School at War / War on School - Mid-week Rant
With the start of the Spring Season, comes the promise of Hope and New Life...?
However, at Scottsdene HS, it has been nothing but Hooliganism and Bloodshed.
I was under the assumption that last Week's Gang-fights was the end of this mess.
I am getting the Sad Sense that I really care too much, about Kids who do not seem to 'care' at all...
They do not seem to care about themselves, their Futures or their safety and much less do they care about the safety of everybody else around them... The week started with 8 of our Colleagues being absent, again - as such, I understood that I would have to supervise those unattended classes again... Sometimes, two or three different classes at a time. If I am lucky, the classes are not too far from each other... Running to and fro' these Classes, gives the kids ample time and opportunity to get up to all sorts of nonsense though. The Grade 12s write their first Paper on Life Orientation on Friday (September 4th) and they still had to study for their Control Tests for Tourism and History (Tuesday & Thursday), yet - they assure me their work is up to date, and they need a break from the books???
The Grade 8 to 10s have yet not made the Connection, that they are at School to get an Education...
It would appear, the sole purpose of these 'youngsters' are to disrupt the School and cause as much havoc as they are possibly capable of??? I have picked up the Sniffles in the meanwhile, yet I still feel it is my Duty to be at School, to try and help the 'kids' to prepare for their upcoming Exams...
Wednesday arrives and all hell breaks loose on the School-grounds... Upon arrival, I am met by a bloody Fight at the School-gates. Bricks being thrown about and boys beating each other with sticks and pipes... This is apparently an on-going battle from the day-before - a 'misunderstanding' of some sorts??? Once the crowd has dispersed, it seems we can start a 'Normal' Day of School...
By the first Period however, we have hooligans running about the School-ground wielding Pangas and other vicious looking weaponry. The 'little' Gangsters are running about - from Classroom to Classroom, trying to find other gangsters hiding in the Classrooms... Why the Learners have such an admiration for these hoodlums, I still do not understand? They look very far from the Kings-of-the-Jungle (which they think they are) and more like starved, scruffy, scavenging Jackals. The Learners inside of the now locked classrooms are violently trying to get through me, to get outside to 'ENJOY' the Blood-sports that is about to go down... There are days, that I honestly feel that perhaps it would be better to allow these Ruffians to just end each other and purge the neighborhood of the filth... Harsh words... But, Honest Feelings.
These Gangsters are or were students at the very same school they are trying to break down today...
The Learners in the Class (whom we are trying to protect from the Gangsters) are very much a part of the Problem... The Grade 9 Boy who p*ssed his pants, when it became clear that the thugs were looking for him as well... Refusing to hand over the Knife, he pulls out in the Classroom... Acting all Macho, once the Thugs were chased off... Reminding me (the Teacher) that I have no right to take away his 'property'. Kids whom I have only tried to handle respectfully, having no qualms in using the foulest of language on me and other teachers. Some Days, I really wonder - why do still bother?
Sadly this may the only excitement they know. Don’t be disillusioned by the disrespect because teenagers can be very short sighted (so too are adults from time to time). Jokingly I ask, “Have you gained any survival skills from witnessing those fights?”, if not, why not! :) .Continue to make the difference you have been making since you first arrived there. Take care!
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon Sir... I am sure there will be a funny side to my Story... Somewhere, in the very distant Future. To answer your Question - The Fact that I am still alive, after being threatened with all sorts of Tools (Scissors, Knives, Pangas and other types of Crude Devices intended to Maim or cause serious bodily harm...) and still find the will to get up in the morning to face another day of Guerrilla Warfare (while so many paid Teachers choose to simply stay away) should probably shed some light on my ability to 'suck-it-up' and 'survive' another day... True... Not all the Learners are the Devil's Spawn... Spending a realistic 90% of my Day on trying to maintain or regain Order and Discipline in a Class of 38 to 44 Learners of whom only about 8 to 10 are actually looking for an Education, does take the Wind out of one's Sails... Theories and Talk about dealing with the Problems are not very comforting, when the LIVED Reality of going to School... Really feels like going to War, everyday...
DeleteGood afternoon Sir... I am sure there will be a funny side to my Story... Somewhere, in the very distant Future. To answer your Question - The Fact that I am still alive, after being threatened with all sorts of Tools (Scissors, Knives, Pangas and other types of Crude Devices intended to Maim or cause serious bodily harm...) and still find the will to get up in the morning to face another day of Guerrilla Warfare (while so many paid Teachers choose to simply stay away) should probably shed some light on my ability to 'suck-it-up' and 'survive' another day... True... Not all the Learners are the Devil's Spawn... Spending a realistic 90% of my Day on trying to maintain or regain Order and Discipline in a Class of 38 to 44 Learners of whom only about 8 to 10 are actually looking for an Education, does take the Wind out of one's Sails... Theories and Talk about dealing with the Problems are not very comforting, when the LIVED Reality of going to School... Really feels like going to War, everyday...
Delete