Report Card Conferences!

It's funny how my kids don't realize I'm as anxcious about report card conferences as they are! Even though I've never had one go badly, and can only remember one that was difficult because I had to tell a very caring family that their child was still struggling his second time in first grade. The last couple of days I've been meeting with parents, and all went very well... except one. Thank goodness this man showed up with his wife, because at least she was reasonable, but she also "new her place," if you know what I mean. Now, I think it's pretty safe to say that even though I can become frustrated or upset, it really takes a great deal to make me flat out angry. (You're the people who know me best, so feel free to challenge that statement. For now let's assume we all agree it's true.) I won't get into all the details of our interaction, but let me back up and tell you that this man has disliked me from day one. He is a guy who grew up attending our school and now has several kids attending, and thinks he owns the place. (My principal would have him thinks he owns the place, so why wouldn't he?) He has often interrupted my class and demanded my attention when my children weren't ready to part with it, something I find extremely aggravating. He has made remarks on more than one occasion which were intended to question and challenge my authority as a teacher. And has, in general, been an absolute...excuse me, shithead. I hate him. There are very few living things in this world which i hate, but he is most certainly one of them. I hate him and his icky pock-marked face! Oooh now I'm getting nasty. Anyway, pock-face came in tonight expecting nothing but praise and adoration for his son, didn't get it, and proceded to raise his voice at me, question my grading system, and fight me about his son's grades. Mind you, he didn't have bad grades, they were simply average, which is unacceptable in his household. Guess what buddy, take it up with your son, jerk. I managed to keep my cool, but towards the end deffinitely got an edge in my voice. I developed a "tone," shall we say. I was so mad I started shaking from the inside out and I had to clasp my hands together as tight as I could to try to keep my body still. That mad. Not many people can physically affect me in that way, but he managed it, and I hate him for it. His boy is great, but he probably wants jr. out of my class as much as I never want to see sr. ever again. After he left, I had three more conferences before I was free to come home and let it out. Thanks for reading. I love you.