through the thick of it

My first two parent-conferences were this week. It seems that our vice-principal is trying to discipline more, a job that is really not even hers, but hey, someone's gotta do it, and the man in charge certainly isn't. (As a side note, during a professional development this week, one of our beloved math teachers told us freely of her comments to our principal, "You possess no characteristics of a leader..." Which I am sure she said in her usually very firm, sincere, yet kind and caring way. I wish we all had that nerve and strength in one's opinions.) For some reason, I think our assistant principal likes me. Perhaps it's because I don't bother her nearly as much as I should, and I don't call enough parents or require enough parent-teacher conferences, etc., as another fellow teacher corps member does. But the conferences went okay...One of them is no longer skipping my class and is still serving 6 days of detention (which is NOTHING considering our detention is only for 20 min.), and the other guy just got done with 2 days of suspension for something related to smoking (that he argued he didn't do). Clearly, our school desperately needs a discipline ladder.
Many teachers who have been there for years and put up with probably more than they should are seriously considering leaving. They keep saying that the "kids are out of control." And they aren't blaming the kids...They blame the administration. And it's true, the students have no fear. They know that, more than likely, even if they skip class, even if they get written up, several times even, that nothing will probably happen. This is probably the reason why when they do get called in to the office and receive some form of discipline, they get so mad. They're used to getting away with murder, and why shouldn't they? It worked so many other times!
They are supposed to work on discipline this summer...which I pray they do. Brooke and I have discussed transferring to a different school that is more organized and more supportive, and I know Tiffany will probably not be here next year (which does make me sad to think of not being able to call to borrow calculators/graph paper/test cd's from a very happy voice). I know our vp tries, and goodness knows that our secretary works her hardest, but we need a strong leader. We all know that, even our vp. I wish that same math teacher could be our principal. I am lucky enough to be in the room next to hers, and it is comforting to here her booming voice instructing students how to factor (in Algebra I) while I try to teach my students.
Some days, I enjoy teaching. Others, it's a struggle to hold it together, to keep them interested and to understand what I am trying to teach them. Sometimes I am ill-prepared, sometimes I've got it all together.

Some "happies" that have kept me going in harder times:
1. An "anonymous" note from a very sweet, quiet, introverted, intelligent young woman that is meant to remind me that she is glad I am there, she appreciates my hard work, and not to let others bring me down because some of them do care and I am helping them.
2. The other day one of my favorite feisty students asked me "Why do we always have to work in here?" I replied, "Because I care about you, and I want you to get a good education." She surprisingly happily replied with, "Well we care about you, too, Ms. Wong."
3. My dog, Manny the Man man. He is a lovely retreat to take me away from the hooligans at school.