Sub vs. Students

Broken cat, broken trust.

So of course there has to be some sort of conflict with the sub.

Sub's story:
- a stack of homework passes that I provided for the sub to give to "good" students went missing
- said any of three students could have taken it
- had put the stack on the overhead projector, and then the next moment, they were gone

Now, I've only taught for a little more than a month, but I'm pretty sure of these two things:
a) It is a seriously DUMB ASS idea to put anything temptation-worthy in an open, high traffic space without intense supervision.
b) I believe those three accused students slightly more than the sub.

(Side question: Does this make me gullible? Or does this make my students really good liars? Or have I fallen into the trap of believing my students because I want to see only the good in them, and thus I've become blinded to their faults? This worries me....must do more reflection on this topic.)

I did speak to all three today. I also spoke to my "eyes and ears" (the students who I asked to take notes of what happened during the class) who were surprisingly detailed. Nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. According to all records (even the sub's notes; minus the theft of course), it was basically like I had been there.

In the end, I decided to make all homework passes invalid, as well as cutting off using it as a prize for the rest of the term. Homework passes are a privilege. I give them out because I want my students to have a meaningful reward for their hard work. But somehow, that failed. They were too greedy, and now the system is ruined for everyone.

On a related note: I've got to balance give students a second chance/self-correction with having them serve the consequence of their actions. So far this year, I've only given one detention, and I had a student write a formal apology letter to another student. By this time last year, in the 5th-6th split class, I had given out AT LEAST 10 recess detentions. There is no comparison in maturity with elementary and middle school. There must be even less in high school.

But still. Gotta work on cracking down and following through. I don't want to be too much of a softie on them. They need to follow through with their actions too.

Sub day

Not in the pool, but thinking about swimming.

Today was my first sub day of the year. I wonder how it went? Were the students well behaved? How did they do on their tests?

Why on earth am I worrying? I'll know soon enough once the weekend is over - and the weekend is usually over way too soon.

Totally feeling achey today from the flu. But I can tell I'm getting better, which is good. It's too much of a clue that I'm a control freak because I don't want a sub to teach my students crazy math things.

But then, the other teachers tell me it's really difficult to find a good math sub. I wonder why?

How is it possible?

Turtle wants to go home.

Q: How is it possible that - being sick - I feel worse at home than I do while teaching at school?

A: Adrenaline, probably. Ugh. I hate being sick. Nyquil is my best friend. The worst part of being sick this time was that having a fever on top of the heat totally wiped my brain of any functioning brain cells. 6th period yesterday was basically an operation of instinct, habit, and sheer force of will.

Q: How is it possible that I've got all the supposedly "bad" kids under control, being responsible, and engaged in class, but the "good" kids are not so much?

A: My training under UTEC, probably. And maybe also because I believe in my students - and the "bad" kids are the ones that have rarely ever had a teacher believe in them. Although you would think it would work with the "good" kids too.

Q: How is it possible that I'm loving this job so much, when only a scant year-and-a-half ago I was seriously thinking of quitting to become an accountant?

A: Miracles happen.

Iriguchi, deguchi, Taguchi desu!

Title of this entry is from a running gag, meaning "That's the entrance, that's the exit, and here's Taguchi!"

Setting: 3rd period pre-algebra class

Context: Reviewing rules and expectations of the classroom. I tell my students to grab lots of tissue before they sit down so that they don't have to get up to get it.

Student: But what if my nose suddenly starts running?

Me: Then you better catch it.

Half the class got it, half didn't. I thought it was pretty clever. Heh.

Record breaking speed

Sick in the 5th week of school! It's a new record! Middle school students are just as gross, if not more so, than elementary kids.

Nyquil, here I come. Good night.

Meeting-ed-out

I am totally meeting-ed-out this week:

Tuesday -- PLC groups to make Smart Goals. 3 hours.

Wednesday -- BTSA orientation. 2 hours. District board meeting. 3 hours (but I only stayed for 1)

Thursday -- Morning PLC group to plan. 1 hour.

Friday -- Staff development day for training on benchmark testing system. 6.5 hours.

Total for the week -- 15.5

I hate meetings. Especially the type where, for some reason, I can't get a grasp on what the speaker(s) are talking about, and then I get resentful because I wish I was in my classroom rearranging the seats of my two pre-algebra classes.

Because one of the other pre-algebra classes from another teacher is getting broken up to make room for an additional geometry class - a geometry class that should have been there on the first day of school any way because there is no physical possibility to fit 37 students in that classroom to begin with.

And thus, I'm absorbing 11 students from that class into my pre-algebra classes. It's going to be crazy on Monday. But I think I can handle it.

Maybe.

Stronger today

A bit clearer.

Today was better.

I would not mind it at all if I taught two half days every week. That would be awesome. I don't even care about the pay decrease. I teach at such a higher quality when well rested and the paper work isn't piling up constantly.

Monday will start fresh - but first, tear apart the old. This makes completely no sense, I suppose. But I see Thoughts Notebook Kid on Monday. I need to make things right with him.

And yes, Thoughts Notebook Kid has a "thoughts" notebook. As in the kind therapists use for emotionally disturbed people. Yeah. A whole school year worth of that. Let's gear up for the fight.

Stronger tomorrow

Streaked and muddy.

Dude.

I would like to say that I love taking minimum days and staff development days. I really do.

I would just prefer to spend those days doing something that pertains to improving my teaching, in an individual way. I don't like doing things that have no point for me.

This must be how some of my students feel. Oh.

One particular student has made today a bad teaching day. The worse thing is, it's not his fault.

Dead bug

Fuzzy bug.

I love my 6th period class. It has the highest number of the most annoying, most air headed, most quick-thinking, and most hilarious kids out of all my classes this year.

I've told them that they are my favorite class because it's the last class of the day. But I like this group for more reasons than that. Reason #1:

Setting: Friday, of the first week of school

Me: ::going on about some math stuff::

Asian Gurl: AHHHHH!!!

Me: ::turns immediately towards her, eyebrows raised, teacher glare on HIGH::

Asian Gurl: There's a bug, Ms. B!

Musician's Son: Ooh! Ooh! Let me get it Ms. B!

Me: Alright, do it quickly and quietly please.

(Entire class silently watches Musician's Son get up, gently scoop up the bug, and walk towards the door)

Musician's Son: Whoops! ::trips on the rug at the door, drops the bug, and steps on it. He stares at the dead bug for half a second, with me and the entire class staring at him. Then, he shrugs and swipes his foot over the bug to scoot it it's carcass out the door::

6th period: ::laughter erupts::

I had tears in my eyes, I was laughing so hard. It was a wonderful moment. And hey, he did do it quickly and quietly - on his part at least.

Third back-to-school night of my career

Also, a student broke my sand dollar from Florida because I stupidly, and stubbornly wanted to use it as a hall pass.

Many parents came.

I talked a lot. It was like teaching two days all in one.

I spent approximately 24 hours at school within a 36 hour period.

I am wiped out.

Ms. B - signing out. Good night.