Sunday, April 26, 2015

#Iwishmyteacherknew

Last week, teacher Kyle Schwartz gave his 3rd graders a Post-It note and had them to complete the statement "I wish my teacher knew..."  The results were heartbreaking, heartwarming, and inspiring.  It really put into perspective what our kids have to deal with on a daily basis.  The assignment was so touching that a coworker and I decided to try it ourselves.  The results weren't so heartbreaking, heartwarming, or inspiring.  Somewhere between the idea to have them answer the question and the actual writing we forgot that we teach high school kids and they aren't right.  We were quickly reminded as we read through the cards.












I mean, really kids?!  It's our fault.  We've known these kids all year.  We should've known better. They weren't all bad.  I had some sweet ones and some troubling ones.  I'll share those tomorrow.

This past Friday was a very eventful day at my school.  We had a situation and had to be placed on lock down.  Pretty scary stuff!  In the midst of us all panicking (because of lack of information), we failed to lock the doors to the 9th grade wing where my classroom in located.  Because my classroom is on the end right by the door, I have the key to lock the door in case of an emergency situation.  The teacher on the other end of the hall has a key as well.  I told my seniors that I had to go lock the door and that I'd be right back and to stay in the room and to not open the door for anybody.  Two of my football players refused to let me go alone so we go and lock the door.  In the meantime, the teacher at the end of the hall can't find her key meaning I had to walk all the way to the end of the hall exposing myself to whatever had us on lock down.  Again, the football players refused to let me go alone.  We ran full speed to the end of the hall and get the door locked.  For whatever reason, the door made a loud POP sound when I locked it.  About the same time the custodian rounded the corner from the outside of the building. 
Me: *frozen* (I haven't processed what is happening yet)
Medium sized football player: *also frozen*
Biggest football player who volunteered to walk with me: "Oh, shit! We're shot!" *stumbles and falls over himself as he runs up the hall leaving us while we're still trying to process what is happening.*
Me and medium football player: *finally unfreeze and figure out that it's the custodian*  To big football player "Man, how you gon' volunteer to be bodyguard and leave us?!"
Big football player: "Man, that man scared me!  I didn't know who he was!"
Me: "You're fired forever from being the bodyguard."

At least I know where I stand with that kid.  At the first sign of danger, I'm a goner.  LOL!  The situation ended up being something small, but our admins chose to be careful rather than sorry.  Of course, the media made it seem like there were 50 shooters in the building and the kids were rioting and everybody was dead.  None of that happened.  A kid wasn't supposed to be at school, he got caught, he tried to run, didn't get far, there was a scuffle, he lost again, situation over.  The end.  

We have 4 more Mondays where I am!  How many do you have?  Are your kids crazy like mine are?  Just keep holding on!  The end is near!