The flu and cold is taking the toll in the school. Half the students are absent, it probably won't be any better tomorrow. If they are not sick, they will have court.
I found out one student had a stroke....no I'm not kidding, he's had brain damage from a car accident and is brain damaged, and he wants to graduate dammit.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
figured out the problem
We know why one class is acting up, we just get the aggitators out and the rest do the work.
No solution, half the class are agitators.
No solution, half the class are agitators.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Fight! Fight!
Fights are not that unusual at our school. Heck the week I was hired they had one, it was only the second day of school.
Girl fights of course have to be the worse.
There has been a fight brewing for a long time between one girl, another who is pregnant and the pregnant girl's three buddies. The pregnant one jumped the other on the bus. While the counselors and SRO were breaking it up they got the girl off the bus, handcuffed. One counselor took the other girl away.
When the SRO was putting the handcuffs on the girl in front of her, she started fighting again, he had no choice but to "put her down" on the car hood. And her buddy cousin who I was trying to calm down started freaking. "She's pregnant you'll hurt the baby." Cousin hadn't been there when the counselors and SRO were telling the girl the same thing, that if she didn't calm down she'd hurt the baby. So pregnant one, attackee, and cousin are going to jail.
None of my kids, 8th grade, have heard of the Minotaur myth. I'm trying to find one online along with the illustrations. Trying to find an illustration in the Grecian style that I dare show this kids is a challenge. Any nudity or suggestion of it, even in classical art has them breaking apart.
Girl fights of course have to be the worse.
There has been a fight brewing for a long time between one girl, another who is pregnant and the pregnant girl's three buddies. The pregnant one jumped the other on the bus. While the counselors and SRO were breaking it up they got the girl off the bus, handcuffed. One counselor took the other girl away.
When the SRO was putting the handcuffs on the girl in front of her, she started fighting again, he had no choice but to "put her down" on the car hood. And her buddy cousin who I was trying to calm down started freaking. "She's pregnant you'll hurt the baby." Cousin hadn't been there when the counselors and SRO were telling the girl the same thing, that if she didn't calm down she'd hurt the baby. So pregnant one, attackee, and cousin are going to jail.
None of my kids, 8th grade, have heard of the Minotaur myth. I'm trying to find one online along with the illustrations. Trying to find an illustration in the Grecian style that I dare show this kids is a challenge. Any nudity or suggestion of it, even in classical art has them breaking apart.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
let truth be on my lips
We have a reward system. Students get "money" for good behavior or behavior out of the ordinary. It allows them them priviledges. This 2 weeks it was playing basketball as teams, enough points and you can be a captain. We noticed one problem student with a huge wad of it. The teachers got together at a meeting and started asking who was giving him money. None of us had been or not that much. To qualify the money needs the student's name, our signatures and dates. Finally the administrator took a look at them, walking him around the school asking each teacher to verify the signatures. Sure enough he had forged them. That doesn't bother me, not really. What does is he is keeping to his story that he put his money down on a table and somebody must have put all those forged "bills" into the stack.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
troubles not my own
"god, now that I'm done with the day I want to thank you for it.
Thank you for the cold weather, we need it to kill bugs and to make me appreciate the summer more. Thank you for the near flooding rains we have may they help our nearly deplited aquifer. I thank you for my health, compared to other women my age, I'm gonna live forever, Thank you for my children who are a constant joy and a source of "no fake, this really is what he did, wait for the punch line..." stories. Thank you for my 1.st 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th class, they all worked hard and were a joy to teach. Now, can you do something about my 2nd period class which is also my seventh. Can you help Michael who's mom is in rehab, please let him be able to sit still for 5 minutes. Help Jonathon, who's father is in prison and mother is on dialysis do what I say without arguing, the "I can't take my test because I need lotion" was a hoot. Help Fred who may be bipolar control his anger and who is an angel sometimes and other times his head should start spinning 360s. About Ralph who has tourette's help him realize that the girl who he thinks he loves is using him. Help Kevin...well help Kevin realize there is a reason he repeated 2 grade, and its not because he's cute like he thinks. Help David not to be a clown, and help Josh who is trying settle down and get to work, one more write up and he's back in detention at the childrens' home.
God, if its part of your plan not to help them...could you help me. could you give me wisdom to deal with them to help them change, or please, let me find a way to be more patient with them.
Thank you for the cold weather, we need it to kill bugs and to make me appreciate the summer more. Thank you for the near flooding rains we have may they help our nearly deplited aquifer. I thank you for my health, compared to other women my age, I'm gonna live forever, Thank you for my children who are a constant joy and a source of "no fake, this really is what he did, wait for the punch line..." stories. Thank you for my 1.st 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th class, they all worked hard and were a joy to teach. Now, can you do something about my 2nd period class which is also my seventh. Can you help Michael who's mom is in rehab, please let him be able to sit still for 5 minutes. Help Jonathon, who's father is in prison and mother is on dialysis do what I say without arguing, the "I can't take my test because I need lotion" was a hoot. Help Fred who may be bipolar control his anger and who is an angel sometimes and other times his head should start spinning 360s. About Ralph who has tourette's help him realize that the girl who he thinks he loves is using him. Help Kevin...well help Kevin realize there is a reason he repeated 2 grade, and its not because he's cute like he thinks. Help David not to be a clown, and help Josh who is trying settle down and get to work, one more write up and he's back in detention at the childrens' home.
God, if its part of your plan not to help them...could you help me. could you give me wisdom to deal with them to help them change, or please, let me find a way to be more patient with them.
Monday, January 15, 2007
I'm deranged
Its my day off.
