Annie is new student from California this year. She had expressed interest in attending a very good college that required very good grades to get in. Therefore, she worked hard at the beginning of the year. She was very respectful and very sweet. When students were complaining about the amount of homework I gave, she piped up that they didn't know how good they had it. Where I gave maybe 2 hours of homework a week, she had at least 2 hours a night. I liked her and tried to give her the education she needed.
She started dating the gangster of the school. (Not my Gangster. He has a freshman girlfriend whose mouth has the power of a vacuum.) Public displays of affection abound outside my classroom before school. Googegly eyes, deep kisses, hand holding, etc. I referred the matter to the school's principal in the form of a discipline report. Twice.
Annie's gangster got rebellious and started acting up whenever I was around. That got nipped in the bud. (Also, Annie's gangster got sent to alternative school and that had nothing to do with me.) Then Annie started to get rebellious. She started mouthing off in class--arguing about assignments, making rude comments to me, and talking in class when I was giving instructions. I took her aside several times to tell her I didn't appreciate this behavior. She acted like I slapped her.
I was the good girl in school like her. But if a teacher pointed out my faults, I would get mad. *I* wasn't as bad as other students and I passed. Why would a teacher (or boss) get on *my* case for? Don't those people have something better to do? I think she is asking the same questions.
Well, now I realize we want *all* students to reach their absolute potential. And nobody is perfect. Annie doesn't realize this change in behavior will start to affect her grade. For example, in Febuary she missed a week of school and didn't bother to check with me to get the assignments. So she got a zero. Also, she went on a softball trip and missed school. She never checked with me beforehand to get the assignments. She said since I didn't give her a progress report, (I handed them out when she was gone)she didn't know about the zeros. Ergo, I should let her make them up.
I thought about it for a day. I asked opinions. (Pat S. for one, Science Goddess, who said give her 50s. And Pat agreed with me that she shouldn't be allowed to make them up. I heart her. She is so cool.) However, I decided in good faith to give her a chance to make it all up. If she doesn't have the make up work done by Monday, the grades will be 50s.
Also, the day before spring break started, she ran in the room after the tardy bell all out of breath. First, I don't allow my students to run into my room. They need to come into the room quiet and dignified. Second, she was tardy and I told her so in a very low voice so not to disrupt the other students who were working. She started to *throw* her bad in a desk in the back (about 8 feet away.) I have expensive projectors and electronic equipment around my room, not to mention the student's laptops. I do not like things being thrown around my room. I told her to take the bag with her or put it at the front of the room. She started to scream, "Fine!" and ran back out the door. I followed her out and asked her what exactly was the problem. She screamed back at me, "What is *your* problem?!" I calmly told her to stay in the office. I wrote a discipline referral on her.
I don't think it was very professional of me to ask what the problem was. I will apologize for that. I have an appointment to speak with her mother Monday morning and I will do it then if Annie is present. But this situation is representative of two trends I see in our school:
1. Girls giving up "stuff" for their boyfriends. They give up sports, dignity, academics, and discipline to be with their men. Annie's not the only girl who got in trouble after she became a couple. And in the case of my little freshmen AP girl, she is going to have a hard future because she became pregnant. Think of all the hard decisions she is going to have to make because of a boyfriend. The girls are very submissive to the boys.
I don't know if I am explaining this clearly. And please don't get me wrong...I am fine with young love...I am fine with love...I *love* love...I had a high school boyfriend myself and I felt these pressures. But Thank God and Oprah, I knew what I wanted and knew myself and what I could handle. I was very realistic to know this was not the boy I would spend forever with.
Oh, hell now I am just rambling.
2. Young people who enter our school from outside this area (especially bigger urban school) and find our school's curriculum too easy. This leads to boredom and frustration and discipline problems. I think they are overjoyed at the less stringent demands on their minds. However, the easy stuff means they will be done with everything sooner and there is a greater chance of goofing off to much. Then, they are a discipline problem.
Well, I have a parent conference on Monday and y'all know how I feel about *those.* I hate them. And I have to explain all this to Annie's mother. Wish me luck.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
An Escape and Sonnets
1. The strangest thing happened to me this week.
I stood up in front of my AP classes and explained two whole poems ("Shall I compare thee to a summer's day" and "The Road Not Taken") and felt actually in control of my classroom.
