I am forever grateful to those teachers who respected me commanding respect when it comes to discipline. One Spanish teache, r was especially cordially and commendatory, even writing me a letter of recommendation. He was not happy with the leadership at his high school, not in the slightest. I felt for the guy, but I did not know what else to do. Some teachers are in quite a bind, under contract, having accumulated so many years in one district that they would have to take a paycut if they chose to move.
Still, I was glad to enjoy his support. Every chance he could, he would request me to cover for his Spanish class. "You are very good at discipline, Mr. Schaper", he would tell me. I appreciated any applause that I could get. Most of the schools where I worked did not support me; some administrators would tell me that I was too strict, too heavy handed. Then again, many students
Too often, I had tried every other approach to holding students acountbale. I am convinced, after much trial and error, that students will not excel unless I show them "extra!"
Just to clarify, "Extra" is sland for "strict, demanding, crazy-strict, over-the-top", basically any teacher, especially a substitute, who insists on teaching the class and getting something done for the day.
I was cristened "Extra" unexpectedly, at Lawndale High School. The term never left me, I liked it, even though the first student who called me "extra" meant it as an insult (I guess. . .).
"He just EXTRA!" this girl would chime off and on for the first week. I thought it was kind of annoying at first, but the name stuck with me. I always imagined a student saying that I was "Extra — ordinary"
The name came with me to Leuzinger. Some of the students laugher. "When did you learn about "Extra?" one girl asked. I told them about Lawndale, and they burst out laughing.
The Spanish teacher first met me when I was covering that class with those students who had asked m about "Extra". He liked what the students had said about me, and he also appreciated that I had a working knowledge of Spanish, enought to get by and take on the lessons that he prepared on a daily basis.
The next week, I was prepped and ready to go – he had sent me the lessons over the weekend — great teacher! Every period went relatively smoothly, until the last period of the day. I expected more of a challenge, since it was the last period of the day. But one young man refused to cooperate quietly. When I tried to take roll, he would just talk over me as if I wasn't in the room to begin with. After two warnings, I told him to step outside. He took his sweet time, basically ignoring me.
I had had enough. I called security. Two of the ladies were not pleased.
"You can't kick him out! You're just a sub."
I whipped out a referral, wrote the student up for frequent disruptions and refusing to follow directions, even after I had warned him three times.
"I can do whatever I need to. I am the teacher today."
Security finally showed up. The young man in the back could not believe it — the substitute was writing him up, and he was not shaking in his shoes about it. That security guard was great. He had no problem coming to my aid when I requested him. For the next minute, the sixth grade class just sat quietly, watching one of the most disruptive students for the full-time teacher being sent off in a trice.
The two girls who has protested hissed: "E-e-ex—tra!"
Mr. R