I’m going to start keeping a written record of the s*** kids say to me, to their peers, and the way they treat me and their peers

I’ve noticed that with the advent of TikTok, YouTube. and streaming in general, there is a lot of discourse about AI generated content of teachers getting roasted and bullied by kids.<br><br>I have been a teacher for almost 10 years now. I have never been talked down to or bullied by a kid. I always made sure that I established a strong boundary with the kids I taught, and I always made sure that I had a strong handle on classroom management.<br><br>This year, however, is a very different story. The kids coming into my grade are the first batch to have TikTok and YouTube their whole lives. I have kids who are very difficult and who take it upon themselves to talk down to me, bully or mock me, and/or disrupt class.<br><br>I’ve had kids calmly say to me, “Oh, I get that you’re upset, but you shouldn’t be talking like that to me.”<br><br>? I’m not upset, kid, I’m furious. This isn’t your parents, this is your teacher.<br><br>I’ve had kids tell me to shut up, to f*** off, and to go f*** myself.<br><br>I’ve had kids insult my husband who is of Latin American descent by calling him a sp***.<br><br>I’ve had kids call me a b**** and a hoe in front of my class.<br><br>I’ve had kids insult my weight and my hairstyle.<br><br>You name it, and I’ve had a kid say it to me.<br><br>I’ve tried to handle it myself. I’ve tried to be understanding. I’ve tried to figure out ways to handle it that don’t involve the administration. I’m sick of these kids being allowed to treat me like a bad word.<br><br>So, next week, I’m going to start keeping track of every comment, every disruption, every incident. I’m going to write it down. I’m going to keep track of when it happens and who said it.<br><br>If I end up having to write a letter of concern to parents, I want it to be as descriptive as possible.<br><br>I’ve always kept an anecdotal record of the incidents that happen in class, but I’m going to start keeping a more exhaustive record.<br><br>This is my strategy for this year. I’m going to document everything, so that if these kids end up with consequences, they can’t say that I’m biased or that I’m out to get them.<br><br>So, that’s what I’m going to do.<br><br>Let me know in the comments if you do something similar, or any strategies you have to deal with kids who push boundaries.<br><br>If you have any stories to share, feel free to drop them in the comments below or share them via DM.<br><br>Edit:<br><br>Thank you guys so much for the support and the advice. I really appreciate it.<br><br>I want to be very clear that I do not blame a single kid for the s*** that they do. I’m talking about kids who are untreated, who have early childhood trauma, who are victims of abuse, and who are otherwise neglected or abandoned in one way or another by adults. <br><br>These kids need help. They need care and support from trained adults such as counselors and psychologists, where they can get the help that they need. I am not a mental health professional. I am a teacher, and I am called to teach, not to treat. <br><br>I’m also not blaming parents. If you are a parent who is reading this post., who has a kid with behavioral needs, and who has been touched by what I wrote, please know that you are not alone. I am not here to judge you or your kid. I am here to help.<br><br>My issue with the discourse that we see in social media is that it can paint a very black and white picture of who is good and who is bad. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen teachers characterized as evil, or that kids who are bullies or disruptors are celebrated as heroes. <br><br>Kids who bully, who disrupt, and who are mean are NOT heroes. They are kids who need help.<br><br>So, to all of you who have commented or reached out to me, I want to thank you very much. To those of you who have shared stories, thank you very much. And to those of you who have shared advice, thank you very much.<br><br>I love you all.<br><br>Edit.:<br>I want to add something else. I don’t let kids get away with bad behavior. I address it always, and I always speak up when I hear kids using language that is racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ablest, etc.<br><br>I’m not a pushover. I’m not a passive teacher who lets kids run amok or talk s*** about the people around them.<br><br>I always speak up, and I always put my foot down.<br><br>That being said, the kids who are behaving in these ways are getting attention from their peers. They are not getting attention from me, but they are getting attention nonetheless.<br><br>So, I’m not a pushover. I’m not a b****. And I’m not a complainer.<br><br>I’m a person who is getting tired of being treated like s*** by the kids that I teach.<br><br>Let’s be very clear about that.<br><br>Edit.:<br><br>I want to add that I am not calling out individual kids on social media. I have never done that, and I never would.<br><br>I am a grown as woman. It is not my place as an adult, as a teacher, or as a leader to publicly shame, mock, bully, or humiliate kids.<br><br>If I were to do that, I would be no better than the kids who are treating me this way.<br><br>I’m not a kid sympathizer, but I’m also not a kid antagonist.<br><br>I am a woman, a teacher, and a leader. And as such, I will always maintain boundaries, and I will always maintain my dignity.<br><br>So, if you see me post on Chambers, Twitter, or IG, just know that I’m not calling out kids. That’s not my place.<br><br>My place is to teach, and to be an adult.