I have instituted the participation points. I announced that participation points are on. If a student is talking without raising their hand, they lose 10 points. All students start with 100 points per day. One student got a little upset because it took a long time for me to call on people and said it was too strict a system. But the system worked out because the students also had to take notes and it slowed *me* down. Then I announced participation points were off and we had a good discussion. Wow!
Also, my AP classes wrote the most beautiful sonnets!! They actually worked hard on them. They had to write it in the form (iambic pentameter and rhyme scheme) with the form of arguments like Shakespeare. I wish I could let you read them. I am so proud!
2. One student in my 8th period got worried because I didn't say hi to him when he entered the room. He asked if I was mad at him. I asked if I looked mad. He said no. It was just that I always say hi to all students as they come in the door. He was worried about the deviation. I said no I was just busy.
It makes me think. How many of my teachers ever said hi to me when I was in high school? I was pretty invisible. No one ever noticed me.
I always try to say hi (or at least smile) at the students I know in the hallways between classes, especially the shy ones. But I get very focused on what I do. (I kinda wonder if I have Asperger's Syndrome. But that's another Oprah show.) I don't go wandering around the halls very often.
3. My 4th period class taught me the "Solja Boy" dance a few months ago. (The kids laughed and joked how out of breath I was. I hope none taped me and put it on You Tube. If you see an old teacher doing the dance on there, please don't pee your pants laughing.)
Now I read it has a nasty meaning. I googled it and couldn't find anything. I asked the students and they just laughed at me. Then, again, would they admit it?
4. Crocheting class is going great. They are even practicing at home (and in World History class. Arg.) Most are ready to start on projects, instead of just practicing. I have one boy. He's just there for the girls, I think. However, he *is* working the yarn. The yarn is mostly in knots, though.
5. The rice game is a big hit. They diligently have been doing it every day. I have been giving extra credit for the highest level. I hope it improves their vocabulary. Most are at the 15-20 level range, with a few in every class at 40.
6. I am about half through Time Traveler's Wife. The thing that astounds me is that the author could organize this book so it makes such great sense. I thought it would be hard to keep track of. This is quite a testament to the author's skill and talent.
7. Vada escaped the house this morning without her leash. I live in housing provided my the school district and our housing unit has a big fence around it. (Some call it a concentration camp for the teachers. But I think that is kinda mean.) So I wasn't worried about her getting too far.
I was bringing in the laundry and had the door open wide. I was going to kick the door shut fast with my foot, but I am not that coordinated. She ran out. I am not quick enough to catch her, so I just let her run around for a little while. I left the door open and she came in on her own.
She is quite proud of herself.
I stood up in front of my AP classes and explained two whole poems ("Shall I compare thee to a summer's day" and "The Road Not Taken") and felt actually in control of my classroom.
I have instituted the participation points. I announced that participation points are on. If a student is talking without raising their hand, they lose 10 points. All students start with 100 points per day. One student got a little upset because it took a long time for me to call on people and said it was too strict a system. But the system worked out because the students also had to take notes and it slowed *me* down. Then I announced participation points were off and we had a good discussion. Wow!
Also, my AP classes wrote the most beautiful sonnets!! They actually worked hard on them. They had to write it in the form (iambic pentameter and rhyme scheme) with the form of arguments like Shakespeare. I wish I could let you read them. I am so proud!
2. One student in my 8th period got worried because I didn't say hi to him when he entered the room. He asked if I was mad at him. I asked if I looked mad. He said no. It was just that I always say hi to all students as they come in the door. He was worried about the deviation. I said no I was just busy.
It makes me think. How many of my teachers ever said hi to me when I was in high school? I was pretty invisible. No one ever noticed me.
I always try to say hi (or at least smile) at the students I know in the hallways between classes, especially the shy ones. But I get very focused on what I do. (I kinda wonder if I have Asperger's Syndrome. But that's another Oprah show.) I don't go wandering around the halls very often.
3. My 4th period class taught me the "Solja Boy" dance a few months ago. (The kids laughed and joked how out of breath I was. I hope none taped me and put it on You Tube. If you see an old teacher doing the dance on there, please don't pee your pants laughing.)
