Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Christmas Break!

Christmas break is almost over.  That makes me sad.  During the break I've taken a nap everyday, shopped, gotten a pedicure and massage, and done absolutely nothing.  It's been awesome.  I will definitely be refreshed and recharged for the remaining 5 months of school.  The school year tends to fly by after Christmas.  I love it!  The kids also get a little antsy because they know school is almost out.  It's gets really bad at the end of March/beginning of April when the sap rises.  I pray that I have the patience to deal with them.  As the break draws to an end I want to leave a little advice for teachers and parents.

To the teachers:
  • You have what you say.  If you say you have bad kids, then you have bad kids.  If you say you have good kids, then you have good kids.  It works. Trust me.
  • It's the time of year where kids and teachers get a little stressed out due to *cue evil music* STATE TESTS.  Teachers, please remember that the kids have just as much pressure on them to pass as you do to make sure they pass.  Check your attitude and act accordingly.
  • Teachers who have to help with state test, ie watching other people's classes, giving up your room for tests, administering/proctoring, please do not whine and complain about it.  The rest of us don't care.  We are all affected by SATPs.  If anyone should be griping, it should be the kids.  They actually have to take the tests. 
  • It's also the time of year where we're pretty solid in knowing who's going to pass or fail.  Don't give up on the ones that are right on the edge.  They may pull it off with a little encouragement from you. 
  • Look at how you teach and manage your classroom.  Would your favorite teacher be proud?  If not, fix it.  Shelia would be proud most days:)
  • Treat each student like the person they're capable of becoming not like the turd you see sitting in front of you.  If you treat a student like a jailbird, then guess what? You may be their next victim.  I've seen it happen.  Each child has gifts and talents on the inside of them.  They need someone to help them pull it out.  Why not be that somebody?
  • Treat every child as they are your own.  This is hard for me because I don't have kids.  I try to treat them how I would want mine treated.  Sometimes I suck at this but I give it my best effort. 
  • And finally, keep fighting the good fight!
To the parents:
  • Please do not call or email your child's teacher raising all kinds of cane because you just noticed your child is failing.  They've been failing since August.  Where have you been?
  • If your child is failing and you have been in contact with the teacher regularly, now is the time to ask what your child needs to do to pass.  A lot of times teachers will work with kids if they are willing to work.  If the parent and the child are concerned with the grades then teachers are more willing to help a child pass.  If you don't contact the teacher we'll assume that you're a parent who doesn't care about their child's progress. *side note I had a student who had failed my class twice, meaning she was in my class 3 times, and I didn't meet her mother until the 3rd year.  Lack of parental involvement is detrimental in a kid's academic success.*
  • On Parent-Teacher Conference Day, show up!  And ask questions.  Normally only the parents we don't need to talk to show up.  We need to talk to the parents whose kids who have Ds and Fs.
  • When you do come to PTCD please don't say, "This is the 1st I've heard/seen of him misbehaving and failing.  Why haven't you contacted me?"  Uuhh... The phone number we have is disconnected or wrong. 
  • That brings me to my next point, if you have a child that you know isn't the sweetest child and you haven't heard from his teachers, check to make sure the school has your updated contact information. 
  • Remember, teachers are not the enemy.  We are there to help.  You may not like our methods, rules, or delivery but we do what we feel is best for our kids. 
  • On PTCD or any conference day really, please do not tell us that your child is not capable of certain behaviors and that he doesn't behave that way at home.  We don't have time to sit around and make up stories about your child.  Chances are if we're calling you about it, then it's happening.  We don't like to call just for the fun of it. 
  • And finally, just like I told the teachers, keep fighting the good fight!  It's almost over.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

All is fair in war and lunch!

