My Work Here is Done

It's not surprise that I've been, uh, having an interesting time at school lately. Being the non-intimidating white girl that I am, I generally feel like the students don't respect me since it's taken me awhile to figure out a discipline system that they respond to.

But today? It all became worth it.

After hollering for 5 minutes that they would all be repeating the 7th grade if they didn't get themselves together, one of my students stopped drumming his pencils on the tables long enough to lean forward and announce:

"You know, Ms. G., you a little scary sometimes."


This? Is the nicest thing anyone's said to me. Ever.

After months and months of
1) threatening to have them retained
2) picking kids up by the back of their hoodies before tossing them in the office, and
3) yelling until my face is the color of a tomato,

 it's worked. I'm....scary. (Sometimes.)

At this point, I'll take whatever I can get. And if it means they'll close their mouths for more than 5 seconds at a time, even better. Now hush yo' fuss, pick up your pencil, and get to work so you can get to the 8th grade sooner rather than later.