Teachable Moments While Writing a Good Omelet.

Yesterday, I wrote a good omelet, and ate a good poem... goed on red, stopped on green- lingered somewhere in between...while driving my Bentley Coupe on Giovanni's
In the midst of this, a student asked if she could interview me. She asked a myriad of questions concerning my decision to become a teacher in our district, known for its failing test scores.
--"Do you ever learn from your students?"--

I learn from my students every day. We all grow together as a result of our interactions. We all learn alongside each other. Quid Pro Quo. Everyday I see students who possess the kind of strength, determination and courage most adults would envy. I learn how to stand strong in the face of adversity.

I talked a good talk. and on the whole, it's true. I do learn those things.

But today I also learned that I'm a Bad-Ass-Reading-Fucking-Superstar!
(and an asshole)

Wanna know how I learned this?

I exclaimed it to a student during class today.
Seriously.

He was grating my last nerve. After one too many disruptions and multiple redirections, I looked him coldy in the eye and asked if he wanted to come up to the front and finish the reading for me. He gave a flat "No" and snickered. I didn't look away, I didn't blink- the stare was on, my eyes locked on his. He tried to smile again and as he did I kept a calm cool even tone- and slowly stated "I got nothing but love for you, but right now, I want your diploma more than you do and that's not okay. I'm trying to teach you how to read so you can be more successful when you graduate in two years and I'm a Bad-Ass-Reading-Fucking-Superstar. I bet I can take anyone on, and win. In fact, I'm such a badassreadingfuckingsuperstar they let me teach this class. I'm just that good. So you can either: shut up, look at your damn paper and follow the rules of this classroom; or can step to me and prove your a badassreadingfuckingsuperstar and move on to the next class."
With that, he said he'd prefer if I finished the reading; his gaze searching the page for where my words left off...

Something else happened too, all the other kids seemed relieved that he had finally been reprimanded. I learned a lot from that. I'll be a better teacher because of that awareness.

I didn't do the right thing- but I'm not upset with myself. I learned from it. They learned from it. Mission Accomplished. Could I have done it differently? of course. But i didn't and I learned how to do it differently next time.