Am I Now the Man?

I had to watch over study hall for the first time by myself on Friday. The previous day, this study hall made the teacher in charge practically cry. I looked forward to the hour with trepidation.

The point of study hall is to actually study, though the students also can read for fun. The students aren't supposed to talk, or to sleep. I asked a student, who was putting his head down, if he had something else to work on. Student A, let's call him Fillbert, had a snit fit. Because of their behavior the previous day, they were on notice that they got one warning and then detention. Fillbert had already gotten his warning at the beginning of the hour. And thus I gave my first detention.

Fillbert attempted to play upon my sympathies, asking me why I had to be like that, couldn't I give him a break, and it really did make me feel bad. I don't know how many countless classes I wanted to sleep through in high school. But I knew if I backed down, Fillbert and the rest of the troublesome class were going to lose respect for me and my discipline for the rest of the semester. And it worked. He didn't give me any trouble for the rest of the hour.

I am the Man. Stay on task or I will give you a detention. I have the power.