4.8.11- TGIF

This week has been LONG!!!! And I've decided I am no longer announcing quizzes because there is always at least 1 student that wants to act out and get ignorant all because she didn't study and feels under prepared.  Well if I surprise it on them they cant have a game plan to act the fool.

We were reviewing balancing equations at the beginning of class and I asked for everyone's attention. I was also explaining how a quiz is just like an indicator light in a car.  If your tank is full you can see the gauge bear the F or if its empty its all the way down by the E.  Quizzes are just like that fuel gauge to indicate how much they understand and know about the current unit.  Well as I am trying to reasure them because they have NO confidence in themselves  I had a few girls just chatting away and not listening. They had been doing this most of the class since it started. Well the one that yelled out and was being inappropriate got the you need to take your quiz outside in the hallway consequence.  She wouldnt listen to me explain to her what she needed to do so I started barking for like 30 seconds.  The other students were like she's barking at you.  The student didnt get it so I had to explain to her since she didnt seem to understand what I was saying in English that maybe I should try some other language for her to understand.

She simply refused to leave the class even after I dragged a table and chair out there for her so I called a hall monitor.  When he arrived I was like she had multiple opportunities to correct her behavior and follow directions. Unfortunately she was choosing to do what SHE wanted to do so I asked him to take her with him. She refused his requests at first and I was like ok we can go to the next level if necessary but she's not going to delay my class with disruptions any further.  She finally got up and left and was like she was being disrespectful by barking at me.  I had to just laugh because this poor, sad student still failed to realize that HER ACTIONS got her to this place.

When these kids fail because they don't come to class, listen, pay attention, do the work and turn it in they will not be able to blame anyone else but themselves.  But at the end of the day class went on and the remaining students managed to get engaged and take some initiative to do their own work.

I need some mini marker boards for them to use at their desks because I think that helps them to work through their assignments independently.

1.7.11-First Fridays

The first week of 2011 is over and done. I can't believe how it feels so much later in the month though. It seems like New Years was weeks ago.   Funny.

During my lunch break today I went to the bank to deposit some moolah to pay my mortgage payment.  As I walked in the door the security dude was like please remove your hat before entering. I was like huh? do what? why?  Finally I just took the thing off and walked in to the bank.  I just thought it was hilarious that me taking my hat off increases the security of the bank. If thats whats protecting my money then I dont think I want to leave my money in that bank to begin with. I'm just saying.

Anyhoo, the school day was interesting.  my girls showed up late like usual and I even wondered if I would have class today.  They slowly trickled in to the room.  The first half of class was some butt because the girls would not stop talking. I sent my "ring leader" out in the hallway but that was met with opposition at first. 25 minutes into class I was like look if you all are going to keep talking over me go out in  the hallway and finish your conversation.  No one moved.  But it didn't get quiet either. I called out specific names of students being rude and talking.  To no avail they would not quiet down. So I again repeated if they insist on having discussions in my class while I am teaching they need to step outside in the hallway and when they are done they can return to my class.  I was getting annoyed because other students that wanted to learn kept commenting that they couldnt hear.

Finally I was like if you want to remain in class you need to stop talking. If you can't stop talking go in the hallway and finish your conversation, but you will not sit in my room and talk over me.  So either sit here quietly or shut the hell up.  Oh that got them going.  They were like dont cuss at us Ms. D.  I'm like hell is a bad place not a bad word and you all say much worse things so I don't want to hear it. They were like we are going to call Mr. Green in here. I was like GOOD bring him in. You act like thats a threat and like I'm scared.  One student was like you could get fired. And I was like that would be the best thing to happen to me, because i'd be free of this place and I don't need this job.  I could feel myself getting upset so I fell back and I was like I don't need this job, I'm not here for the money. I teach because I WANT TO BE HERE and what pisses me off is that you all keep being disrespectful and talking while I'm trying to teach.  I started getting preachy about how they are not aware of the great big world thats outside their tiny little self-absorbed teenage lives and by the time they realize what they should have done it will be too late.

My principal showed up and I told him exactly what I said verbatim and then I pointed out the students that were causing trouble and they all moved away from the table as if to say I'm not part of that mess.  One other student who had complained about the noise chimed in and was like Ms. D was real about what she did and didn't lie you all need to own up to talking and what not and stop acting like kids.  My Principal looked at me and was like have a nice day.

I went back to teaching and the 2nd half of class was so much better.  But why did I have to go through all that BS earlier for it to get to that point? I dont get these chics.