I am frustrated... any ideas

At this point in my life I am a little frustrated. I work with men and women that are, supposedly, attempting to recover form alcohol and addiction. I am trying to help them obtain the skills that they need to be able to pass the GED.

I need to back up for a second. Some of these men and women are court ordered. Some of them really want a fresh start. It is about fifty-fifty at this point on who wants to be here and who doesn't. The ones that don't, however, are a pain in my backside. They are rude and belligerent. Shocker. Been there, done that. I really don't know quite what to do with the snotty ones. Some of them want to get kicked out. I'm torn between kicking them out and making them stay just for spite. In the end, I really don't have a say. The people with control over these people have said that this class is mandatory. Yeah for me.

I will tell you that some of these individuals, more likely men... it is what it is, are really motivated. They are driven. These I can work with. Some are so unfocused that I am fairly sure that the that they used caused irreparable damage. It is either that or they just want me to do their work for them and they figure that I will break down at some point and just do it. Hmmmm.... I take option 2. As a mom, it would be really easy to do their work for them, but since I can't take their test, I can't do their work. I fight myself every day on this one, but I haven't given in... there is no "yet" in that statement because I have determined that I won't. Period.

I have one gentleman that is exceedingly rude to me... wait, I have two... I think that I just want to run away. I guess if you add all of this little stuff to the bigger things going on in my life, I feel overwhelmed. I just want to get in my car and run to the beach or the mountains... somewhere relaxing where I can just be by myself. Calgon take me away!

Normally, I can be fairly adept at dealing with different temperaments. The teaching thing I am honestly not afraid of... I don't have to know everything. There is no shame in asking someone else for help in an area where I am weak. None at all. However, this personality issue is me. I know that I should expect them not to be perfect, but I wouldn't treat a dog I disliked as poorly as some of them treat me. And Boy, do they get angry when I call them on it or write them up! I love people who do not take responsibility for their actions... it's my favorite thing in the world.

I guess that I need to evaluate if this really is the job for me. I thought that it was going to be great. Parts of it are great. Some of it is so stressful and I don't know that I'm the right person for it at this point... maybe not ever. I had so many people tell me how much I fell short of the person that held this department last. That is pleasant. I was told more than once that "I was no Miss Gina". Of course not! I'm me, and for better or worse I was asked to do this because it was needed... especially because my company was not given a whole lot of notice. I was the best that they could do. I know, pathetic, but there you have it.

If anyone has any ideas on how to manage early twenty-something's (that have just come off of ) attitudes, let me know. I would sure appreciate any ideas that I could get my hands on.

Love to you all out there, Muffinhound