Being an educator goes beyond merely teaching curriculum. It involves being a parent to a child and this involves a great deal of patience and love. At times tough love is required to teach a child a life lesson. There is a rather disruptive class at school that has hit a particular nerve of teachers who are teaching it. The class is considered mostly at risk, meaning most of the learners in there are below average in their academic performance. They are those who attend support classes. We are there for them but they are making it very difficult for us.
Immediately after assembly, my HOD fetched me from my class saying that they have a crisis in the grade 7A class and that they needed my assistance. When I arrived at the class I found all the senior phase teachers assembled outside. They were discussing the recent incident that occurred pertaining to the learners in this class. It was reported that one girl in class said some rather vulgar things about us after she received a latter calling her parents to school to discus her appalling behaviour. When she was asked if she had indeed uttered those words, she said yes. That was the last straw that resulted into this assembly of teachers.
We stood in front of the class and expressed our disappointment in all of them. We were deeply hurt and insulted by these children we consider ours. I could tell that this united front of teachers all conveying the same message got through to them. Most of them had real expressions of remorse in their eyes. I felt sorry for the amount of unpleasant remarks that were thrown in their faces but at the time there was nothing I could do. I'll comfort them tomorrow and make them see the error of their ways like a loving parent would do to their children.
The positive side of this is that we are showing them all that ill manners and bad behaviour will no longer be tolerated and that this is for their own good. Life without discipline is a life without direction. We will not let our children go astray on our watch. We will always lead them to the right path as long as they are under our care. I just hope they'll realise this before it's too late. Tomorrow fourteen parents will be at school regarding this matter. Some of the learners are going to get a scolding they'll never forget. I always feel bad when that happens but at times it's out of my hands and a parents needs to discipline their child however they deem fit. As long as the child is not physically hurt, a lesson will be learnt. 
I am not looking forward to tomorrow's meeting, particularly so now that the principal is also involved. She was not happy to hear of what that class has done. She was fuming when she had the news. She won't hold back tomorrow. It's going to be sad to witness but a life lesson will be taught and learnt.
