully. In fact, in my time at school, I think I can remember perhaps two incidents that involved students “attacking” students - and one was a verbal assault. Given this was a school with many ED (emotionally disturbed) students, I think this speaks to the fact that the strident demand that students should be confronted with an immediate consequence and be made aware that this behavior is completely unacceptable.