Witch or Doormat?

I am using the theme of Gripes and Grins for the month of February. I am alternating days. Today is an odd day, so today will be a gripe.

I am working in 6th grade this year. I worked with these same kids when they were kindergartners, and not much has changed.

Education today seems to be a choice between being a screaming shrew and being a door mat.

 We spend our days giving kids choice in their learning.

 Many of us are jumping on the Starbucks classroom bandwagon because kids need to have choice in where and how they sit.  After all, we as adults have that choice.
 We should provide lamps instead of the overhead lights because lamps are not as harsh.
 Kids bring water bottles into class because drinking water is essential, not only to life, but to learning.
They bring snacks because they can't think on a stomach that ate two hours ago.
As adults, we listen to music while we work--kids should be afforded that same choice.

We mustn't expect them to work when they don't feel like it. Homework can be turned in when kids get around to it...after all they are busy with their extra-curricular lives.

We require "turn and talk" and group work because that "is the world they will live in."

So kids kick back, relax with their music,
and snacks,
 and drinks,
 in the chair of their choosing,
with their buddies,
and play the games they have put on their computers without permission or watch YouTube videos as they search for the answer
to "What is the capital of Spain"
and we are supposed to look on this with satisfaction because these kids are taking control of their learning.

Until we don't.

We are told to give coins and stickers and prize box gems to kids who are behaving properly in hopes the "fun timers" will want the goodies.

But they rarely do.

We ask politely.
They ignore.

We manipulate.
"I'd like to thank Bobby for getting started on his work."
They snort.

We raise our voice and remind them of what they should be doing.
They roll their eyes.

We approach individuals to ask for them to stay on task.
They promise to our face, then roll their eyes when we walk away.

We resist the urge to turn into a swirling, twirling out of control banshee.
They laugh as they eat another cookie.

We ask for help from our supervisors and are told we need to reward those giving us appropriate behavior, because a consequence for those who aren't, could hurt their feelings and inspire a call from a parent.

It seems kids have all the choice in the world.

We have the choice to be a witch or a doormat.

'Cause THIS is the world we live in.