P*nis!

The first three months of my teaching career have been very informative.  For instance, do not start out the year as a "relaxed" teacher, apparently it gives the impression to the students that you will let them get away with practically anything.

Just when I thought I had a handle on the whole classroom behavior management thing.

Two weeks ago Monday started out just fine.  I felt like my students were learning, which is a big deal for me.  Then, as my second class was wrapping up 8th grade Girl Student yelled, "F--- what?"  No, she wasn't swearing at me, but when your... stupid enough to swear loud enough for the entire class to hear?  I gave her detention, but in reflecting on this I should have sent her to the office.

In my last class of Monday one of the sweetest (?) boy students I have yelled across the room to another boy, "Your mother raped you as a child!"

Detention.  Yes, what he said was awful, but that class was terrible, and there were some comments made by his classmates that I should have sent them to the office for... and because I was a terrible teacher I didn't.  The 8th grader who did the yelling had been bullied all day, and he didn't quite know how to burn off that steam.  Ugh.

The next day 9th grad Boy Student said the F* word in class.  Not as loud, but I heard it, so I gave him detention too.  I have creepy hearing.  I have been informed by my principal that there are some things I need to "pretend" I don't hear.

I'm working on it.

But, that week not being over yet (we're only on Tuesday), there was plenty of time for my students to further demonstrate to me how they interpreted my management of their behavior.

Thursday, 9th grade class, we're transitioning from free write to the lesson.  It is quiet.  Students are being respectful and cleaning off their desks.  And then.

"PENIS!"

He had perfect timing.  Everything was silent.  I was livid.  LIVID.  "Outside!"  I said sternly.

"I said it," he said.

"You really think I'm going to let that go?" I said, using my meanest voice.

He stood up in a bit of a daze and went outside, I wrote a letter the the principle that read "said 'penis' out loud in class."

The worst part was I had to yell at the rest of the class to get them back on track.  My creepy hearing kept hearing them say "penis...penis...penis" talking about what had just happened.  I had to sternly inform them that such language was not funny and would not be tolerated.

The best part is that I have a helper teacher that period.  I was so embarrassed.  (I must add, the principal made 9th grade boy call his mother and repeat what he said, which made 9th grader extremely embarrassed.  I am milking that for what it's worth in my professional relationship with 9th grade boy.  Ha!  Say penis in my class!)

So.  That was, quite frankly, a shitty week.  Since then I have become a much more strict and unrelenting teacher, which is no fun for me, but  I have to focus on making my classroom feel safe for everybody.  Things are improving, but I am continually having to reinforce procedures, which is what I should have been doing all along.

Blasted.

I should add that I really love teaching.  This is the right place for me to be.

Schooled

The first quarter of my teaching career wrapped up at the end of October and all I can really say about that is THANK GOD!!!!

Man.

With the start of a new quarter I feel like I'm catching my stride and starting to know who I am as a teacher.  I was worried for a while that my approach wasn't going to work, but I am starting to see some changes in my students.  I believe I've convinced a few resistant students to start paying attention and give themselves a chance -- I am the most excited about that.  I can't stand the kid who gives up before s/he's even started.

JG is doing really well too, she is loving daycare.  There have been a few times when Alex goes to pick her up she throws a fit, as in, "How dare you try to tear me from this fantastic place!" fit.

The benefit of daycare for us is how much she's learning.  Holy mother, so much learning, far more than what I'm capable of teaching her at home.  The other day she pointed at a face on the cover of a book and said, "Happy."

She was right, the face was smiling, the character was happy.

Oh, and JG is really popular with the other kids, including the older kids.  The other morning we walked in and are instantly surrounded by three and four year olds saying "JG!  JG!  Are you JG's mom?" and then they make a face at her -- this scrunchy face she makes

(Pinch your lips together and scrunch your nose as if something is stinky, that's the face she makes)

which apparently caught on with the kids and the teenagers who help out too.

I have no idea where my child inherited the gene for popularity, but she oozes it.  Everybody loves her.  Strangers at the market (sometimes uncomfortably so), my students (I had to take her to school for a bit one day), her teachers and classmates.

When I leave her at daycare I usually tell her to be good, and her teachers say, "Oh, JG is always good." They say that with a big smile.

It's also crazy how articulate she is for a 17-month-old.  New words to add to her list:

Shoes
jacket
tickle
baby
out
owl
ear
eyes
mouth
juice
hug
read
book (she likes to say "Read book")
grampa

Can you believe that?

And she dances and sings nursery rhymes she's learned at daycare, which seems to be her favorite thing in the world:


Okay, I'll stop pontificating now, and shall work harder next time to resume the use of my sarcastic voice.

Which, by the way, typically hurts the feelings of 8th and 9th graders.

Who would've thunk?