Doing Field Work in the Classroom

I observed a classroom today for my Master's 788 Project and I heard a very interesting and relevant story.

The Sped teacher I collaborated with during my Student Teaching apparently ran into trouble the other. The Gen Ed teacher stepped out to make photocopies and she was left in the room with the kids. This is a typical situation--nothing out of the ordinary.

The students were working on something and student got out of his seat to sharpen his pencil. They weren't supposed to be getting up and the Sped teacher asked him twice to sit back down. The student began to act defiantly and disrespectfully and puffed out his chest while walking threateningly towards the teacher. She reacted by lifting up her hands to keep him away from her.

Unfortunately, the student fell over when she lifted her arms, causing the entire class to claim that she pushed him down to the ground. The student rushed to the administration to tell on the teacher.

THEN, the principal and the assistant principal had to come in and take written statements from the students to see if the teacher truly did physically harass the student. The class stood together and all claimed that she pushed him.

NOW, the teacher is not allowed to talk to the "victim" and she is currently being observed during a probationary period until the board reaches a more long term decision.

This scares me about teaching...




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