Now I read it has a nasty meaning. I googled it and couldn't find anything. I asked the students and they just laughed at me. Then, again, would they admit it?
4. Crocheting class is going great. They are even practicing at home (and in World History class. Arg.) Most are ready to start on projects, instead of just practicing. I have one boy. He's just there for the girls, I think. However, he *is* working the yarn. The yarn is mostly in knots, though.
5. The rice game is a big hit. They diligently have been doing it every day. I have been giving extra credit for the highest level. I hope it improves their vocabulary. Most are at the 15-20 level range, with a few in every class at 40.
6. I am about half through Time Traveler's Wife. The thing that astounds me is that the author could organize this book so it makes such great sense. I thought it would be hard to keep track of. This is quite a testament to the author's skill and talent.
7. Vada escaped the house this morning without her leash. I live in housing provided my the school district and our housing unit has a big fence around it. (Some call it a concentration camp for the teachers. But I think that is kinda mean.) So I wasn't worried about her getting too far.
I was bringing in the laundry and had the door open wide. I was going to kick the door shut fast with my foot, but I am not that coordinated. She ran out. I am not quick enough to catch her, so I just let her run around for a little while. I left the door open and she came in on her own.
She is quite proud of herself.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Am I Old?
My bones have been hurting and my joints are creaking.
It sucks. Majorally.
I thought I was younger than this woman.
But no, she is 6 years younger.
I am kinda in love with her boyfriend. *He* is older than me.
But she scares the crap out of me...so I think I will stay away from him....
Renee Zellweger and Jennifer Aniston and Marilyn Manson are all the same age as me.
Today, when I was trying to explain the seasons of life (children are in spring, really old people are in winter) one student told me I was in winter.
Arggghhh!!!!!
A wierd perspective is that when my mother was my age, I had already graduated from high school....and I thought her old when she was in her twenties.
How strange how perspectives change as one gets older. Life is so short and so long at the same time.
It sucks. Majorally.
I thought I was younger than this woman.
But no, she is 6 years younger.
I am kinda in love with her boyfriend. *He* is older than me.
But she scares the crap out of me...so I think I will stay away from him....
Renee Zellweger and Jennifer Aniston and Marilyn Manson are all the same age as me.
Today, when I was trying to explain the seasons of life (children are in spring, really old people are in winter) one student told me I was in winter.
Arggghhh!!!!!
A wierd perspective is that when my mother was my age, I had already graduated from high school....and I thought her old when she was in her twenties.
How strange how perspectives change as one gets older. Life is so short and so long at the same time.
Poetry, Crochet, and "Unmentionables"
I have really enjoyed teaching these days returning from spring break. But, why am I so tired at night? I am walking like a old lady and all my joints are hurting. Weird. I am old, but really on the younger side of old. (No...really....this is what I keep telling myself....and everybody can stop laughing. ;) )
1. Puht Boy continues his obliviousness. Before the break I gave the students their grades. Puht Boy counted his zeros. 13 out of 15. Basically, we are studying poetry. If they write the assigned poem and turn it in they get an hundred. Puht Boy asked if he did all the work over spring break, would he pass? My internal dialogue was, "Yeah, I will see that work when hell freezes over," but my external mouth said, "Sure, see what you can do!"
Needless to say, I didn't see the work when I came back.
Yesterday, Puht Boy's class went over the "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll. They complained they didn't understand every other word. I joked that, normally, they say they don't understand every other word. :) But I had them make up words for the nonsense words and they really got into it. Even Puht Boy and BIOB.
Then I thru out a challenge....If anyone sings it for the class tomorrow, the student will receive extra credit. Puht Boy and BIOB and another boy, who I will call Runner, jumped to the challenge. Today, we were treated to a rap of the Jabberwocky. Wow!!! They did something with their laptops to get the background rhythms and Puht Boy rocked it!!! I was so proud of him.
Tomorrow, they want to rock out "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. I am thinking I need to find the school's video camera...... Maybe music videos as a final unit assessment.....
I really wanted the kids to learn to like (love ???? please ..maybe...God???) poetry, so I am trying to make it as low stress as possible. But, still actually learn something. It seems to be going well.
