Bad Behavior and Inhumane Punishment

Today was really rough.  School even ended early, but still will go down as one of my toughest days.   It sort of started out funny, then just became overwhelmingly dissappointing.  Our school's science fair was today from 7am - 12pm.  As to be expected things started off a bit crazy - kids didn't know were to set up, they were short of tables for the exhibits, and some of them forgot some of their materials.  Eventually things seemed to get under control and the kids worked hard in getting everything organized for their experiments.  I was curious as to what 'unacceptable' things would be brought to school today, since last year some experiments involved liquor and dangerous chemicals.  Well, sure enough, some of the second grader's had a pack of cigarettes and matches to use with their project.  At least it was relevant to their experiement (on pollution) but still aren't you polluting the air more when you light them up in the school?  Anyway, so that was kind of funny/shocking right off the bat this morning.  Most of the kids did a really great job and I was impressed with their experiements.  It was later in the morning when my sadness set in.  I have been working with the same kids now for almost two years (I taught them last year in 4th grade them moved up to 5th grade with the same students).  I am happy to have had the opportunity to stay with them as we have developed a close bond and know each other well.  Discipline has been an area that I have really been working on them with.  My class has always been considered one of the best in the school (since they were in kindergarten), but still they seem to have some behavior problems.  I understand that they are just kids, they are learning right from wrong, etc. but most of the students at our school are really lacking in the behavior department.  Recess and lunch time are like free for alls!  The kids just go nuts, doing anything they can possibly get away with.  When they have a little bit of freedom they completely exercise it - you wouldn't believe some of the things we have caught these kids doing!  For example today, I had to take a bottle of hairspray and lighter away from an 8th grader (surrounded by a group of kids) that was holding down the trigger with the lighter in front it, shooting out like 12 -15 inch flames!  That was the start of it.  Not too long after some of the students from my 5B class came running up to me, telling me that a student from the other 5th grade section had put one of the smaller boys in the class in the trashcan.  When I found the victim, he was crying so hard he was almost vomiting.  It really broke my heart.  After calling the students mothers and trying to console the poor boy, I thought I should check out the other classroom to make sure everything was okay in there.  (Of course, none of them should have been in the classrooms, they should have been in the auditorium with their projects.)  To my disappoinment, I walked in to the strong smell of smoke.  My suspicions were confirmed, as I found a pile of used matches, ashes, and several burnt papers sitting on the floor in the middle of the classroom.  I came out in rampage, demanding someone tell me who was the responsible for this...and did they realize they could have burned down the entire school?  I actually got to the bottom of it, finding out that some of the girls 'forced' another one to light the fire, then they held her back so she couldn't put it out.  Awesome, more drama to deal with.  I tracked them down, gave me piece of my mind and made them clean up the scene.  During all of this, the science fair was ending, so all the of the students were packing up and heading home.  Of course, many of them busted out leaving their no longer wanted or needed materials scattered all around on the ground and trash everywhere.  (Don't worry, the three female cleaning ladies would clean it all up, right?!)  I noticed that one of my students didn't put any of her stuff away before she left, so with the help of a couple others, we cleaned up for her.  Well, appartently I was being watched or something because when when I returned to gather my belongs and leave (I had to set them down to help clean up), someone had stolen back the goods I had confiscated earlier (the lighter and hairspray).  The nerve!  I am super irritated at this point, and decide to hit the rest room, then walk home.  Here comes the icing on the cake.  I go in to use the teacher's bathroom (we have one stall for females and one for males) and find no toilet paper.  I go for the back up - paper towels - and that roll is empty too.  This is normal in the student's restrooms, they have to bring their own TP, but we usually have it in the teacher's bathrooms.  Thank goodness I have finally learned that it is necessary to verify that there is paper available in the stall before going to the bathroom!  Since I didn't find it in the first stall, I thought I would check the second one.  Nope, none in there either!  Arg!  Unbelievable!  Just then an administrator passed by so I politely informed her that the paper was empty in both rooms.  That's when I found out it was actually intentional...in fact it was a punishment!  I was appalled!  WHAT?  Apparently they said "we are using the paper too fast" so they aren't going to replace it until next week.  I guess they want to 'teach us a lesson.'  You have got to be kidding me!  We use the bathroom too much, so they aren't going to provide toilet paper?  Then she went on to say that they think maybe people are stealing the paper - taking some home with them or something.   Unreal!  This set me over the edge.  The disappoitment I felt from my kids terrible behavior (I really thought we were so much farther than that) then learning that the adult professionals at my school were "in trouble" for going to the bathroom too much - tears filled my eyes and I just broke down.  Too much for one day already and it was just noon!  I feel like a parent that has been let down by their child or something.  It is such a sad feeling when you invest so much time in someone or something only to find out that nothing has changed.  I just feel really let down.  I am sure I will get over it, but today I am overwhelmed with sadness.  I am glad that we have two days off school to recover and get refreshed for Monday.  I hope you are having a better day!    

Citizen's Arrest!

It was an interesting walk home from school on Thursday.  Greg and I both finished teaching early, so we left around 1:30pm.  We took our normal path home, walking down the main boulevard. As we approached the supermarket, Jumbo, we noticed a lot of commotion.  There were people gathering around watching something and occasionally we would see a person go running by.  We walked up to the crowd pretty hesitantly and noticed the Jumbo employees all standing outside of the building.  Then we saw someone we knew, so we asked him what was going on.  He told us that just a few minutes before Jumbo had been robbed.  Not all of the details were clear, but apparently a man came in alone (presumably with a weapon), held up a cashier, then took off running down the boulevard on foot.  As we were learning about all of this, a jumbo employee came running up saying that the thief had been caught!  Literally, one block away (in the direction toward our apartment), people were holding the robber down in the parking lot of a bank.  This of course drew even more spectators which we had to weave through to get home.  Even traffic was stopped!  We did, however, get a glimpse of the perpetrator as we passed by.  He was a young guy probably in his late 20s or early 30s.  Not sure what was going to happen to him, but definitely a bad situation.  Sadly, things like this happen all the time Honduras.  This was not the first time that we witnessed a robbery here, however, it is one of the few times the thief was actually caught.  Unfortunately, some people fear that crime will be on the rise here since the government recently passed a law increasing the minimum wage to more than double what it was previously.  Sure, many employees deserve higher wages, however, most companies cannot afford to double employees salaries.  So instead, businesses have been forced to cut employees.  Now, the lucky ones that were able to keep their jobs will be doing the work done previously by several employees for an increased salary, but leaving many people unemployed losing their entire income.  It is a tough situation and several people we know have already been negatively affected by it – and I am sure that is just the beginning of it!   We can just pray for those without employment and hope something good can come out of this!   

GOD BLESS YOU!