Deliberate Misinterpretation

Emily was the only one actually doing any work in second period. This was the continuation high school, so students not accomplishing much is a normal Thursday. Emily managed to complete two assignments.

And she wasn't even enrolled in the class.

(Emily was in wood shop second period, but it was too cold in the room. She received permission to switch to the warmer room.)

During the passing period between second and third, I noticed Emily had left a paper behind. I scanned it. Assuming she'd return for it, I left the paper on her desk.

Then third period arrived.

One of the boys picked up the page.

"Does anyone know Emily? She left a suicide note."

In seconds it had gone through five sets of hands, everyone wanting to see the "suicide note".

"It's not a suicide note," I informed them. "Give it to me."

"How do you know?" a student asked.

"I've read it."

"What does it say?" He folded the note and held it away from me.

What? He wanted me to quote it verbatim? I don't think so.

In retrospect, I realize I should have picked the paper up when I saw it. I really should know better.

The boy eventually gave me the paper, and I left it on the teacher's desk. And they got started in class... Well, they sat down, anyway. Not much work got done.

What was in the "note"? Here it is:

Did you ever write notes in school? Did you ever misplace an assignment? 

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

Passing Notes

It was Friday at the continuation high school. A group of students in the back far corner weren't doing a heck of a whole lot, but the conversation was fairly benign. 

The period ended. They left. I did a quick sweep of the room to pick up loose papers and pencils when a page caught my eye.

It was left where that group had been sitting. And it makes no sense. Neither side.

"I Feel like we look like them 'the city'!"

I mean, it wasn't like they were silent. Why they needed to write this stuff down, I have no idea. 

Just when I'd given up on the future of the human race, I spied a notebook from the same class.

I have no idea what the rest of the second thing is supposed to be (besides the anarchy symbol), but the first statement is rather well put. 

Of course, he would have spent his time better, oh, I don't know, perhaps doing the assignment for class.

Ah well. It was Friday, after all.

The Important Conversation

Did you know students still write each other notes? On paper? Yeah, it happens.

Normally, I don't care. If the students are writing notes, they're not talking. If the students are writing notes, they're not disrupting class. Usually.

But this was that one math class. And I needed every student to complete this one part of the assignment before I could release them to confer with the other students. And these two girls were writing notes rather than doing what I needed them to do. So, I took the note.

"You can't take that! That's mine."

I don't threaten to read them in class, either. If note writing becomes an issue, I inform them that I'll put it up on the social media phenom of the day. So, nowadays I threaten Instagram, although Snapchat would also scare them sufficiently.

And because I like to share, here's that note (since they used various colors of ink, I'll try to replicate)...

I don't like the way I am with [student's name redacted]!

Why, what u mean?

like, I want to be with him 
it's the same s*** errday
we dont even talk alot.
Hes more like a friend
that I see around school.

Well talk to him about that
i can't do much.

IK. I'm jty. I dont want to have those "breakup" thoughts. And I feel like I annoy him a lot.

do you want me to talk to him or something & you wont.

IDK
What would you tell him tho?

i would tell him that he needs to make his girl happy
By Hanging out w/her 24/7. & Yea & more... ect

But I d

At which point I took the note away from her, not even letting her finish that last word. (Cruel, I know.)

I get why this was important to them. But, in my defense, they would have had time to discuss this later. If they had spent this time doing the assignment, they would have had plenty of time after to talk.

8th graders. It's all the end of the world to them.

Eddie Haskell Redux?

I went on a bit of a cleaning binge last week, and I ran across a note some student passed me one day. (This particular Monday.)

I noticed the note. Set it aside to look at when I wasn't dealing with student issues (i.e. after the students left at the end of the day). Then it ended up in front of me again:

Still, I ignored it until I had time to peruse it. And then all I could do was shake my head...

Um, okay...

(I'm heartened to see that this student used the correct "your". Other than that...)

Incriminating Evidence

It was the end of fourth period. I noticed a sheet of paper lying on a desk, but before I could go pick it up (to toss it--I was trying to keep the room neat), a student brought it to me. He said he found it in the back of the room. Presumably, it was from the previous class.

There were no identifying marks on it. But instead of throwing the note away, the girls left it? Curious.

I think I'd throw something like this away. After tearing it into little itty bitty pieces.

Sort of Sorry

On any given day I take down all sorts of notes. Ideas. Things I'll tweet when I get Twitter access. Blog posts. World building. After a while, I have sheets and sheets of random stuff.  

I finally got around to going through one of these stacks, and I found these two letters of apology from students. They had been posted on the wall of a classroom, and as I had time (as the class was watching a video), I copied them. I figured I could use them as my blog post for that day until something more interesting happened. I filed the page away with my other notes.

As I have nothing interesting to post about today, I thought I'd (finally) share these. I've left off identifying names, but otherwise I copied the things word for word. Spelling, word choice, and punctuation are all theirs.

Hey Ms. A. I just wanna say sorry for every thing I put you through. Even tho I didnt throw anything I felt like you always blame me. I hope we can be cool again like we used to be before like when school started. You know I love you :D lmfno
From Your Student...

This next one I love for the P.S.S.

Dear Mrs. A.
Im sorry for being a complete excuse my language butthole. Cause a pretty woman like you should not be stressed out with horrible student's like I was. Now I have changed, Im going finally become the one thing I wanna be a supersmodel. But yes I am sorry Mrs. A you are awesome and pretty. And promise not to be mean anymore.
From:
P.S.: Im sorry :)
P.S.S.: Can I have some blueberry pancakes?

I was actually kind of impressed with the grammar in these. While not perfect, I've seen such letters that are much worse. And even though these were handwritten, the emoticons were written in as they would have been typed.

