1) As a substitute teacher, I come across so many students at different stages of their young lives. We've seen the good and the bad, sometimes all in one day!
Sometimes, we predict the students would make great achievements. But we also worry that many will get into bad situations where they make wrong life-altering decisions!
----------
Last Sunday (5/23/10), I attended a graduation ceremony for my high school alma mater - McKinley High School. Not only did I get to visit my alma mater, I get to see some of my former students that I used to teach when they were at Central & Washington Middle Schools.
Some remembered me, others I had to remind them who I was! Took a few photos.
This was a proud moment, to see those who I knew as middle schoolers, now about to enter adulthood! A memory to cherish.
---
However, the day after, I read in the newspaper that another former student, Jordan Arturyo, has been arrested for a home invasion in Palolo Valley.
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20100525/NEWS01/5250320/Suspect+s+elder+kin+shocked+by+arrest
I remember Jordan Arturyo from back when he was an 8th grader at Washington Middle School. It was in May 2005, and I had to help supervise students who didn't attend the school's banquet.
I remember he was staring at me, mocking my speech patterns, and I yelled at him, then he wanted to fight me. Lucky thing another teacher was there!
That was my 1st semester working as a substitute teacher, so I obviously, I learned a lot since then about dealing with such situations.
Yelling might scare some into submission, but it doesn't work with tougher students. They want to show their friends "I'm not scared of the teacher" and it evolves into a no-win situation. Teachers have to be stern to be taken seriously, but they need to be calm so that things don't get out of control.
I should've just sent that kid to the office with a referral or talk to the other staff members if things got worse. That would've been a better way to dealing with the situation thant yelling at that kid!
---
I havent' seen Jordan Arturyo since that day, but his involvement in a home invasion doesn't surprise me! Chances are, if a student is mean to the teacher, that student would be even meaner to their peers! Even more so when adults aren't around!
While some student mature as they get older, others get more involved in violent activities. It is obvious that Jordan Arturyo went into the more violent route!
