I threw my dry erase marker across the room today in none other than...6th period. I screamed something along the lines of:

" DO YOU REALIZE HOW UGLY YOU ARE BEING TO ME AND ESPECIALLY EACH OTHER?! ALL YOU'RE DOING IS HURTING YOURSELVES. IF YOU FAIL THIS CLASS, YOU FAIL 9th GRADE. IF YOU KEEP FAILING 9th GRADE YOU DON'T GRADUATE AND YOU BECOME A STATISTIC. " ( I almost said " you will fall into the stereotype that you were born with", since most my students are black. But that would WAY WAY WAY cross the line, even though I want more than anything to smash that stereotype).

I added, " IF I WANTED TO BABYSIT I'D GO BACK TO GARLAND TO THE STREET WHERE I GREW UP."

But then I realized, the kids I used to babysit are the age of the kids I am teaching now.

This wasn't a good thing...I compromised my dignity. It's only in this one class...my others are so funny. I laugh with them every day and 98% participate. Regardless, I wrote new rules and policies. Zero tolerance. The hammer falls now.