I've finished my lesson plans and decide to make the 20 mile plus trek to school on the day off. Why? I'm pretty sure that the admin people will be there working and I can use the copier to get ready for the week. Yep they are there. One reason is that two of my classes have no textbooks. Our state is redoing science textbooks, this is a new school we have few resources on hand. There is no need to purchase textbooks when next year we will have to get new ones. So I use worksheets that I make and web print ups to make a plastic comb bound books for the students. So they were copied and bound and ready to go for a week or so. My students have poor organizational skills, so folders and binders don't really work for them.
I've finished my lesson plans and decide to make the 20 mile plus trek to school on the day off. Why? I'm pretty sure that the admin people will be there working and I can use the copier to get ready for the week. Yep they are there. One reason is that two of my classes have no textbooks. Our state is redoing science textbooks, this is a new school we have few resources on hand. There is no need to purchase textbooks when next year we will have to get new ones. So I use worksheets that I make and web print ups to make a plastic comb bound books for the students. So they were copied and bound and ready to go for a week or so. My students have poor organizational skills, so folders and binders don't really work for them.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Two swipes for the good guys
One student who has been out for a while, he simply told that he was going to jobcore but never did, is back. And he has changed. He's never been stupid, but he didn't want to work. He's in ISS/boot camp for a time. He's talking to me, doing his work and asking for help. I don't know what happenned but its an awesome change. I hope he gets better.
Another student in ISS/boot camp, she was fighting with another girl, made an A on her make up semester test. Her voice caught when I told her.
Another student in ISS/boot camp, she was fighting with another girl, made an A on her make up semester test. Her voice caught when I told her.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Annnnd he's off!
The first class of the day is GED. Most of the students who try in this class have already made the minimum they need, have left and some even have finished and gotten their GEDs. The ones in now have always been in who make no effort and others who came in when slots became open.
Normally the GED teacher is with me, but she's been in the hospital.
Then there is Nathan. Its Nathan's first day in GED. He's court ordered to attend school, he thinks he'll just pass the GED and get out. I've had him before in the regular science class and I want the best for him. I don't let him slide which is what he wants. He thinks cussing will get me rilled, since he's never cussed me I let that part slide. But I don't give him slack, I don't let him just sit the corner. My comment was "I will ride him like a carousel pony." I can get work out of him. He's been skipping school and avoiding the police for something. Finally turned himself to court and got the usual "go to school, stay out of trouble..." routine.
Class starts, "everybody sit down." Somebody said something to Nathan which riled him. Did I mention he's a coward, and about ...oh 400 pounds, okay closer to 250 but none of its muscle. So Nathan gets mad walks away and goes to another student not involved, says "get out of my seat little boy." and kicks his chair. Call box is hit and a I call for campus police, while ordering him out of the class. This starts a tirade of cussing, the cop can hear him in the hall.
So he's suspended for a week, and will be in non compliance of the court order.
what a way to go the first day of a new program.
Normally the GED teacher is with me, but she's been in the hospital.
Then there is Nathan. Its Nathan's first day in GED. He's court ordered to attend school, he thinks he'll just pass the GED and get out. I've had him before in the regular science class and I want the best for him. I don't let him slide which is what he wants. He thinks cussing will get me rilled, since he's never cussed me I let that part slide. But I don't give him slack, I don't let him just sit the corner. My comment was "I will ride him like a carousel pony." I can get work out of him. He's been skipping school and avoiding the police for something. Finally turned himself to court and got the usual "go to school, stay out of trouble..." routine.
Class starts, "everybody sit down." Somebody said something to Nathan which riled him. Did I mention he's a coward, and about ...oh 400 pounds, okay closer to 250 but none of its muscle. So Nathan gets mad walks away and goes to another student not involved, says "get out of my seat little boy." and kicks his chair. Call box is hit and a I call for campus police, while ordering him out of the class. This starts a tirade of cussing, the cop can hear him in the hall.
So he's suspended for a week, and will be in non compliance of the court order.
what a way to go the first day of a new program.
Starting off
My husband has just won a bet with himself.
Since I read blogs, he figured eventually I'd start one.
As the profile says, I am a non traditional teacher, though I started teacher training, had to stop then just get my degree. Life happened and happened again, and I got a masters with non traditional training. I teach science. All of them. The kids in the school are "problem kids" or I refer to them as "usual suspects".
Ain't we a set?
My kids are safe to turn you back to, usually. They are not serious criminals, though many have occassion with the court system, drug use, petty theft, fights.
No I've received no serious special training, the model is "modify and adjust". What I have is knowledge, a staff with high morale, a counselor who lets me gripe in her office, and a sense of humor. Also a sense of proportion, I'm trying to win the war, not every battle. Everyday is a new experience. 10 new kids in the class because one school finished up the paper work to send them, adjust. Only kid in class but one because its court day, modify.
Since I read blogs, he figured eventually I'd start one.
As the profile says, I am a non traditional teacher, though I started teacher training, had to stop then just get my degree. Life happened and happened again, and I got a masters with non traditional training. I teach science. All of them. The kids in the school are "problem kids" or I refer to them as "usual suspects".
Ain't we a set?
My kids are safe to turn you back to, usually. They are not serious criminals, though many have occassion with the court system, drug use, petty theft, fights.
No I've received no serious special training, the model is "modify and adjust". What I have is knowledge, a staff with high morale, a counselor who lets me gripe in her office, and a sense of humor. Also a sense of proportion, I'm trying to win the war, not every battle. Everyday is a new experience. 10 new kids in the class because one school finished up the paper work to send them, adjust. Only kid in class but one because its court day, modify.
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