By the way, does anyone know what lmfno stands for?  

IMing Old School

It's Repost Tuesday (the day where I repost something from my now defunct blog on MySpace), and since there was a big earthquake in Virginia, I thought that maybe I should find an old (and hopefully funny) earthquake story. There wasn't one. And then I realized that this would probably be in poor taste.

Turns out, I don't actually have an earthquake post from then, anyway. (Although, I have plenty on this blog in the archives.) So, this post from March 29, 2007, will have to do.

I doubt I was the only one who did this. You're in class, and you're supposed to be quiet. So, you and your friend pass a note back and forth, having a written conversation. Just like IMing, only with pen and paper. It wasn't just me, right?

Well, I know it wasn't just me, because they still do it. The class was supposed to be reading a short story and answering questions about it. Mostly, they talked. So, it was rather curious that two students ended up doing the back-and-forth note thing.

I acquired the note. And now I'm typing it out for you as well (leaving their spelling, grammar, and punctuation as much as possible). I can't be the only one to enjoy this. (Names have been changed to protect...well, just to be careful, okay.)

Her: Hi.

Him: Hi, h...ready to unleash hell on me...

Her: What the hell are you talking about?

Him: Michael was talking to me once about you.

Her: about what?

Him: you, stuff like you know stuff...

Her: like what stuff?

Him: oooo you know stuff anyways how life hows your softball going anything new interesting?

Her: TELL ME what stuff, things like that bug me!

Him: I bet it does doesn't that just fries your pickles lol ahhaha....but I don't know should I tell you

Her: Stop being a butt head!!! tell me!

Him: ok you know little things like...he breaths really hard and goes goddamed....and like when he looks at you doesn't it just feel loving? I could see the twinklz in his eyes 2 souls fighting to be together but never really feeling each other desires!

Her: Wow you are...wow.
You know what, I'll make a deal with you. If he really likes me, and he tells me that, then may be we can start talking but just talking.

Him: excellent!!!!

Her: but you Winston as you can not do anything to effect him.

Him: OK....but if accidents happen that I have no control off then ok...

Her: NO! NO! NO! you have to keep your mouth closed, and keep all of your little signs to your self too!!

Unfortunately, here is where they ran out of paper. So, we may never know what transpired after this. Ah, the joys of subbing.

A Break Up Part 2

On Friday I posted the first part of this note. I stopped where they ran out of page, but it turned out that they continued the back and forth on another sheet.

When this missive came into my possession, I read this page first. It didn't make a lot of sense. (It would have helped if they had numbered the things.) Now I can see how this is a continuation of the previous page.

As before, names have been changed. Grammar has not.

Pencil: What did you do?
Pen: I swore never to say it again
Pencil: You can't trust me, huh?
Pen: No because I can't tell no girls of what I did
Pencil: How bad is it?
Pen: from a 1-10 it has to be a 10
Pencil: Gimme a clue
Pen: I said no I can't tell
Pencil: Nick you've trusted me before, why not now?
Pen:......................
Pencil: Why don't you trust me?
Pen: because I just don't know
Pencil: What don't you know? Just because im a girl doesn't mean       you can't tell me
Pen: Can we please change the subject?
Pencil: Now your gonna have to tell me because im stuborn!
Pen: No im not
Pencil: I AM!
Pen: I AM what?!
Pencil: I am stuborn!
Pen: Ohh
        lol menso
Pencil:.......Crickets........
Pen: Haha wow Nick :]
      LoL

There was still about a half a page left after this, so I guess that's where this conversation ended. I have three more sheets with similar exchanges. Everyone wanted to know what everyone else was "talking" about. Well, I guess it was more interesting than the movie.

Ah, 7th grade drama.

A Break Up?

The good news: the lesson plan for the last three days was a video. The bad news: the lesson plan for the last three days was a video. (At least I got to see the whole thing.)

It was a 7th grade science class. They were pretty good most of the time. But yesterday I noticed notes going back and forth. Since they weren't disrupting the class, I let it slide.

Then they made a very 7th grade mistake. They left the notes where I could find them. I was curious. Are you?

Yeah, I can't keep this to myself. I found several back and forth notes, but this one seems to be to what the others were referring. It's written in two hands, one in pencil and the other in blue ink. Names have been changed. Spelling and grammar have not.

The note:

Pencil: why did you break up with Sarah?
Pen: I haven't broke up with her yet
Pencil: Jimmy told me?
Pen: told you what?
Pencil: That you broke up with her....
Pen: No I haven't
Pencil: Frikkn' Jimmy XD he said you told him!
Pen: Yeah I did but itz still not over
Pencil: mmm. you should tell Jimmy that because look....
Pen: Wait I don't get it he said wait what are you guy talking            about?
Pencil: Ask Jimmy. He's stuborn.
Pen: he told me that he said if you liked me n you said hell no
Pencil: that's why--
Pen: Wait you said no because I have a girlfriend?
Pencil: Nooo, idk?
Pen: I wanna break up with her cuz we never have anything to talk    about
Pencil: Oh,, well then idk what to tell you
Pen: n then plus next year shes going to the 9th grade
Pencil: True...
Pen: yup...
Pencil: Well then...idk. do whatever you "want" to do? :)
Pen: Im gonna break up with her but I don't wanna see her cry
Pencil: Awwh, well if you still like her then don't break up with her...
Pen: I did something that I will regret my whole life  

And that is where I run out of page. Although, I found another page that sounds like it might be the continuation. It's hard to tell. And this post has gone on too long.

Ah, 7th grade drama. (Should I post the rest of it?)