Young Catholics in Butchertown

I've taught Sunday School for a semester, and I really enjoyed it. For awhile at least. There was one student who ruined my seemingly perfect class. The rest of the students seemed like they were willing and wanting to learn, but one kid just wanted to be a jerk the whole time, and he ruined the whole class. He would be running around, hitting the girls, would spit out smart aleck and rude comments. It seemed to me, he just didn't want to be there. So he took it out on me. But I realized I didn't really care about him, so I never corrected him, or made it better. I just gave up, and would have freedom classes, where we'd all vote on what we wanted to do, and then we just did fun things. While doing fun things, I don't even remember where that kid was at, or what he was doing. My focus was on strengthening the character of the students who wanted to be there, and who wanted to work. My point of the class was to teach morals, ethics, and spirituality. For them to question things. It was a confirmation class, which meant they were accepting Jesus in their "adult" lives (they were middle/high school aged children, and all of them stated that their parents were forcing them to do it), and since they were choosing Jesus in an adult capacity, I wanted them to realize that they got to make their own decisions about life. I'm not sure what got through to them. In a way, I don't like the whole dictator-masses set-up of the classroom, so I felt he was a bit justified in his squarminess, but I guess, I shouldn't have given up on him, and I should have cared. Perhaps just a little bit of attention is all he needed. A one-on-one conversation outside the class, just to ask him, what's going on? At the time, I was riding my bicycle to the Church, working hard to get my volunteer hours in. But I knew I wouldn't be in these kids lives afterwards, so I just wanted to make my mark, and move on. Which I did. I'm sure they'll never forget about me. And as time goes on, as I have with my previous teachers, when they reflect on the classroom, and what I tried to do, albeit not with 100% success, they'll see the genius of what I tried to do. I never wanted to return because of him. So I can see how I need classroom management training, but it's also about being able to use them. To develop the speaking skills I need, to lead, and to be diplomatic, but firm and effective, in my ways. I mentioned democracy, and how we all have sacred sovereign autonomy, and many issues about the Church, such as having women as Priests, and the hierarchy. I know many classroom management tactics, and I should have used them. In a way, I doubted my own authority, since, who am I to oppress? Also, there really wasn't any democracy, since, we only had an hour to do stuff, one hour a week, and they never brought in suggestions or ideas with them. The jerk kid never had any ideas, but he would criticize all that we did. We played the game of Scruples where we got to see what each one of them got to think in adult situation (such as work, and insurance, but also, relationships too), and they really enjoyed. Except that one jerk kid, who pointed out that they didn't decide to play the game. So because of that one "trouble-maker", I wasn't able to effective teach the things I wanted to teach. So, this class, I was able to lead most of them, but my management skills were lacking. He was the outlier I should have put the hammer down on. Or at least, tried to talk with him. I also need to genuinely care about my students. He may have had something going on in his life. Maybe not, but I never tried, since I labeled him, and gave up on him. I believe the balance of democratic power, and leading the students towards the direction I want them to go, will always have a tension, and will take an ongoing dialogue. Also support from the Principal will make it easier. I just know how I feel when somebody tries to "manage" me. I hate it. I resent it. And that's the only lesson I learned. That, given enough pressure, I'll submit, since I need the class, to graduate, but it shouldn't be like that. As an adult, I come to class wanting to learn, wanting to engage in complicated ideas, and to have meaningful dialogue. Instead of having school be a place separate from reality, I want my education to mean something to me, and not just where I'm just going through the motions. My Sociology Class said that it's smart to go through the motions, to get that degree, and move on with your life, instead of actually engaging in dialogue. So, while I recognize a bit of myself in this troublemaker, I also see how completely different I am too. I feel because I am outspoken, that I have to do double the work, in order to pass the class. I would love to have a student such as myself in my class. Like I said, I actually want to learn, and I grapple with the material, past the class. I know dozens of Educational Theorists. I am taking 15 hours this semester. I enjoy editing videos, and politics, and basketball.