And Then a Miracle Occurred

It was a bad, bad day. Algebra readiness. These classes were filled with freshmen who were not ready for algebra. And many were not fans of math anyway.

2nd period came in like a herd of wild elephants. They were loud. Wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise (and I was supposed to go over notes with them). And they thought it was fun to play around. Throwing paper at each other. Screeching.

I keep a tally of the number of times I have to stop and get their focus back. (I leave that number for the teacher.) It was north of 20.

So, typical freshmen. And I knew my day was going to be very, very long.

3rd period was pretty much the same.

I wasn't expecting much from 4th period. I started off the period by explaining that I had a bunch of stuff to go over with them (the notes were on scientific notation), and if they would help me out by paying attention while I did that, they could talk afterwards.

I got into the meat of the lesson...and the class settled. One student even commented on how quiet the class was.

I held my breath. I crossed my fingers. And somehow they remained settled for the entirety of the lesson.

A miracle.

Too bad 5th and 6th periods went crazy. At least I had a period of not-so-bad.

Suspended for Cell Phone

I met Beatriz at the beginning of the school year in this same class. She took an instant dislike to me. (That's putting it mildly. She developed a deep-seated hatred of me on sight.) So, when she saw that I was her sub for the day, she was not pleased. She had some not nice things to say about me which she said outside the door to the class before class started.

Of course, I could hear everything.

Beatriz started off challenging me right away. And as I was only going to be there for two days, I wasn't planning on getting into it with her. If she wasn't going to do any work, it was her grade. I heard her say something about the continuation high school, and I laughed to myself. If she's really going there soon, she's going to be seeing a lot more of me.

But this is just the set-up.

Beatriz and her friends thought it would be funny to play their music on their cell phones. Or maybe they weren't thinking. I gave them the usual warning (that is, I told them to put them away or I would take them away). They put the phones away.

And I knew immediately that I had been too lenient. The rest of the class let me know. They didn't say anything, but their manner told me loads.

Oops.

But there was no help for it now. I couldn't very well go and take Beatriz's cell phone from her when it was where it was supposed to be--away in her pocket or her backpack. (I don't know where it was. I didn't see it.)

I got busy helping another student.

I turned to go back to the front of the room. I glanced Beatriz's way and saw sitting on her desk--her cell phone. Now I had cause. I held out my hand.

"You're not taking my cell phone."

She had been warned. In fact, I don't have to warn her. School policy states that a seen or heard cell phone can be confiscated. So, I was well within my rights...

She wouldn't give it to me. So, fine. She gets a referral. (She refused to follow my instructions.)

This is already getting long, so I won't go into the argument she gave me over that referral. Eventually she left. After school I checked. She never made it to the office.

Okay, fine. Now she gets a referral for not only not giving up her cell phone but also for not going to the discipline office.

At the end of the next day I checked in with the discipline office. Curiosity. Did they talk to Beatriz? Turns out, Beatriz ended up suspended from school. Over a cell phone.

(The punishment for having a cell phone out: cell phone gets confiscated. A parent can pick up the cell phone after school the same day. End of punishment. And considering this all happened 6th period, Beatriz would have lost her cell phone for maybe a half hour.)

I am not looking forward to seeing her again. Although, the look on her face when she finds out I'm at the continuation high school all the time... Might be worth it.

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...

Have you ever hated someone on sight? Have you ever taken something so minor to such an extreme?

Mutiny

"Wait! Let's not go in until after the bell."

It was the passing period before 6th period. They were gathered outside the door. I could hear snippets of their conversation, and that statement came through loud and clear.

My thought: What is this, a mutiny?

It was a pretty childish stance, but then again, so was the class. Petty and childish, I mean. If they wanted to play it that way...

I hurriedly marked all the empty seats on the seating chart. After the bell rang they all rushed into class.

So, I marked them all tardy.

I'm not sure what they were trying to gain with this. They still attended class. They still had to do the assignment. And now every one of their names was listed for this silly stunt.

Freshmen. Sigh.

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...

Do you have any idea what they were trying to accomplish? Because I'm totally flummoxed.

Just One of Those Days

It was kind of a rough day. A girl complained to me that the room was too loud and she had trouble concentrating. I could see why...

