Dumb Things

[Bad Penny II]

And I get all your good advice
It doesn't stop me from going through these things twice
I see the knives out, I turn my back
I hear the train coming, I stay right on that track
In the middle, in the middle, in the middle of a dream
I lost my shirt, I pawned my rings
I've done all the dumb things
I melted wax to fix my wings
I've done all the dumb things

It's not possible Paul done them all
I tossed an engorged leach in the fire
Explosion of blood was reasonably foreseeable.
You know you want to share your dumb things
That's  not a dumb thing, we won't tell.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Some of the dumb things I do occur when I get in a "git 'er done" mode while working.  I'll trudge forward, with tunnel vision, and miss opportunities to work smarter, not harder. I think this happens from having too much to do and thinking that I don't have time, so I get in a hyperactive mode.  One example - while mowing my lawn (push mower) the other day, the plastic guard where the cut grass blows out popped off as I was rounding a corner and backing up.  It fell in the path that I was about to mow. Instead of stopping and picking it up, I ran over it thinking that it would survive, which it did not. My dumb plan was to pick it up after I ran over it to save time. Dumb. 

[xSilverPhinx]

I procrastinate like there's always tomorrow.

Sort of like now. I have a presentation to put together for Tuesday and it's about 15% done, it'll take me a good 3 to 4 hours to finish because besides procrastinating, I'm easily distracted and will probably check my facebook feed and HAF every five minutes to see if something new came up. I got home after lunch with my mother and took a power nap that lasted four hours. Tomorrow I just won't have that much time to do it.

I will also probably watch Game of Thrones as well.

And take a lengthy break every now and then.

Maybe take another power nap.     

[Claireliontamer]

My dumb things usually result from me saying yes to things before I really think through the implications.  Like at work, there is the class from hell....think unteachables.  Without really thinking about the impact on myself I said I'd have them, regretted that decision almost immediately!

[Icarus]

Claire I will buy you an alcoholic drink if you ever visit... or if I ever visit Merrie Olde England. Teachers have to put up with way too much indifference from youthful students. You and so many other teachers need better reward.

[Claireliontamer]

Claire I will buy you an alcoholic drink if you ever visit... or if I ever visit Merrie Olde England. Teachers have to put up with way too much indifference from youthful students. You and so many other teachers need better reward.

Thanks Icarus, it's not usually as bad as this particular class and I'm usually quite good at turning even the worst ones around but this lot are in a different league altogether....

[Crow]

My dumb things usually result from me saying yes to things before I really think through the implications.  Like at work, there is the class from hell....think unteachables.  Without really thinking about the impact on myself I said I'd have them, regretted that decision almost immediately!

From somebody who for non-ability based classes was placed in the disruptor classes, even though certainly not the unteachable's and most of the students were in the top groups and came from good backgrounds (me included) teachers were wise to stay away from those classes if they were going to use traditional methods. Even though it is still quite different my advice is don't bother teaching them and create a system that creates self order, reward works better than punishment, and turn a blind eye if it means you will get longer term stability. In your case they aren't expected to do well anyway so see if there is anything you can get out of the students (non-educationally) that might get them interested in something and you might gain some respect, drop the hierarchy but don't try and be their friend because ultimately you are the carer.

Place one student in a class that can manipulate a teacher and that teacher is going to have a problem teaching, place a teacher who thinks they can do something into a class full of them and it is going to be bad for their health. Those who were strict and thought they could hammer their form of discipline into us were those that ended up quitting, getting fired, having breakdowns and in terms of the rougher classes that I wasn't part of getting sexually or physically assaulted. Those that let us get on with the work and allowed talk, eating, listening to music without telling us stories we couldn't care less about had zero problems, though that wont pertain to you if they are unteachable.

[Claireliontamer]

My dumb things usually result from me saying yes to things before I really think through the implications.  Like at work, there is the class from hell....think unteachables.  Without really thinking about the impact on myself I said I'd have them, regretted that decision almost immediately!

From somebody who for non-ability based classes was placed in the disruptor classes, even though certainly not the unteachable's and most of the students were in the top groups and came from good backgrounds (me included) teachers were wise to stay away from those classes if they were going to use traditional methods. Even though it is still quite different my advice is don't bother teaching them and create a system that creates self order, reward works better than punishment, and turn a blind eye if it means you will get longer term stability. In your case they aren't expected to do well anyway so see if there is anything you can get out of the students (non-educationally) that might get them interested in something and you might gain some respect, drop the hierarchy but don't try and be their friend because ultimately you are the carer.

Place one student in a class that can manipulate a teacher and that teacher is going to have a problem teaching, place a teacher who thinks they can do something into a class full of them and it is going to be bad for their health. Those who were strict and thought they could hammer their form of discipline into us were those that ended up quitting, getting fired, having breakdowns and in terms of the rougher classes that I wasn't part of getting sexually or physically assaulted. Those that let us get on with the work and allowed talk, eating, listening to music without telling us stories we couldn't care less about had zero problems, though that wont pertain to you if they are unteachable.

I totally agree with most of what you say.  'Traditional' teaching methods don't work at all with groups like this.  I don't tend to use traditional methods anyway and I'm lucky to teach science which naturally lends itself to a very hands on approach rather than sitting down at desks writing all lesson.  However, with the current education system (which is wrong in so many ways) I have to teach them with the aim of them passing exams.  I would love to take them off curriculum and work on other stuff but I can't seem me getting permission to do that. 

I think I was a little harsh when I said 'unteachable' in my first post.  I've certainly taught individuals who were far worse than this, in my first school post-qualification half of them were on parole with tags!  There's just something about this group together that I haven't quite put my finger on yet.  I think part of the problem is they have a reputation of being tough so they've gone through teachers and had no stability.  We'll see..... I haven't given up on them yet.