Meaningful friendships

Last night I had a teacher ask me for help as the usually do. This time though it was much more serious. I could tell she didn't have a good day and was concern for her students and for her job. She told me that her class that day was misbehaving terribly. Many of the males where talking, walking around the class, and causing disruptive behavior. She tried to control them and discipline them but she does not like to hit the students as some of the teachers do here. Tired, worn out, and out of ideas I could feel her stress crawling up my spine. I suggested swift action from the head teacher (each class has a head teacher who is responsible for the effective discipline of the class as well as the students dorms and any problems that the students have are run through the head teacher first) Apparently this head teacher doesn't do much in the way of being consistant with his discipline, only for his class, so his class is quiet, but the other teachers who teach his class are roudy. She was also concern for the marks that the students were getting in English, as you know how much you get paid and which classes you teach is based on marks. The leaders also look at you badly if your class is doing poorly as well. They seem to have a very poor perspective to WHY a class may be doing poorly and much blame comes on the teacher. Apparently the head teacher hits them if they do not finish the homework in his class. SO they use all their time and effort to finish HIS homework and they don't care about the other teachers homework which is a huge reason why they don't do very well in the other classes. Stressed as she was, she started to cry and I comforted her, I told her that its not her fault, there was nothing wrong with what you did, and not to take it personally. Remember what is important, your husband loves you, so does you son, and so does G (She is a C by the way), P to him in these time of need you have. He will comfort you.

As we were about to leave she said the oddest of things. She told me that she was sorry to WASTE my time. I told her, on the contrary, this is the exact purpose why I am here. To help you and all the teachers, to encourage you, and to support you. This is the whole purpose of why I am here. He sent me here, and I know why. This was not a waste.

Today she came to me and I asked her how her day went, she said it was much better, and she's not going to be as concerned with the marks as she will be for caring for the students. I think that is a step in the write direction. Change her perspective that the marks are the most valuable thing in the class. It is wrong, the student is the most valuable thing / person in the class. Love them, do not HIT them.