I Never......be careful what you say you'l never do..it will come back to bite you!

I was inspired by Lydia & Kate from Rants From Mommyland and Amy from Pregnant Chicken, awesome Mommy Bloggers who posted lists of things that they swore they would never do before they became parents. Well, mine is about things I swore (or at least thought) I would never do as a teacher...stay with me for the connection...because being a teacher is a lot like being a Mom, you just have more kids (unless your last name is Dugger) but you do get to send them home at night and on the weekends and you don't have to pay for their braces/ wedding/bail bond.......

Here's my list....and feel free to add one if you are a teacher....would love to read all your comment awesomeness!!!

I’ll never be the kind of teacher that….plays favorites….

Let’s face it, you are not going to love every one of your little friends…..some of them, have the innate ability to work your last nerve, while others are just so cute you want to take them home forever. I have my favorites every year, and while I try to hide it, they know…they all know….

I’ll never be the kind of teacher that….uses worksheets….

There are days (more than we want to admit) where is my little friends were in my home instead of at school they would so be sitting in front of the TV watching Phineas and Ferb with an open box of Lucky Charms in front of them. Sometimes you just gotta pull out the old busy work so you can save your sanity.

I’ll never be the kind of teacher that….pretends to listen to a student like what he/she is saying is the most exciting/interesting/important thing in the world….

I have to admit, I am a great actress…I can pretend to listen to one of my little friends, and all the while I am planning my escape/what I am having for dinner/weekend….c’mon, how interesting is it to hear every sordid detail of how their uncle’s cousin’s friend’s dog ran away and joined the circus?

I’ll never be the kind of teacher that….gives a student an unearned grade….

While there have been many times I would have liked to have given a student a lower grade than they earned, especially when it is glaringly obvious that Mom/Dad/Grandma/Older sibling did their project….I have yet to do that. What I have done however, is boosted the grade of one of my little friends who tried real hard on that quiz/paper/project, but did not quite meet the expectation…I believe in rewarding effort, and while I have plenty of kids who don’t give a rat’s behind about school, or give it the slightest it of effort….I have plenty who try so hard…and let’s face it, their 9…there is plenty of time for others to crush their spirit later in life.

I’ll never be the kind of teacher that….bored my students to death with stories of what life was like when I was their age….

Admit it, kids today have it way easier than we did….they never had to walk to school 5 miles, up hill..both ways…lol! Seriously they have X-Box, the internet and cell phones…how hard can life be? I do tend to bring up the past a bit, especially when they start thinking they have it so rough!! Deal with it friends!!

I’ll never be the kind of teacher that…raises their voice (i.e. yells)…

I’ve done it more times than I care to remember ..not proud of it, but I have admitted it, so that’s the first step!!

I’ll never be the kind of teacher that…..lies to parents about how wonderful their child is…..

Everyone (including me) likes to hear how wonderful/smart/beautiful their child is, whether it is true or not…but sometimes when you are sitting there across from a parent and you really want to tell them that their child reminds them of the spawn of Satan (okay, that was a little harsh)…you gotta take one for the team and tell them A BIG FAT LIE!!!!

I’ll never be the kind of teacher that….gives up control (or lack of it) in her classroom and calls in the big guns (i.e. the Principal or AP)…

Despite the fact that they tell you in Grad School that your classroom will be all lollipops and roses as long as you have a great Classroom management plan…thinks do go awry…and fast. No matter how great your plan is, there is going to be that one kid who was genetically engineered to push your buttons…SO..you have to call in the big guns. You hate to do it but for your own sanity and the other kids in your class..you gotta make THE CALL…,and get the little bugger out of your room. Of course he sits in the principals office and draws pictures of the ways he plans to torture you as soon as he is paroled, and returns to your classroom. But at least you and the rest of your little friends have a few minutes of peace.

I’ll never be the kind of teacher that…tries to fool your students by bluffing when you don’t know the answer….

All the teacher books (you know the ones written by people who have never actually taught) say it is okay to admit when you don’t know the answer to a question one of your students asks. But I am here to tell you …NEVER…admit you don’t know something in front of your students. WHY? Because,…while they will forget their homework, their pencil, their name, the classroom/school rules and occasionally the answer to the question they just asked you and you answered (for the 100th time)…they will NEVER forget that you admitted not knowing something. It is emotional capital to them and they will use it every chance they get. Oh, and they will be certain to tell their parents that you don’t know ANYTHING!!

So what have you sworn you would NEVER do as a teacher, but have ended up doing..do tell!!!