2. Free Rice....The kids love this website...I think it is addicting to them. I have been using it as a bellringer and a way to settle the kids down at the beginning of the period. And if I catch them not working, I remind them there are hungry people in Africa waiting for their rice. ;)
They are starting to question whether the rice is really distributed. I found an article in People this week about the founder and creator, Jim Breen. I also hooked up the wikipedia entry on Free Rice to my class website. Tomorrow, I am going to copy the article and put a copy on all the desks for the students to read. I hope this will contribute to their enthusiasm about the activity.
3. I finally started my crochet class with 5 girls and 2 boys. Well, the boys just sat there and laughed at the girls because they were really lazy and didn't want to find another room to go to. But they watched very closely. (LOL!) With the girls, they just learned chain today...which was difficult. I forget that what is so fluid and one motion to me is actually a very complicated, multi step action. But all the girls had long chains in 30 minutes. I was so proud. Especially since, I was tired and just had them stand around my desk and do it standing up. And I went through the motions way too fast at first. I forgot to slow down and explain all the little things. But the girls were game and I was lucky.
4. What else? Internet is back up in town (after about 3 weeks!) and I suspect the homework that I gave today will not get done because all teenagers in this town are on myspa**&e tonight! Because of the internet harassment, somehow all the mys*&&ce accounts in this town got "erased." So the students are setting up new accounts ....and I got invited to them! I asked the students not to because I don't really think I can handle what they write there.
5. Squirrelly (the smart girl) suddenly adores me. She wants to do all the work the pre-AP sophomores do and says they are a bunch of whiners for complaining about, what is in her opinion, easy work. She says I spoil my students to much because I provide "fun" stuff for them to do all the time. She asks me constantly if I like teaching and says her mother says I am a great teacher because I called her at home. I can't tell if she is trying to flatter me to get a better grade or if she is being truthful.
6. Angel and Smart Mouth broke up. Darn.
7. Border Patrol actually asked to look in my trunk the last time I went through border patrol. The only thing was I was very embarrassed because of all the junk in there. When I do laundry, I load it in the trunk and sometimes unmentionables fall out of the basket. I hoped the poor guy didn't see any of my dirty unmentionables when he checked back there. ;)
1. Puht Boy continues his obliviousness. Before the break I gave the students their grades. Puht Boy counted his zeros. 13 out of 15. Basically, we are studying poetry. If they write the assigned poem and turn it in they get an hundred. Puht Boy asked if he did all the work over spring break, would he pass? My internal dialogue was, "Yeah, I will see that work when hell freezes over," but my external mouth said, "Sure, see what you can do!"
Needless to say, I didn't see the work when I came back.
Yesterday, Puht Boy's class went over the "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll. They complained they didn't understand every other word. I joked that, normally, they say they don't understand every other word. :) But I had them make up words for the nonsense words and they really got into it. Even Puht Boy and BIOB.
Then I thru out a challenge....If anyone sings it for the class tomorrow, the student will receive extra credit. Puht Boy and BIOB and another boy, who I will call Runner, jumped to the challenge. Today, we were treated to a rap of the Jabberwocky. Wow!!! They did something with their laptops to get the background rhythms and Puht Boy rocked it!!! I was so proud of him.
Tomorrow, they want to rock out "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. I am thinking I need to find the school's video camera...... Maybe music videos as a final unit assessment.....
I really wanted the kids to learn to like (love ???? please ..maybe...God???) poetry, so I am trying to make it as low stress as possible. But, still actually learn something. It seems to be going well.
2. Free Rice....The kids love this website...I think it is addicting to them. I have been using it as a bellringer and a way to settle the kids down at the beginning of the period. And if I catch them not working, I remind them there are hungry people in Africa waiting for their rice. ;)
They are starting to question whether the rice is really distributed. I found an article in People this week about the founder and creator, Jim Breen. I also hooked up the wikipedia entry on Free Rice to my class website. Tomorrow, I am going to copy the article and put a copy on all the desks for the students to read. I hope this will contribute to their enthusiasm about the activity.
