Kids these days

Kids these days. I was frustrated as all get out today, dealing with behaviors that were simply out of line and unacceptable. Most of all, I was sick and tired of dealing with the Diva/ Draft Choice type: those who decide that the rules are for everyone else. For example:
Despite the all-school assembly earlier this week discussing recent thefts and the tightening of rules and regulations, a student followed up immediately after the assembly by walking into the classroom unsupervised. When I reminded him firmly that he had broken the rule that we'd just reviewed, his response was, "But I needed my math book." A few days later he and a friend turned up at the classroom door before the bell. "Oh, we were first in line." Even after the principal pulled him into her office and issued a detention, he did it again this morning!! When I confronted him and asked him to tell me the rule about going into a classroom alone, he came back with, "But I needed an overdue book from my desk." He spent afternoon recess in detention. Again.
Another student has been behaving badly and doesn't respond to reminders and reinforcement. In fact, he talks back, making excuses and acting like he's being picked on. The last straw came when I caught him throwing crayons. His "Uh-uh, I was just putting them back in the box!" did me in. He lost our end-of-the week reward, extra recess time, and had a note written to his parents. I know they won't put up with this kind of rudeness and backtalk, and neither will I.
But really, kids these days. I've been allowing a small group to practice their talent show dance in my room at recess. A few of their friends stayed in and washed the chalkboards for me and then re-wrote the day's date next to the daily schedule with a lovely flourish of well-practiced cursive writing. When I went to erase the board at the end of the day, I noticed they'd added a personal note. "Mrs. DaisyTeacher Rocks!"
Ah, kids these days. Aren't they great?

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