Karaoke

On Wednesdays, the continuation high school has a thing called "advisory". Back in the day, it was when the "advisors" (read: the teachers) would pass out an itemized list of what credits the students had and what credits they needed. 

The "status reports" do still get passed out, but only about once a month. (If the students are curious as to how many credits they have on any given day, most of the staff can pull that up for them.) 

So, nowadays, the weekly advisory "period" (of about 20 minutes) gets filled with other sorts of activities. This past week, it was an ASB activity. (ASB is the student government.) They were playing Around the World for prizes (tickets to a local miniature golf course). 

While those that participated (a small percentage of the student body) played, a couple students in ASB manned the sound system. They had music playing. 

At the beginning, I wasn't too shocked at the choice of song. Nor was I that surprised that one of the students pulled out a microphone and began singing along. Then their friend joined, and the two of them duetted. As the rest of the students were either playing the game or ignoring the proceedings, it wasn't like they were really performing for anyone.

Then the song changed...

And I was rather surprised by their choices. Choices that they continued to sing along with. 

While they were singing, the ASB advisor came over and tried to get a picture of them. That's when they got bashful. (The advisor did get his picture, though.) 

The Breakup

Student leadership/government is usually a chaotic class. It's one of those days that I try to roll with it.

Third period. Treyvon strolled in a good ten minutes into the period. He was not enrolled in that class. Normally, I'd shoo the kiddos out, but this was the kind of class the kiddos hang out in when their normal class is doing nothing or they've finished their work.

Treyvon told a group about his recent breakup.

He explained that he had too much going on. He's a junior (eleventh grade/sixteen years old), so that tracks. And it sounded like he initiated the breakup, so he wasn't terribly upset. Not terribly.

Fourth period began, and shortly thereafter Treyvon returned. I questioned his presence (again!), and he explained his math teacher was "chill". (I've met the man. I even wrote about him here. It's an apt description.)

Again, he was all about his breakup. But, this period I heard some new details. He felt she was getting too serious. She was talking about weddings and having children. Treyvon felt those discussions were way too soon. (Remember, they're sixteen.)

Catherine pointed out that girls like to think of their weddings and that she had planned hers when she was eight.

But it turned out that there was something Treyvon was actually upset about. His ex had his jacket and he wanted it back.

(It's been cold here in southern California.)

That was the main complaint for two periods: how could he get his jacket back?

Catherine mentioned that at her last breakup, some of her ex's stuff got burned...

I mentioned that perhaps he should have retrieved the jacket before breaking up.

This is probably a good learning opportunity for him. Next time he'll know.

The Run Around

This is the sort of thing I'd expect to happen while Mercury was in retrograde...

"Is John Smith there?"

The quickest way to find out is to call the name. John turned around.

The caller explained. He was the teacher in room B2, Mr. S. (I've subbed for him before. It's a computer class.) He had gotten a pass that should have come to me in room 302. (How B2 and 302 look alike...?) Rather than getting someone to bring it to me (I was on the opposite side of campus), he gave me the info.

So, I sent John to the attendance office to see someone who's name I didn't catch. (It didn't sound familiar, so I didn't retain it.) I explained the situation to John and hoped for the best.

A few minutes later, I got a call from the main office...

So, yeah, not enough information.

I explained that I didn't have the pass, so the secretary had to call Mr. S.

John returned shortly thereafter with an envelope in hand. So, he found who he needed. Eventually.

Finishing Up

Sometimes, I really feel how long I've been subbing.

Friday. I was covering the ASB class. They spent the period painting posters for an upcoming rally.

Sarah walked in. She wasn't in fourth period, but she had gotten permission from her fourth period teacher to go to her ASB class.

I recognized the teacher's name. She teaches AP statistics. The AP statistics test has already happened, so that class is done for the year, hence the reason why Sarah could leave class without missing anything.

As the kiddos painted (and they got a lot done that period), they talked. Sarah is graduating, and she's going to attend ASU in the fall. Her twin brother is going somewhere back east. (He's the ASB president for the school and was also in this class.)

I remembered where and when I had first encountered Sarah. It made the blog. It was summer school. Health class for students who hadn't taken health during the school year. She made that silly PowerPoint. (You remember the one. "Sixteen and Pregnant".)

I have encountered her and her brother from time to time since that health class. They're of the academic sort that rarely make the blog as they generally do their work and don't give me any trouble.

The reason they made the blog today is because Sarah was also talking about her birthday. It's tomorrow. She and her brother are turning 18.

Man, I feel so old...

So Fire

ASB (read: student leadership). I was supposed to cover three days, but I got pulled for one of them.

They were "working in committees", which meant they were treating the time as free. (They were going to be graded on what they had accomplished when the teacher returned, so if they weren't done, they'll regret not doing anything then.)

Second period, talk turned to prom. They were debating the merits of a party bus over a limo. (Apparently driving oneself is not done.)

"The party bus was so fire," the girl said. Apparently her friend's family owns one (the company?).

Then the talk was on where to go eat before. Certain places were "fire" while others weren't.

Yup. Fire. That was the word they kept using. And through context, I was able to figure out that "fire" means good. Really good. Probably what my generation would have called "rad" or "awesome".

Consider yourself up on the current lingo 😉

Impromptu Party

Friday. It was a cold, dreary day at the middle school. 4th period I had "leadership", i.e. the student government.

Leadership (or ASB at the high school) is a weird sort of class. On sub days, they generally don't have anything to do. So, I sit back and watch. Normally, I abhor "free days", but in this case, these kiddos tend to be responsible (hence, them being in student government), and my presence is mostly "ceremonial".

Earlier in the day, I had gotten this text from the teacher (I had texted him on another matter for a different period first):

Pizza is being delivered for [student] during 4th. It's a surprise. 

So, when the classroom phone rang and the office told me that they needed a student to come to the office, I knew who and I knew why. So, I sent her.

She returned with a wagon full of In-n-Out. Apparently, it wasn't as much of a surprise as I had been led to believe. She explained to the class that it was her birthday and her father had treated the whole class. (He told her he was bringing pizza, but this got swapped out at the last minute.)

The class was thrilled. So thrilled, in fact, that someone said they should make a video expressing thanks and send it to the girl's father. (They did.) They sang "Happy Birthday" to her. And they enjoyed their treat.

After, several students complained that they were stuffed. (Most had started eating their lunch in class before she returned with the wagon.)

Sometimes I get to be there for the party. It's rare.

Unusual Student Government

It had been a while since I had been at the continuation high school. I missed it.

The class was world history, but the teacher was in charge of the ASB 5th period.

ASB stands for Associated Student Body, and that just means it's the student government. This is the class of the student body president and all the other elected students who run all the student activities. From time to time I'll pull the ASB class, so I know what to expect. Some will do homework. Some will eat. And all will sit around and talk.

No actual student government work will get done.

And at the continuation high school? Yeah, this would be a nothing period.

I wasn't shocked to get a call from the office for a student who was leaving. Nor was I shocked to learn this was the student body president. What did shock me: she located her vice president and let her know that she was in charge.

And the vice president proceeded to actually make sure stuff got done.

And stuff actually got done. The teacher left a list. Everything on the list was dealt with.

I don't cover ASB very often. This was the second most productive ASB period I'd ever witnessed. It was a good period.

(Unfortunately, the whole day didn't go so well, but I'm sure you don't want to hear about the loudmouth in period 3.)