Never Thought I Would See That!

So today I was actually pretty excited to get back to my new students after being gone for one week of long Thanksgiving Break.  I was calling roll and trying to remember the students names when I looked at the back row and there was a boy- curling his eyelashes with an eyelash curler and a mirror?

I called out his name to discipline him and he didn't seemed embarrassed in the least.  Oh well, at least my classes are more quiet than last trimester???

New Trimester Today

Today I got mostly new students.  I did get about 10 that I had last trimester but that's okay.

I was shocked beyond belief- the classes were extremely good.  My last class that I was scared of thinking they would be like my last term's 7th period turned out to be silent.  For the first time ever, when the announcements came on the TV on Channel One- the entire class was silent for the entire broadcast.  

Unbelievable!  Here is a picture of cute little Kelsey sleeping in my class.  I was jealous that it was her and not me!

Today School Was Great!

It was such a wonderful day at school.  I got so much done.  I did things that I've been trying to get to for weeks.  I cleaned areas, organized files, made new rule posters, cleaned all the counters,

cleaned the pantry, worked on grades, answered old emails.  Why did it go so well?

Because there were no students- it was teacher work day!  Oh how I love those days!

1/3 DONE

Friday was the end of the 1st trimester.  This means that the school year is 1/3 over.  Next week I get 4 more classes of totally new students.  I am so excited to start off super mean and have rules and rules and seating charts and consequences and I might even buy some german shepherds to patrol around the classroom.

I will miss some of the sweetest most fun students.  I hope to see them again.  7th grade is such a strange age- some of them seem like people and others seem like 3 yr. olds and they don't understand anything you say.

Overall, even though this is so hard- I am liking it and I'm determined to learn how to teach these classes.

Longest Day Of My Life

Today was so hard- I had all my classes cook and I even let the bad students cook cause it was the last lab of the trimester- next week I will get all new students.

First I got there and I had to get the custodians to help me unplug all the plugged up sinks cause the after school program poured their ramen noodles down the drains.

Then I had 3rd period clean the kitchens first and Samir was walking by 2 girls and I witness him throwing Ajax all over them- in their hair, their clothes, and their new suede boots. I got so mad- I sent him to the principal immediately- but they believed his story that it was an accident.

5th period- they made whole wheat bread in 25 mins.- it's a long story- but there was flour all over the floor and then I noticed that the vacuum had been stolen- it was gone??? Who would steal a vacuum?

6th period - made mini-pizza's- it was so horrible that I have blocked it out of my mind. I had several fights with Roy and Dan but I did get them to clean the laundry closet so that was good.

7th period- again they tried to make the bread. Xavier started the class making balls out of aluminum foil and they kept flying around the room.

After school a couple of girls felt sorry for me so they said they would help me clean up. So they helped me pick up all the aluminum foil balls and clean up the flour that was everywhere.

the girls were going to walk home and so I took them home and they were so embarrassed by me seeing their homes and neighborhoods. I tried to make them not nervous but I can't believe what these kids have to go through. Again, my eyes were opened wide by their stories.

The Arm Wrestle

For some reason- the students were so riled up today- they would not calm down no matter what threat I yelled at them.

Finally I resorted to the deadly "writing their names on the board". This means that they can't cook or eat this week. Which matters more to them than grades, suspension, detention, calling parents, etc.

But this didn't even work- finally after having more than 10 names on the board. Xavier would not stop yelling out and getting up out of his seat.

So I told him that I had had it- and to get up to the front of the room and arm wrestle with me.

He said he would- if he won- I had to erase all the names on the board. If I won- they had to sit in silence the rest of the class period. Well since I am 50 and am a finely tuned athlete and he is 12 and weighs about 60 lbs. I knew I could take him.

However, I could see the fear in his eyes when he saw my bulging bicep. I could tell he didn't want to be humiliated in front of his friends but I had to go through with the duel.

Basically nothing happened for a while- we were at a stalemate- I was trying and he was trying- finally I gave the finest acting display of my life and acted like it was getting hard and I let him won. The whole class cheered and I erased their names but for some strange reason- they were quiet and listened to the lesson about laundry tips the rest of the class.
This is Xavier doing dishes (which is extremely rare)

Today We Cooked to Gangster Rap Music!

Today we cooked and it was a Friday and I was brain dead so I let them pick the radio station to listen to while they cooked. Enrique picked some Gangsta rap station. I think the lyrics were x-rated about murder, rape, sex, drugs, alcohol, proposition 8 in California and other questionable things.

But they were all dancing and singing and cooking so well that I left it on. It was like a scene from "High School Musical 3 In The Hood".

I've never heard so many songs that repeat over and over "I Want Your Body".

Highlights of the day were: finding an obscene note written on a pad of stickies under the cabinet from one of my best students to another student.

Jose' stealing a bag of chocolate chips and I busted him finding it in his hoodie pocket.

