Scrappy, can you talk to any of the other teachers who work with this class? Is there anyone at the school, like a lead teacher for your grade or department, who could help you come up with strategies for dealing with a tough class, or point you in the direction of someone who can?

First-year teachers need all the support they can get, and good colleagues and admin staff will understand that. I hope you can find someone to talk to!

Yes, the school has a curriculum consultant and she is coming to observe on Monday. I am hoping she can give me some good strategies.

Good luck, Scrappy. I give a lot of credit for people who work with kids that age.

How sad that crowd control is such an important part of education today. I used to think it was terribly cruel that teachers hit palms with rulers... your brats are lucky to be discipline free. Imagine how gobsmacked they would be to wake up in the days of yore and get a whuppin and a lot of chores too.

Yikes, Scrappy, good luck with those kids. This is why I have never really wanted to be a teacher.

In other news, I found this awesome story on MetaFilter this morning: [link]

What a great story!

Does anyone want to take a threenager off my hands for a few days? Just until I forget how loud she can tantrum?

Aw, I would! If I could. :-)

Scrappy, all kinds of vibes. After having three kids that age, I know how not-easy they can be.

so what the hell happened at the US Open?

A cascade of events and misunderstandings and poor judgment on the part of Serena, her coach, and the umpire led to Serena being penalized a point, then a game, to put Osaka up 5-3 in the second set. Osaka won, but the crowd was so pro-Serena that they were booing the ump and the organizers during the trophy ceremony. The boos were not directed at Osaka, but of course, it's not the environment you'd want to have when you win your first Slam. She's 20 years old, and she looked sad and embarrassed.