As I mentioned Tuesday, one of my coworkers thought it'd be a good idea to let me get eaten by a rat.  Naturally I wasn't going to let that go.  I had to get him back.  Yesterday during 7th period he left campus.  As soon as he backed out of his parking space operation "Don't mess with Griff" took flight.  I prepped my kids for the plan ahead of time so they were ready for action.  The lookouts took their places and the others began working.  All of his student desks were stacked on top of each other.  His bookcase was moved to the opposite side of the room.  The podium was put on top of the stacks of desks.  His teacher desk was moved up against the wall.  Then the words "Ha Ha" were spelled out with books.  It was great!  As class went on I kept thinking about what was done and how we could cover up the fact that it was me who did it.  Right before class ended I had my kids mess up my room really bad so it would look like both rooms were vandalized.  Well, this morning I get a phone call from the assistant principal asking if I had vandalized my room. 
Principal: "G, did you vandalize your room yesterday?"
Me:  "Why would I do that? That's silly"
Principal: "Well somebody vandalized your room."
Me: "They did what? Is it bad?"
Principal:  "It's pretty bad.  I'll just let you look at it when you get here."
Me: "Was I the only class?"
Principal:  "No, (insert name) room was hit too."
Me: "Really?"
Principal: "Yeah, we're about to go get (head principal) now and pull the tape over the last 12 hours or so."
Me:  "Is it really that bad to where we have to get (head principal) involved?"
Principal:  "Yes."
Me: *panicking slightly on the inside* No you don't have to do that. I think I know who did it."
Principal:  "Who?"
Me: "I messed up (insert name)'s room."
Principal:  "We'll talk about it when you get here."

I was going to let this go as long as I could but he just got all serious with it.  *rolling my eyes*  Anyway, I got to school and assistant principal is cracking up.  Everybody is laughing except rat teacher.  He's mad.  I mean he's pissed.  I don't know if he knew it was me at that point.  When he found out it was me he laughed a little then tried to explain himself.  I didn't really care because it was funny to me.  He pouted about it for the majority of the morning.  Hopefully he learned his lesson.  If there's a rat, tell me!!!  LOL

Yesterday was early release Wednesday aka Professional Development Day.  This was one of the better ones because it was something that we could actually use in our classrooms.  It had something to do with movement in the classroom.  I tried some of the stuff today and most of the kids enjoyed it.  I had a few that couldn't figure out what any of what we did had to do with learning or helping them learn.  I had no answer because I obviously wasn't paying attention.  Ha.  I told them it had something to do with blood flow to the brain being restricted when you're sitting too long and if you're moving around the blood can get to your brain and you can think.  I don't think they bought it.  Hey, I tried.

I got evaluated today during 4th period.  It went well considering the fact that I had no plan for the day.  Well, I did but it was the wrong plan.  My 4th period somehow got a day ahead of my other classes and I didn't realize it.  So I pull out the stuff for today and they're like "we already did this." I'm standing there looking like crap.  So I just stood up there and improvised.  The kids knew what was going on so they went with it.  It was great.  I even implemented some of the strategies we learned in the workshop.  I'm sure that got me a few high marks.  When the administrator did leave, my kids were relieved.  I guess they were tired of pretending.  LOL.  They're something else.

6.6 more days until Christmas break!  Ooo-wa! Ooo-wa!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Stranger Danger! Stranger Danger!

So today one of my co-workers set me up.  It was time for lunch and as usual I go to the kitchen area and get my lunch out of the fridge.  As I go be-bopping in the office, there's a freakin' mouse!  A mouse!  I did what every woman would do.  I screamed, hollered, and ran.  As I'm on the verge of hysteria one of my male co-workers comes out of his classroom killing himself laughing at my hysterics.  He then proceeds to tell me that he was waiting on me to go in there so he could laugh.  What a turd!  There was a parent in the office at the time and she had to come check on me.  LOL.  He just doesn't know... He's started a war... *evil laugh*

Conversations overheard in other teacher's classes:
“Uh huh!  There are some countries where cows or chickens bark.  If you see a Spanish animal, their language changes just like the people.”

"Coach So and So, don’t some cows like produce chocolate milk?” 

