4th week reflections

Wow! What an exhausting last few weeks I’ve had! Between my personal life and my professional life, I have been so incredibly busy. Last week, my stepfather was changing the oil in his minivan when the jack failed and the van fell on him. We were at the hospital all weekend, but miraculously, he went home on Tuesday with a fractured skull, shattered cheek, some swelling on his brain, and more fractures in his face than the doctor’s can count. But he’s alive, and we’re grateful!

I think I’m getting a hang of this teaching thing. I have my good days and my bad days. I realize I have been letting the kids walk all over me more then I sould have, so I’m cracking down. And they hate me right now. I have been calling parents left and right. It feels good to build partnerships with them — most want to help me out.

I’ve written 2 referrals so far. One for a student who yelled the F-word in the middle of silent reading (school policy) and 1 to the student with whom I’ve been having issues since day 1. His mother refuses to return any of my calls, emails, or letters I’ve mailed home. He’s been in ISS and cross-teamed as a result of his disruptive behavior, but that doesn’t work. We found out this week that he is a special education student (he has a 504 and an IEP from his last school), but 5 weeks into the school year, we still don’t have this documentation. Lovely.

I had to attend a full-day planning session on Thursday, and I came back to a glowing sub report. Only one student was disrespectful, 2 refused to do the work, and 1 lied about having finished the work. The sub said the rest of my students were wonderful, and he had a great day. I was thrilled. But why aren’t they that well-bahaved for me?!?!

I”ve been observed by my principal twice, by the LA AP twice, and by 7th grade AP once. All the reports have been positive, so I’m feeling good about this gig.

I want to leave you with something I’m really proud of: my students’ writing. Enjoy!

“School is a drag like watching ants cross the road or laying on your stiff bed watching the painted walls crumble on your bedsheets.”

“Every time I come to school, my brain is smushed like cars colliding.”

“Then you have to fly like an eagle to catch the bus to school, bouncing so hard you have to cling to the seat to keep from slamming into the seat in front of you.”

“I had to go in and out of the house, back and forth with a half gallon bucket of bleach, soap, Lysol, laundry soap, and Fabuloso.”

“One time I saw the guy’s face, and my bones nearly popped out of my face from rattling and shaking so much.”

“We scattered like a herd of zebra running from a cheetah.”