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.