3. I finally started my crochet class with 5 girls and 2 boys. Well, the boys just sat there and laughed at the girls because they were really lazy and didn't want to find another room to go to. But they watched very closely. (LOL!) With the girls, they just learned chain today...which was difficult. I forget that what is so fluid and one motion to me is actually a very complicated, multi step action. But all the girls had long chains in 30 minutes. I was so proud. Especially since, I was tired and just had them stand around my desk and do it standing up. And I went through the motions way too fast at first. I forgot to slow down and explain all the little things. But the girls were game and I was lucky.
4. What else? Internet is back up in town (after about 3 weeks!) and I suspect the homework that I gave today will not get done because all teenagers in this town are on myspa**&e tonight! Because of the internet harassment, somehow all the mys*&&ce accounts in this town got "erased." So the students are setting up new accounts ....and I got invited to them! I asked the students not to because I don't really think I can handle what they write there.
5. Squirrelly (the smart girl) suddenly adores me. She wants to do all the work the pre-AP sophomores do and says they are a bunch of whiners for complaining about, what is in her opinion, easy work. She says I spoil my students to much because I provide "fun" stuff for them to do all the time. She asks me constantly if I like teaching and says her mother says I am a great teacher because I called her at home. I can't tell if she is trying to flatter me to get a better grade or if she is being truthful.
6. Angel and Smart Mouth broke up. Darn.
7. Border Patrol actually asked to look in my trunk the last time I went through border patrol. The only thing was I was very embarrassed because of all the junk in there. When I do laundry, I load it in the trunk and sometimes unmentionables fall out of the basket. I hoped the poor guy didn't see any of my dirty unmentionables when he checked back there. ;)
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Spring Break...Random Things
I love the sleeping in...and today it is raining in the desert! I am curled up on the couch watching a marathon of Battlestar Galaticaunder a blanket with the dog sleeping on my feet.
Heaven!!
Tomorrow, I plan on going into my classroom and work. I have all kinds of paperwork to do. Tidying the room. Grading. Etc.... But I will feel better next week if I get caught up this week.
What else?....I watched the "Sopranos" middle part of the last season. I am reading "The Time Traveler's Wife" which is wierd, but good. I am crocheting baby blankets for all the new mommies...student and teacher alike.
Next Monday, for the school's enrichment I start teaching a group of students crocheting. I had some boys sign up. I don't know what to make of that. The boys signing up, I mean. I figure it is only for three weeks and they can quit if they don't like it. But I am excited about the mini class. And I have some girls very excited about it too.
I have been thinking and reading about Miss Teacha's cheerleading problems. Our school has no cheerleaders. In some ways, I am very glad about that. I was not a big fan of cheerleaders in my high school. They were kinda stuck up and not very nice.
However, our school's boy basketball team made it to the playoffs. And before they left the school for the playoffs, the team was paraded through the halls with the band. The other students stood in the hall....just stood there, quiet, watching.
The students didn't know what to do.
The school has very little school spirit. They are all great friends (well mostly.) But there is no cohesion in the school. It's wierd...where I am from, if you didn't have school spirit you were considered wierd, an outsider. Here...well, it's the opposite.
Well, I didn't mean to go all philosophical on Spring Break.
Heaven!!
Tomorrow, I plan on going into my classroom and work. I have all kinds of paperwork to do. Tidying the room. Grading. Etc.... But I will feel better next week if I get caught up this week.
What else?....I watched the "Sopranos" middle part of the last season. I am reading "The Time Traveler's Wife" which is wierd, but good. I am crocheting baby blankets for all the new mommies...student and teacher alike.
Next Monday, for the school's enrichment I start teaching a group of students crocheting. I had some boys sign up. I don't know what to make of that. The boys signing up, I mean. I figure it is only for three weeks and they can quit if they don't like it. But I am excited about the mini class. And I have some girls very excited about it too.
I have been thinking and reading about Miss Teacha's cheerleading problems. Our school has no cheerleaders. In some ways, I am very glad about that. I was not a big fan of cheerleaders in my high school. They were kinda stuck up and not very nice.
However, our school's boy basketball team made it to the playoffs. And before they left the school for the playoffs, the team was paraded through the halls with the band. The other students stood in the hall....just stood there, quiet, watching.
The students didn't know what to do.
The school has very little school spirit. They are all great friends (well mostly.) But there is no cohesion in the school. It's wierd...where I am from, if you didn't have school spirit you were considered wierd, an outsider. Here...well, it's the opposite.