• One boy sat at an empty desk. He informed me he had no paper. His neighbors managed to find him a sheet. Then he told me he had no pencil.
• Another boy (when I approached and asked why he was doing no work) argued that writing was outdated. He should be allowed to do his assignment (in algebra 1) via technology. I agreed that would be best, then I pointed out that until everyone in class had an iPad, they were going to have to continue to use pencil and paper.
• Two boys (on the other side of the classroom) tried to convince me that they were the smartest students in the class. Even though they were doing no work. And another student informed me that not only did they never do any work, they never even bothered to take notes. 
• Then in the middle of the room two boys and a girl put their heads together to take a selfie. When I approached the boy who had put the cell phone in his pocket, he acted like he'd never heard the term.
• Another boy tried to jump over his own leg. And argued with me when I told him not to. (He didn't make the attempt.)
• Then a girl and boy stepped outside the classroom. The girl needed to "fix her hair". (Outside? In the wind?) The boy needed "fresh air". They argued about returning inside.
• Finally, a boy "tooted" loudly enough for everyone around him to hear. So, all the students in the vicinity fled. Scattering across the room and a couple even went outside.

Of the 24 students in the class, only four were making progress on the assignment. The rest made excuses.

Freshmen. Sigh.

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...

Wouldn't math class have been more fun if you could have turned in your assignments via iPad? What excuses did you use to not do your math homework?

Guess My Musical Instrument

"You look like you play the oboe."

That's what got my attention. The boy to whom the comment was directed looked confused.

"Elbow?"

What does an oboe player look like? I challenged the boy who made the initial comment. He hemmed and hawed. I asked him if I looked like an oboe player. He said I didn't.

Funny. I guess that decade I spent in various school bands was all my imagination, then. (Although, I was never very good...)

I informed the boy that one couldn't tell what instrument one played just by looking at them.

"What instrument does he play?" he asked, pointing at the boy seated next to him.

Didn't I just say...

Fine. I needed to narrow it down a bit. Woodwind or brass? I was told woodwind.

I looked at the boy in question. How was I supposed to know what he played? I threw out saxophone followed by my second guess of bass clarinet.

His eyes went wide. He was an alto sax player.

"What instrument does she play?"

After being told woodwind, I thought flute. But that's way too obvious. So, I said clarinet. But...flute.

You'd think they'd be done, right? But no. It seemed like half the geometry class was in the band. And I was directed to another student. Boy. Woodwind.

"Clarinet?"

Bullseye. Next, a girl. Brass.

"French horn?"

(French horn players... Well, she just seemed like... But I can't tell what instrument just by looking!)

Finally, the boy who started all this told me to guess him. Brass. Well, I knew he had to be low brass, so I went with the obvious.

"Trombone?"

They now thought I was a witch. The clarinet player was very impressed. I don't know why. Perhaps if I had gotten 100%, but I didn't. Not really.

I guess my time in various bands (in junior high, high school, and college) paid off. Somewhat.

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...

Did you play in your high school band? What instrument? If you could play a musical instrument, which one would you choose?

Not Sneaky Enough

Last day in the math class. They had a test. I didn't plan it that way; that's just how it worked out.

Brandon was one of the reasons I modified the seating chart. He and three others sat in the back far corner, getting into their own conversations while I went over the material. They knew it all already. They took algebra last year. Never mind that they failed it--the reason they had to repeat it this year.

Brandon, by sheer luck of the draw, ended up in a front row seat.

I passed out the tests and they got started. Brandon raised his hand.

"Am I supposed to add these?"

The test was on exponents, and knowing whether to add or multiply was the point of the question. I replied with a, "That's what you're supposed to know," and I moved on.

Brandon called me over a few more times. All his questions had to do with how to do the problems.

"Is this one right?"

I did not answer.

The fifth time he called me over, his neighbor remarked, "It's a test. She's not going to answer you."

(I will clarify directions. Sometimes the copy is bad or something is unclear. There can be mistakes on the test. So, I do respond to raised hands during a test. To a point.)

Brandon was one of the last students done. He spent ten minutes checking over his answers.

After I had all the tests, I released the students from the imposed silence. I gathered the tests, paperclipped them, and put them away. Brandon pulled out his notes.

"Wait. Can I check something on my test?"

He explained that in the rush to finish, he had written the wrong answer for a problem. "I did it right, but I just wrote the wrong thing in the answer column." So, I said I'd check.

The problem:

Under it he wrote 1/-2. In the answer column, he did indeed write -2.

The answer should have been 1/2. I would have given it to him except for that pesky negative sign. (I spent quite a bit of time explaining that a negative exponent means "take the reciprocal" and that the resulting answer is NOT negative. Adding the negative sign makes the answer wrong.)

I informed Brandon that he got it wrong. I explained why.

"Let me see... No, it's right. See, it's positive. Right. There."

As he leaned over me with his pencil and added a small vertical line over the top of the small horizontal one already on his paper.

Geez. Does he think I'm that stupid? I marked it wrong right then and there.

And after all that, it turns out that Brandon only missed three or four questions on the test. He got a B.

