My internet woes continue. You probably haven't seen me on your blogs since Wednesday, when I snuck some time on the work internet and still had some data left at home. At the moment, it looks like I've exceeded the month's data allowance. Again. Hopefully, things will get cleared up this weekend, so I should get caught up by next week. *fingers crossed*
It was the penultimate week of school and the last Friday of the year. (The room no longer looks like it did above. The teacher had taken all the work off the walls.) The last week of school is all end-of-year activities for the 8th graders, so they were done with class. So done that the teacher had already submitted their final grades.
Friday was their field trip to Knott's Berry Farm. But not every 8th grader could go. If they failed classes or had discipline issues, they could not go. (And a few chose not to go--they didn't want to, didn't have parent permission, or could not afford the ticket.)
The teacher I covered that day was chaperoning. As she had all 8th graders, the only students I had in class were those who did not go. Small classes, but the ones left behind...
Ms. R gave them an assignment to keep them busy. An assignment that she would not grade. She said some of them might figure that out.
Ahem!
Giving 8th graders a do-nothing day is one way to trash a classroom, so I played it like it was an actual assignment.
"I'm not going to do it," one boy informed me. Then he logicked it out. He knew all their work had been turned in. In fact, Ms. R was not accepting any more late work. They had turned in all extra credit. And he knew that his final grade for the class was already recorded with the school.
I did not confirm nor deny.
At least he just sat there. I didn't have to keep after him, like I had to keep after the boy doing backflips onto a beanbag. (I did mention giving 8th graders a free period was a bad idea.)
This was the class with The Visitors. I got a chance to ask. Turns out, the boys did actually belong in that class. They had been suspended for a while (not a month). But they weren't due back that day. Not sure why they came back early. But I didn't encounter them on this day as they had been suspended. Again.
Bummer for the kids who couldn't afford to go. At least it wasn't bad enough you wish you'd gone. (Keeping track of a bunch of eight graders at Knott's Berry Farm? No thanks!)
ReplyDeleteLOL with Alex's comment about keeping track of 8th graders at Knott's. I actually think it would be an easy thing to do; I'm sure they had check in times and basically just got to enjoy their day with their friends.
ReplyDeleteIt does "suck" for those "left behind" especially the ones that would want to go but can't afford to. Keeping them busy could be a long day for all teachers involved.
betty
Which is why most teachers just showed movies. And that's what they expected from me. Ah well.
DeleteThat is horrible when they do end of year activities that cost more than a kid can afford. And the idea of someone else paying does do it for me! I was one of those kids and it is EMBARASSING to be the poor kid. Can't they find activities that won't cost the kids anything? I have the same gripes with our school and even worse with our church!!
ReplyDeleteThe 8th grade activities aren't as expensive as the senior activities. And not all of them cost. They had a big thing on Monday that was on campus.
DeleteI feel bad for you that you have to be there with the kids who were too troublesome and not allowed to go. I also feel bad for the kids who could not afford it. I wasn't sure what this berry farm was ...I was initially thinking it was an actual Berry farm....blame my sickness:) I looked it up and I agree with Alex....I would rather be with you in the classroom than dealing with kids there. I decided to take a YouTube ride on the log run which was fun
ReplyDeleteSouthern California has all sorts of amusement parks. Knott's is one of the cheaper ones. (It started out as a berry farm. Heard of boysenberries? That's where they started. Then Mrs. Knott started a restaurant, and the amusement park grew out of that.)
DeleteDon't feel too bad for me. I got paid that day. For small classes. I may have had to work a bit harder...
Ah, the end of the school year. Sounds completely pointless.
ReplyDeleteMuch of it is.
DeleteWe did extra PE, with relay races, other team sports, etc. A tired student is a sweaty buy quiet.
ReplyDeleteThat was their following Monday activity.
DeleteHow lame that you can't get online. Of course your presence is greatly missed.
ReplyDeleteToo bad they didn't get to go to Knott's Berry Farm. That sounds like an amazing field trip. It must suck to be stuck back in the classroom doing busy work.
I've heard of Knott's Berry Farm. You've got to feel sorry for the kids who couldn't afford it. Free baby sitting for the parents, eh.
ReplyDeleteReally? I didn't realize Knott's was world famous.
DeleteToo bad some kids couldn't afford it. Knott's Berry Farm sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteIt can be. It's been years since I went last.
DeleteSmart kid to figure out he really didn't have to do the assignment. I'm in agreement with everyone here. I feel sorry for the kids who couldn't go because they couldn't afford it. There should be some way to include them.
ReplyDeleteCan I please go to Knott Berry Farm? That sounds like such a great outing for school kids or old ladies like me. That roller coaster looks terrifying, though!!!
ReplyDelete@Kathleen01930 Blog
Which one? (It's been years since I've been to Knott's.)
DeleteSmart kid figuring it out. Stinks there were some who weren't able to go for whatever reason but guess that's life, right?
ReplyDeleteI loved our school trips - rare but exciting! No one was ever left behind but it was all so long ago I don't know if that was because the school paid for those who couldn't afford it. Seems sad you are excluded because of poverty.
ReplyDeleteThat's Purrfect
I couldn't even handle kids that age when I was among them! Give me five minutes of quiet and I'd have a book in my hand. All period? I'd probably finish the tale. :) Thank you for doing this job.
ReplyDeleteMiddle schoolers rarely give you quiet.
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