Well, I didn't mean to go all philosophical on Spring Break.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
The Week Before Spring Break
I haven't been posting because the wireless in this town is down ...again. This is what has been happening:
1. I am really tired of cheating students...and they thinking it isn't any great deal. I wrote up Gangster for cheating, talking during class, and slamming a door on his way out of the classroom.
I think Gangster thinks I am not very bright. He turned in an "original" poem that was exactly like another student. OK does Gangster believe I don't remember what I just read?
And the girl he copied from?....my absolute best, hardest working, smartest student. And I had to write her up too. It broke my heart.
2. Last year, my mentor teacher told me that she really hated her students by Spring Break. I didn't feel that way last year, but this year I do. I just want to get rid of all of them. They whine it is after TAKS and days before Spring Break. Therefore, they cannot be expected to actually do anything. Blah,.....gagging souncds...evil laugh.
3. This is really sad. Last week, an email circulated among the students saying another girl is a sl*t. It was posted on Mysp((ce. This week, a powerpoint was posted about another girl. And yesterday, a video was posted of two female students fighting and emailed around.
The kids think all this is extremely funny. I am horrified. And they are all girls. Why are girls becoming more cruel to each other? Are they going to turn on teachers next? They already "killed" the principal in Halo.
4. I am so behind in schoolwork...I am so overwhelmed. Grading...planning..lesson plans...Argghhh!
5. I had a student sleeping (or pretending to be) right in front of me. I did a little trick my supervising teacher from student teaching taught me....I poured water on his neck. He jumped 10 feet and the class had a good laugh. (Kids usually do not fall asleep in my class...so I think he was just pretending.)
6. I am also tired of students who come to class with no paper or pens. Finally, one young man annoyed me so much I had the Call Lady call his mother to ask her to buy some for him. The mother responded that she did not see why he needed them. (WTH?!!!) I asked the principal how to respond to this. She said she would take care of it.
(Even with all the laptops and technology we have, I still like to go old school. Handwriting assignments.)
1. I am really tired of cheating students...and they thinking it isn't any great deal. I wrote up Gangster for cheating, talking during class, and slamming a door on his way out of the classroom.
I think Gangster thinks I am not very bright. He turned in an "original" poem that was exactly like another student. OK does Gangster believe I don't remember what I just read?
And the girl he copied from?....my absolute best, hardest working, smartest student. And I had to write her up too. It broke my heart.
2. Last year, my mentor teacher told me that she really hated her students by Spring Break. I didn't feel that way last year, but this year I do. I just want to get rid of all of them. They whine it is after TAKS and days before Spring Break. Therefore, they cannot be expected to actually do anything. Blah,.....gagging souncds...evil laugh.
3. This is really sad. Last week, an email circulated among the students saying another girl is a sl*t. It was posted on Mysp((ce. This week, a powerpoint was posted about another girl. And yesterday, a video was posted of two female students fighting and emailed around.
The kids think all this is extremely funny. I am horrified. And they are all girls. Why are girls becoming more cruel to each other? Are they going to turn on teachers next? They already "killed" the principal in Halo.
4. I am so behind in schoolwork...I am so overwhelmed. Grading...planning..lesson plans...Argghhh!
5. I had a student sleeping (or pretending to be) right in front of me. I did a little trick my supervising teacher from student teaching taught me....I poured water on his neck. He jumped 10 feet and the class had a good laugh. (Kids usually do not fall asleep in my class...so I think he was just pretending.)
6. I am also tired of students who come to class with no paper or pens. Finally, one young man annoyed me so much I had the Call Lady call his mother to ask her to buy some for him. The mother responded that she did not see why he needed them. (WTH?!!!) I asked the principal how to respond to this. She said she would take care of it.
(Even with all the laptops and technology we have, I still like to go old school. Handwriting assignments.)
TAKS Testing
TAKS testing over. I had an eventful day.
7:30 am Got to my classroom. I had set up the desks and seating chart the night before.
7:35 I went to get the answer books and sheets. I counted exactly 14 books and answer sheets. TAKS person was a perturbed with the fact I had filled out every little thing on my oath sheet. He pointed out I was to fill out a part after the test was given. (Inside, I was saying "bite me.")