Race Relations

Last Friday, I was asked to cover a different class on my prep period. Luckily, I was finally caught up with the math classes, so I could do this (without stressing myself out).

I arrived in the classroom to find half the class was from my first period CAHSEE math prep class. As it was a special ed group, the room had six students.

They had an assignment. They were working in two groups of three. They were on task until near the end of the period.

A student from group one addressed Jose who was working in the other group. Marcus, his partner, answered. Instead of saying something along the lines of, "I was talking to Jose," the student said something different.

"You're not white."

Marcus looked down at his arm in surprise. "What? I'm not white!? When did that happen? What did you guys do to me?"

Which was so ridiculous I didn't even try to hide my laughter.

Marcus explained that this was his response any time anyone used the "you're not white" line on him. So, apparently that's the usual thing people say to him when he responds to a comment or question not directed at him.

Jose, on the other hand, was also offended. "I'm not white. I'm Mexican."

The question the boy asked? If I caught it, it got lost in the stuff that came after.

Come to think of it, I might have been the only white person in that room. Not that it matters, really. (There's a reason I don't mention race too frequently on the blog.)

Geometry Intelligence Test

It took them a while to get me a class set of geometry textbooks. But once they were in, I found that it was easier to not use them. I had sort of a rhythm going. (Don't worry. We were using workbooks they already had.)

But then one day I needed to use the textbooks. So, we passed them out. But because of the way the day was configured, I wanted the books collected and put back at the end of the period.

The shelves were neatly arranged. Five books would fit on each half of the shelf. (I'm so glad I took a picture of this. I can't describe accurately what the configuration should look like, but I can show you easily.) The geometry textbooks are the blue ones. The red ones are the algebra 1 books.

At the end of the period, I had a student from each row return the books. I explained that there should be five books in each slot. And they managed to put everything back where it went. Except for one student.

One student was out in the restroom when it was time to put back books. When he returned, he had a book to replace. He went to the back bookshelf...

I watched. I wondered if he would figure it out on his own or if I would have to explain.

He looked at the shelves. As his was the only book not put back, there would be one slot open for him. Sure enough, he found the one section with four books and put his book there.

And I didn't have to say a word.

I was impressed. It's good to know that the geometry students can figure it out without my input. I hope this bodes well for the rest of their school year.

Tweaking the Seating Chart

The math class in which I started off the school year? I'm still there.

(No more links back. I promise. If you're coming in to this late, just scroll back for the last two weeks. You'll get the idea.)

The algebra classes were starting to get a little squirrely, so rather than let that continue, I decided to separate the little groups that were forming. I redid the seating chart. In alphabetical order.

They hated it. So, score! Bonus points: the alphabetical seating chart managed to separate the little groups very nicely.

View of the classroom, without students

Jake had been sitting right up front, right in front of me. He was a little wiggly, but pretty good, so I thought nothing of it when the new seating chart put him in the back of the room.

Day 1, I heard a bit of a commotion coming from the back of the room. Jake. He was throwing (or mock throwing) paper at a neighbor. And suddenly he was talking when he shouldn't have been talking. Playing around.

I warned him. I told him that if he couldn't handle sitting in the back, there were eight other students who would be more than willing to give up their seats to switch with him.

The next day he did it again. I knew just who to switch his seat with.

He was not pleased. "I'll be good." Yeah, after getting a couple warnings, now you'll be good? I don't think so.

Back in the front, he was more wiggly. But now I could keep a better eye on him.

The girl who switched places with him? Turns out she and the girl now sitting next to her have a lot in common. That they can't stop talking about. During a test.

Sigh.

Lost Cell Phone

Last Friday as period 4 came in a student brought up a cell phone. She found it on or near her desk (she didn't say). I accepted it and put it aside.

While students aren't supposed to use cell phones at school, they are allowed to have them on their persons. The phones are supposed to be powered off and put away. And as long as I don't see them, I don't worry about them.

So, a lost cell phone will be returned to the student.

But that's not what got the other students' attention.

"You should keep it."

"Give it to me. I can hack it."

"Oh, wait. That's my phone."

The student that lost the phone should be grateful that those students didn't find it.

What Did I Miss?

I met the girl before. She has one of those unusual names, which means that I'm more likely to remember having to read that name while calling roll.

The class was a CAHSEE math prep class. All the students in it had failed the CAHSEE.

So, we were going over fractions. Finding common denominators. Going from mixed numbers to improper fractions and back again. Reducing.

I caught the girl rolling her eyes. Trying to sleep. I sat her in the front to keep her from constantly talking to her neighbor.

Then one day she was absent.

Later that day, at lunch, she came in. Turned out she was late to school, so she was sent to tardy sweep.

