Contest 96! (Blog 542)

In Matt and co’s latest teacher themed podcast, Matt talks about throwing children down staircases in frustration and hitting them, and then says ‘to be clear, I didn’t really mean that’ or words to that effect. He also points out how there are idiots out there who would take what he said literally or try and twist things. I know he was referring to me, but I’ll let it go. Matt also says that as teachers, you have to be mums and dads. Not true, I used to teach guitar and I was more of a pest. Did my school teachers act like my parents? Well they very clearly thought I was an idiot, so yes. Well done Matt, with his excellent insights. He’s not perfect though, he pushes children down the stairs. Oh I get it, saying that makes ME look bad again. I need to stop stirring. -_- When I was teaching, I was considering creating an advert saying ‘crazy guitar teacher will scare your children into learning’ but in hindsight, that sounds like a bad idea. Although, if the parents and customers knew what they were getting into before they met me, maybe they wouldn’t quit lessons quite so quickly.

Matt later says something like ‘I have too big of a heart, that’s why I don’t care anymore’ (about children’s behaviour). That’s a good one! My word, I’m going to use that ALL the time. ‘You pulled me over for speeding and I tried to ignore you, officer? I have too big of a heart, that’s all!’ Ok, maybe that wouldn’t work, but children are much easier to manipulate. As in ‘I’m not really getting annoyed and pulling funny faces at you, I just have a big heart!’ Then when the child complains, I could say ‘Don’t talk back, respect your elders.’ Probably not the best reason to start a family, but definitely something to look forward to. You don’t want to say that stuff to a policeman though, even if they are younger than you. I have to be honest, it is hard to take when an 18 year old cop tells you what to do. Fine I will obey the law, but please let me figure things out for myself and let me get on with my day. :S

Another teacher asks the question ‘how would you act if you knew there would be no consequences?’ Oh that’s a very easy one to answer, you’d act like me. Next! If teachers really are having a hard time dealing with student behaviour, why not have robots teach classes? A thought for the future, right? Oh you’re talking back to robots and showing them disrespect? Go for it, I don’t really like the thought of robots, either. It’s jealousy if anything. Oh robots are smarter than me in every way and they’re physically stronger too? Not on. ‘Ah, but robots can’t feel emotions!’ Neither can I! Moving on, another teacher said that as a child he used to talk back to teachers by saying ‘I wasn’t talking, I was whispering’. Sadly Google says whispering IS talking, although he could make an argument that he was failed by the education system as well. It’s very easy to shift the blame and that’s why I love it.

Another teacher says that suspensions had been banned as if you punish a child that way, you’re preventing them from having an equal education. Here’s an easy solution: Give them detention! Surely you can’t sue a school for giving pupils more education? Wow, imagine a school having a terrible record for behaviour but an outstanding one for achievement, that would take some explaining. Matt later says that he started subbing and teaching special ed after being told to do so by his therapist. He started making sandwiches and teaching the best Edward of all time? I’d like to teach special Ed too, he sounds great but why does Matt get the privilege of working with him? What I do know is the student has a very bright future, simply because he’s special. Who knows, maybe special Ed is Edward Norton’s nickname, many people think he’s special. Maybe a bit full of himself, though but I wouldn’t know. What I do know is it’s a cool anecdote for Matt! And that’s the blog over, check out the podcast, below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jDqgNnZ_Kg