Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Sometimes I Break the Rules

    Since it's naughty or nice time, I thought I might have a better shot at nice if I admitted something! Since it's the season for merry making , I could tell a story about parties. Some people may have guessed where I'm going.

    My whole teaching career was at the middle school level. Middle school kids just have to have dances. It's a very big deal with them.

    At the beginning I went reluctantly and did my hour shift of supervision. It wasn't fun.

    Later I became involved with organizing and running dances. This was different . It was fun. I realized how much fun kids had at dances and how much of a social learning experience it was when my kids were in middle school.

    My specialty at the dances was looking after the door. Principals were very concerned about everybody having to pay admission. Kids had to be in the dance by 7 PM . Anybody after 7 PM didn't get in and nobody was let out unless they were going home. Pretty clear instructions?

    I would get my crew of kids to do the door. They took the money and stamped hands. I watched to see that all of the kids belonged to our school. We had Most of the kids  in the gym in 15 or 20 minutes and then my little crew would want to leave and dance. Fair enough. I was left to supervise the door.

    Now there would always be a few kids hanging around the door and they were a nuisance. They would want to talk to somebody or some other lame excuse to hang around. The principal would tell them to leave but in one minute they were back.

    Now I thought that it would be less of a nuisance if these kids hanging around the door were inside. First, I knew some of them didn't have money. So I discreetly singled them out one by one and let them in the dance for free on one condition...don't tell anybody.  Next I picked  one or two more who had money but were going to make a poor choice by hanging around with no goodniks  so I got these guys in late. By this time there were only two or three kids from another school and they would disappear. 

    Now you might say, "Oh ya. These kids will always try to get in for nothing."  It never happened!

   So I broke the rules and let kids in late and for nothing. On the other hand we all got what we wanted. I didn't have a hassle at the door. The kids got in the dance. The nuisances outside disappeared. The principal thought I did a good job.

     So it was a Christmas dance for the kids. So now I'm not sure what the balance is. Was I bad guy for breaking rules or a good guy for allowing kids to have fun?

25 comments:

  1. sounds like you made quite a few folks happy. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow having to pay admission, we had school dances but they were free. I fully agree with all kids being able to enjoy regardless of $ and not be left out so I would say you were the good guy, after all some rules are illogical and have to be bent slightly just as you did. Merry Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I'm so old that there weren't school dances! Have a great Christmas!

      Delete
  3. I agree with Tex. Can't go wrong if everyone is happy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I won't get carried away. there were some kids who were in and weren't particularly happy. It had to do with peers and who danced with who but that's where the social experience came in.

      Delete
  4. Merry Christmas "mate" and to "She who must be obeyed", your lovely wife.
    Do you want some sauna weather?
    Hot as hell here, but supposedly Christmas Day
    will be bearable.
    I don't think your "allowing" late comers would constitute a criminal offence.
    Also a merry Christmas to all your readers.
    Colin ( Brisbane, Australia)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Colin. I hope you have a great Christmas.
      You can keep your hot weather. I wouldn't want things ruined here!LOL

      Delete
  5. Sounds like the right decision to me. I may have been one of those kids that didn't have any money for it does happen and I would have always had the memory of the teacher who allowed me in and smile when I thought of him as a grown adult. I remember that guy. I enjoyed this post very much Red.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know I can't remember a single name of a kid I let in!

      Delete
  6. You were a good guy, definitely a good guy!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sounds like a good time was had by all...That's important...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well there are exceptions. Middle schoolers don't have it all together so there were hissy fits about who danced with who.

      Delete
  8. I hosted a lot of dances.Have a good holiday

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I found that I really had to get in there and participate rather than just go and supervise for a couple of hours.

      Delete
  9. Replies
    1. Thanks. As I said I needed something to put me in the "nice " category.

      Delete
  10. What are kindred spirits! I'd always get into trouble for such stuff!

    I remember a big kid, who belonged to a gang. He was bullying kids into giving him a dollar. I was all ready to take him out of the dance. He was in gr. 8 and it was a gr. 4 - 8 dance. I was so mad at the principal at the time! He must have made $20 knowing the kids would give in. I was ready to call the police, but they already knew about him!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. One of the neatest things I ever saw was the school secretary giving a kid like that the what for for being late. She said ,"Now Honey you will have to get up earlier." Did that kid ever squirm.

      Delete
  11. You did just right!! Merry Christmas, Red! I have enjoyed getting to know you and your part of Canada.

    Linda
    http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you.
      I have found the irrigation farming in Colorado very fascinating. I particularly like what the dogs tell me. I think the dogs are much more accurate.

      Delete
  12. Definitely a good guy for letting the kids have fun! Red you softie you! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I don't look at it as being softy and I could be a tough guy. One of the things that would make me cry is when a system would organize things from the teacher's perspective rather than the kids.

    ReplyDelete
  14. You are a very good guy Red. I agree, unless the kids don't have money, they don't expect anything for free.

    ReplyDelete