7:45 Headed to get some breakfast.
8:00 All the kids headed in my classroom. I got them seated. One girl showed up. She wasn't on my list, but she insisted the front office told her to come this room. Seat her by my desk. She spilled her drink all over the desk. Handed her paper towels and told her to clean it up.
8:05 Waiting for the pledge. No pledge.
8:10 Start reading the manual. Reading the manual makes me extremely nervous. I hate this part. I am simply not good at reading out loud.
8:15 Realize I am one book and answer sheet short. I start freaking out inside. I start counting the students in my head. I send the extra girl to the office to find out where she really is supposed to be.
8:20 All students working on test. Count heads again. Start writing my letter to TEA explaining how I lost a test booklet. Count heads again. Have a different number. Finally, I just have the proctor count. I have just enough of everything. Breathe a sigh of relief.
8:35 I know we are supposed to "actively monitor" the students. But I figure to be constantly looking over their shoulder would make them more nervous. I read a book. Also, 3 of the students are taking naps. Wish I could.
11:10 Time for lunch. We all eat together like a happy family.
1:10 First test handed in.
2:30 Roxy asks to go the bathroom. She is done with her test. I let her go. As she leaves she grabs another girls purse. I figure no big deal.
2:35 Roxy returns and returns the purse.
2:40 Break out the coloring books.
2:45 Assistant Principal comes in and asks for Roxy.
3:15 The Assistant Principal comes in and asks to see my seating chart. He says, "We have a serious problem." I go "What?" He grabs the girl with the purse out into the hallway and I go outside also to see what the problem was. "Where is the cell phone?" he asked. She denied it. "We know you have a cell phone. Now, where is it?" She broke down and gave him the phone.
3:45 Last test turned in.
3:55 Took all tests to the TAKS person. Counted, signed and over....
4:00 Left the school with a big headache.
(Roxy called her Dad. Her Dad turned her in about the cell phone. Go figure.)
7:30 am Got to my classroom. I had set up the desks and seating chart the night before.
7:35 I went to get the answer books and sheets. I counted exactly 14 books and answer sheets. TAKS person was a perturbed with the fact I had filled out every little thing on my oath sheet. He pointed out I was to fill out a part after the test was given. (Inside, I was saying "bite me.")
7:45 Headed to get some breakfast.
8:00 All the kids headed in my classroom. I got them seated. One girl showed up. She wasn't on my list, but she insisted the front office told her to come this room. Seat her by my desk. She spilled her drink all over the desk. Handed her paper towels and told her to clean it up.
8:05 Waiting for the pledge. No pledge.
8:10 Start reading the manual. Reading the manual makes me extremely nervous. I hate this part. I am simply not good at reading out loud.
8:15 Realize I am one book and answer sheet short. I start freaking out inside. I start counting the students in my head. I send the extra girl to the office to find out where she really is supposed to be.
8:20 All students working on test. Count heads again. Start writing my letter to TEA explaining how I lost a test booklet. Count heads again. Have a different number. Finally, I just have the proctor count. I have just enough of everything. Breathe a sigh of relief.
8:35 I know we are supposed to "actively monitor" the students. But I figure to be constantly looking over their shoulder would make them more nervous. I read a book. Also, 3 of the students are taking naps. Wish I could.
11:10 Time for lunch. We all eat together like a happy family.
1:10 First test handed in.
2:30 Roxy asks to go the bathroom. She is done with her test. I let her go. As she leaves she grabs another girls purse. I figure no big deal.
2:35 Roxy returns and returns the purse.
2:40 Break out the coloring books.
2:45 Assistant Principal comes in and asks for Roxy.
3:15 The Assistant Principal comes in and asks to see my seating chart. He says, "We have a serious problem." I go "What?" He grabs the girl with the purse out into the hallway and I go outside also to see what the problem was. "Where is the cell phone?" he asked. She denied it. "We know you have a cell phone. Now, where is it?" She broke down and gave him the phone.
3:45 Last test turned in.
3:55 Took all tests to the TAKS person. Counted, signed and over....
4:00 Left the school with a big headache.
(Roxy called her Dad. Her Dad turned her in about the cell phone. Go figure.)
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