She explained what had happened. (Long story involving carpool and filling the car with gas.) Apologized. Promised not to miss class again. And asked for the assignment she missed. Turned in her homework from the previous day.

I had to scrape my jaw off the floor. (After she left, of course.)

Must not judge students. They do care about their education.

And to be fair, the class is pretty dreary. Remedial. I don't really blame her for being bored.

Spoiled by Technology

I've been a little absent from the internet the last week or so. Remember that class that I covered for the first two days of school? I covered them for the second full week as well. And I've been scrambling to keep up.

On day one I walked in to find a room with desks and that was about it. (Okay, there was one set of books, a working computer, and the usual stuff a classroom should have.) The room was so devoid of stuff that I didn't even have a document camera and projector.  

Yep, I'm spoiled. It's a math class. Math teachers need document cameras and projectors. Otherwise, they end up talking to the board, and that's the quickest way to lose a class.  

Turned out, there was an old, decrepit overhead projector sitting over in the corner. That turned out to work perfectly fine. So, since I had no other options, the overhead projector it was. 

The classes went with it. It was a bit awkward, but we had to keep up. They had a test that first week.  

Then on Wednesday just after 2nd period, I got a delivery. Books. (I had books for one of the classes but not the other two.) Teacher's editions. (I had been using copies.) And a document camera and projector.  

I had about five minutes to get it all set up. As the students were walking into class. But I didn't care. I didn't have to use the overhead anymore.  

Hooray!

Air Conditioner Bliss

It was the first week of school, so obviously, it had to be the hottest week of the summer. Luckily, the classroom's air conditioning unit worked perfectly. I had the room set at a comfortable temperature all day, so much so that I was surprised by how hot it was outside.

About half way through the day, the principal made an announcement.

"Teachers, if you are running your air conditioning..."

No. No. Absolutely not. He wouldn't. That's just mean. Too cruel. I won't do it.

"...Make sure that your classroom door and windows all remain closed."

Oh, is that it?

I looked over at the closed classroom door. The windows were too high for me to reach, and I didn't have one of those long pole thingies that can open those, so I was safe there.

Check.

He scared me there. I thought he was going to ask us to turn off the a/c.

I mean, it was really, really hot.

Multiplying Incorrectly

It was the second day of school. I was just getting first period started when Mr. Claus arrived. He informed me that he was going to be the instructional assistant for the class.

I have worked with Mr. Claus in the past. I've subbed for the teacher he's usually paired with, and he's also been the IA in other classes I've covered. So, when he arrived I nodded and gave him a copy of what we were working on.

Mr. Claus is not his real name. When telling school stories, I don't use real names. But Mr. Claus is a very fitting alias for the man. I'm sure you have a pretty good image of what he looks like in your head right now.

The class was a CAHSEE math prep class. It's a class students who failed the math portion of the CAHSEE are required to take. Turns out, half the students are special ed, so that's why an IA was assigned. Score!

I was demonstrating some math questions for the class. It was a question involving percents. We were supposed to calculate 40% of $125. So, I wrote out the question, did the multiplication, came up with $90...

Mr. Claus spoke up. "I don't think that answer is correct."

Oops.

Mr. Claus then went on to explain to the class that while working out problems, the students should take note of whether or not their answers make sense. Since $90 is over half of $125 and the question asked for 40% which is less than half, that answer doesn't make sense.

The arithmetic gets me every time. And then I almost forgot the second half of the question--to find the sale price after the 40% was taken off.

Well, at least I demonstrated how to not do the problem...

Wrong Dismissal Bell

The first day of school was last week, and this year I actually got to work it. The reason is a long story having to do with paperwork, emergency surgery, and processing times. None of which is the teacher's fault. But with legalities and such, they needed me to start off the class.

Nothing like walking in cold the first day. And then someone went and changed the bell schedule. The bell schedule! I had that puppy memorized. Now I have to start from scratch?

Well, with the help of a lovely administrator (who taught in the room I was using last year), I managed to get what I needed and get through the day.

One thing that didn't change was the two lunch schedule. Half the school has lunch before 5th period, the other half has it after. So, I ran 5th period the way I always do. When the bell ending the first lunch rang, we all ignored it.

The bell to begin the other half's 5th period rang. We all ignored it. (And by "we all" I mean that the students didn't flinch. Not a one of them even tried to pretend that that was their bell and it was time to leave.)

A couple minutes later, the principal made an announcement. He informed us all that the bell hadn't been anyone's dismissal bell, and all students should be in class.

Oops. Someone isn't familiar with the two lunch schedule.

But my one burning question was: if you've already dismissed the students, how do you go about getting them back?

I was glad that wasn't me.