Having Juan Pablo tell me I was "nasty" when I tried to hug him goodbye before his operation at Shriner's Hospital this week.

Jalene crying because I accidently called her another girls' first name.

Xavier hiding behind the towel closet again to try to get out of doing dishes.

I was saddened when I took Maria out in the hall cause she was out of control and told her that I needed to call her parents and she said- that was cool- cause they didn't pay their phone bill and their phone was disconnected and when I tried- it was true.

Claudia, Embrace and Mercedes came back from spending a week in -in school suspension- for tardies. They were 10 mins. late for class???

Well that's all- I hope I shouldn't be changing the hames to protect the innocent?

Goodbye Manpreet

Today my favorite student Manpreet _______ announced that today was her last day and her family was moving to California.  She is from India and one of the best students I've had in all my years of teaching.  She's amazing.  She gets all her work done in about 5 minutes. She is extremely bright.  She is really quiet yet has a great sense of humor.  

The entire class was very sad.  It is very common to see a lot of students move in and out while their parents try to find better employment.

I was so sad to see Manpreet go.  

Cell Phones in Poverty?

So one thing that baffles me is that students don't have any money and come from the most bleak financially homes yet every single student has a very fancy cell phone???

The bathroom is filled with girls busily texting everyone that they know.  It's really amazing.

The big joke is that I read that the Utah State Board of Education is going to ban all cell phones from schools in Utah.  Good luck!  It will be Prohibition all over again

Election Day- 11/05

I was warned that the city would be voting for the 2008 presidential and other elections in my classroom #3 on Election Day 2008.  I prepared by cleaning up the floor and counters and moving the tables and chairs.

I also threatened and bribed my students to be good since we would be located next door in room #4 that was separated only by a folding thin accordion door.

The day started out somewhat good with both me and my students whispering.  I did lose it a few times and yell at a few students and found a few students spying in the cracks of the wall at the voters but it was going okay until 6th period...

in 6th period-  suddenly many of my supplies that we were using we gone- I mentioned to the class how the needles and thread and sample pillow were missing- 3 different "snitchers" told me that _____ had stolen them and put them in her backpack.  I asked her to see me out in the hall.  She denied it so I started to walk her to the office.

I went back and told the class to do their work on the board and not to make a peep.

Well when I was almost to the office- I turned around to see several election judges chasing me down the hall calling me.  Apparently- my class was chanting "Obama, Obama, Obama", and that's illegal in a voting place.

We ran back and tried to quiet the students but so far no-one tried to say that the election was tainted by Obama supporters in the polling place.

Blocking the Bathroom Door- 11/6/08

Today at lunch a girl ran in my room and said that the Southside Gang was in the girls bathroom next to my room.

Not knowing what that meant- I hurried and called the office and told them the same message and then hobbled to the bathroom (after recently having knee surgery). I looked in the bathroom and it was packed full of females texting and talking on their cell phones since they are not allowed at school- (I guess the bathroom is the only place they are not seen talking on them)

On the walls of the bathrooms in black marker was written "South Side" and other vulgarities in the stylistic gang tagging style.

I put my arms in front of the door and said that no-one was leaving until we found out who wrote all over the walls. I heard cries of protest and lots of finger pointing and blaming people that had already left.

Soon the Principal and Vice-principal came to my rescue and I went back to class. Of course- they never found out the perpetrator since the rule of thumb at this school is NOT TO SNITCH!

On a good note- I received a note today written to me by a student that said she used to hate me but now she likes me.
so that was cool I guess.

"A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away"

I've decided that my daily experience teaching Home Ec (FACS) in a junior high is so unbelievable that I must document it.
This is especially challenging since I tend to exaggerate anyway- so I'm going to try to stick with the facts and not embellish too much.

I have been teaching now for 10 weeks at _ _ _ _ _ _ junior high in _ _ _ _ _. I had heard stories about junior high students and had some experience by having 2 junior high children at one time (although Emily has banished all of her junior high pictures).

I remotely remember being a junior high student- I wore braids everyday with my green polyester skirt and striped u necked top that my mom made me. My teachers loved me and I was extremely popular (remember I exaggerate!)

But nothing prepared me for this experience.

Book Review- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I love to read and so I decided to keep track of the books I read on this blog so it has a purpose.

Last night at 5 a.m. I finished The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It was a book written for "young adults" and I read an article in the Standard Examiner that highly recommended it.

I had a hard time getting into it at first. Very depressing but then when I got the rhythym of the book I started liking it. It was about Nazi Germany and bombings and how powerful WORDS are. Hitler's words and author's words.

I loved the character Hans how he was so good to Liesl.

Good book but I'm glad I can now start another one.

The Brain Surgery Was a Success

The surgery was a success last Friday and the doctor's found what they were looking for- a huge oversized BRAIN.  Now it answers the question- why am I so intelligent.  However they removed party of my trachea and stitched up my inside and outside of my throat.  I just hope none of the brain juice leaks out.