"Boys run faster than girls cuz they got more stamea than girls"

Today everyone's favorite administrator was on my hall.  One of my boys had asked if he could step outside and fix his pants.  I said yes.  As the kid was adjusting or whatever it was that he was doing the administrator walks by. 
Principal: "Boy! Whatchu doing out here in this hallway?"
Kid: "I'm fixing my pants"
Principal:  "You need to get yourself together! All at school looking sloppity sloppy!"
Kids in classroom: *dying with laughter*

Most of the time my kids crack me up and provide me with endless amounts of stories and entertainment.  The past few days they've been breaking my heart.  I've got a sensitive group this year and everything affects them.  Sunday during basketball practice one of the players was in a funk.  I mean a BIG funk.  Well, he had to run punishment laps because he had gotten a detention.  He didn't want to run them.  He walked them.  Coach told him to run.  He walked a little faster and swung his arms.  Coach got onto him for being disrespectful and told him to get it together or turn in his jersey.  He took the jersey off and called his ride.  Everybody is puzzled by this because this is so out of character for him.  After practice his mom wanted to talk to the coach to find out what happened.  They talked and she said that the kid said the same thing.  She was at a loss like the rest of us were so she asked coach to talk to him.  Coach pulls kid aside and tries to talk to him.  Kid completely shuts down saying he doesn't want to talk about it because it hurts too bad.  Of course this sends up all kinds of red flags.  Coach prods him a little more and basically what happened was that his dad dropped him off at the mom's house.  The mom told the dad that they were about to leave and the dad cursed the mom out and an argument stemmed from there.  That upset the kid so bad that he couldn't practice.  He said he just couldn't get that out of his head.  I just wanted to hug him.  He's such a good kid that's trying really hard to do well in everything.  Parents, please be careful what you say in front of your kids.  It really does have an affect on them. 

That's just one instance of the sadness that's filled my heart concerning my kids.  I don't want y'all all crying reading my blog so I'll save it.  Only 7.6 more days until Christmas break!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Teachers drink because of these things...



























One of my coworkers sent this to me and I thought it was pretty funny.  Enjoy!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

"We don't know what you packing!"

Today my repeaters were discussing the hostage situation in Wisconsin that happened Monday.  I asked them what they thought caused him to do this since the papers haven't said what triggered this.  I then asked them what, if anything, would cause them to want to hold their teachers and/or classmates hostage.  They said nothing is that serious to them.  They asked me if I was afraid that would happen to me and what would I do if it did.  I'm not afraid and if it did happen I'd call on Jesus.  Toward the end of the discussion one of them made this comment.  "Miss G, you ain't got to worry about us holding you hostage.  We don't know what you packing!"  LOL!  It's good that they recognize my gangster.  Ha!

Today was rather boring.  We had class in the library today because of the state test retest so my kids were a little off today.  They don't do change well. 

Yesterday was the English II retest and a few of the kids were really nervous as well they should be.  All state tests have to be passed before a kid can graduate high school.  A lot of the kids testing were seniors.  How would you feel if you were a senior on the verge of not graduating because you couldn't pass the state test?  Well obviously some of my coworkers failed to understand this yesterday.  They were downright rude and ugly to one particular student during her meltdown.  It took all I had to hold my tongue.  As an educator, you should be concerned with your students.  It doesn't matter what type of behavioral issues the child has had in the past or how you feel about the child personally.  You should encourage all of them.  Maybe if she was being encouraged from the beginning instead of being written off as a "drama queen" she wouldn't have nervous breakdowns before the test.  I understand she has made a reputation for herself but she still needs her teachers, counselors, and administrators rallying around her encouraging her to do her best.  Standing there calling her a drama queen is not going to help her.  If I treated some of my coworkers the way I really felt about them I'd have a lot of enemies.  Ok, let me get off my soapbox.  I just get so irritated and upset when somebody is picking on my kids.  If I get this upset over my students I can only imagine how I'll be with my own kids.  Y'all better watch out!

11.6 more days until Christmas break!  Remember the book drive!