Re-entry. These are the students who aged out of the continuation high school. They spend four hours in the afternoon/early evening working to finish their remaining credits so they can earn a high school diploma.
It's a nice change of pace. The teacher is rarely out--so rarely that it's been more than a year since I last covered this class.
The main group of students arrived. They went to get their folders. One student couldn't find his. He went to the instructional assistant (IA) for help.
"The reason you can't find your folder is because I took it. You've been dropped from the class. Too many absences."
The student was shocked. He couldn't speak. He looked for words to explain...
"Gotcha," the IA said. "I'm kidding."
Turned out that his folder had been put in backwards, so I saw it from the back. The student was relieved. The IA told him that he should have seen his face.
After two hours, they get a 15 minute break. If they do not return from the break on time, they don't get to return to class. When all the students should have been back, we noticed that one student was missing. He walked back into class five minutes late.
The student said that he didn't realize that it was time to return. The other IA told me that he was never late, was always on task, and was never a problem. What to do?
The first IA opened it up to a class vote. Should he be allowed to stay? They voted to keep him in class, so he stayed.
This is a great class to cover. These students (I don't call them kids because they are all over 18) are focused on getting done and graduating (late, but late is better than never). It makes for an easy day.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Bounces Off Walls
There are certain things that make me uncomfortable. So, yesterday, when Nate came into 7th period, went over to the teacher's desk, and took a dry erase marker, I was alert. No one is supposed to go near the teacher's area, especially when my stuff is there.
Nate began drawing on the white board. I told him to stop. He ignored me. He finished his drawing.
The first thing I did was to erase the drawing. Nate seemed to think that I was dissing him. I needed the board to do math examples (as I was instructed to do in the lesson plan).
One of the other students asked Nate why he bothered to show up to school. Nate said that if he didn't, he'd have to go back to court. My thought was, "Oh great, he's one of those." It was going to be a long period.
Nate wouldn't sit still. Doing work was out of the question. He cracked jokes that weren't funny. At least, I hope they were just jokes. I don't think he actually had done meth before coming to class (although, I did include that in my note, just in case).
Instead of feeding his need for attention, I focused on the other students. There were a couple other minor dramas going on. Nate settled a little.
Amazingly, many of the students in class completed their work. I was assured that Nate was acting as Nate always acted. They were used to his antics, and had learned to tune him out (or rather, they were entertained by him).
Near the end of the period, Nate started taking books out of the bookshelf. It looked like he was going to straighten them. I had a funny feeling about this. The bell was due to ring any minute, and I could just picture Nate walking away from the books without putting them back.
I commented on this to Nate. Mistake. Nate put the books back worse than they had been on the shelf in the first place, leaving four books unshelved. He was "punishing" me.
I was back at the continuation high school today in a class three doors down from this math teacher. He assured me that Nate was doing nothing out of the ordinary yesterday. (He has written him up numerous times to no effect.)
Today also happened to be picture day. I happened to be in the picture room when Nate's turn was up. He tried to do something weird or disgusting when his picture was snapped. The photographer caught it in time. Apparently, this sort of thing happens to him a lot.
I wonder about students like Nate. I wonder what's going to happen to them in the future. Do they wake up and make something of themselves? I hope so.
Nate began drawing on the white board. I told him to stop. He ignored me. He finished his drawing.
The first thing I did was to erase the drawing. Nate seemed to think that I was dissing him. I needed the board to do math examples (as I was instructed to do in the lesson plan).
One of the other students asked Nate why he bothered to show up to school. Nate said that if he didn't, he'd have to go back to court. My thought was, "Oh great, he's one of those." It was going to be a long period.
Nate wouldn't sit still. Doing work was out of the question. He cracked jokes that weren't funny. At least, I hope they were just jokes. I don't think he actually had done meth before coming to class (although, I did include that in my note, just in case).
Instead of feeding his need for attention, I focused on the other students. There were a couple other minor dramas going on. Nate settled a little.
Amazingly, many of the students in class completed their work. I was assured that Nate was acting as Nate always acted. They were used to his antics, and had learned to tune him out (or rather, they were entertained by him).
Near the end of the period, Nate started taking books out of the bookshelf. It looked like he was going to straighten them. I had a funny feeling about this. The bell was due to ring any minute, and I could just picture Nate walking away from the books without putting them back.
I commented on this to Nate. Mistake. Nate put the books back worse than they had been on the shelf in the first place, leaving four books unshelved. He was "punishing" me.
I was back at the continuation high school today in a class three doors down from this math teacher. He assured me that Nate was doing nothing out of the ordinary yesterday. (He has written him up numerous times to no effect.)
Today also happened to be picture day. I happened to be in the picture room when Nate's turn was up. He tried to do something weird or disgusting when his picture was snapped. The photographer caught it in time. Apparently, this sort of thing happens to him a lot.
I wonder about students like Nate. I wonder what's going to happen to them in the future. Do they wake up and make something of themselves? I hope so.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Proof
I was back at the continuation high school today. (I know, I practically live there.) I was covering another math class.
I went over the examples, and then I passed out their worksheets. In second period, I had two students who refused to do the assignment. They said they were finished with the class.
At the continuation high school, this is a real possibility. They may have earned all the credits they need for math, and they're waiting to switch into a class where they still need credits. But I had instructions for them: "The students who have finished with their contract are responsible for doing the worksheet."
The two boys in second period weren't having any of it. They were done. I explained what the lesson plan said. They didn't believe me. They wanted to see it.
I have done this sort of thing before. I pulled out the lesson plan, and I took it to them. I pointed out where it said they were supposed to work on the worksheet anyway.
They looked. They read. They tried to claim that the lesson plan wasn't from their teacher. (Yeah, because I would go to all that trouble--typing the thing out, formatting it, and all.) In the end, they had to admit that those were the instructions from their teacher.
Did they then do the assignment? Of course not.
I went over the examples, and then I passed out their worksheets. In second period, I had two students who refused to do the assignment. They said they were finished with the class.
At the continuation high school, this is a real possibility. They may have earned all the credits they need for math, and they're waiting to switch into a class where they still need credits. But I had instructions for them: "The students who have finished with their contract are responsible for doing the worksheet."
The two boys in second period weren't having any of it. They were done. I explained what the lesson plan said. They didn't believe me. They wanted to see it.
I have done this sort of thing before. I pulled out the lesson plan, and I took it to them. I pointed out where it said they were supposed to work on the worksheet anyway.
They looked. They read. They tried to claim that the lesson plan wasn't from their teacher. (Yeah, because I would go to all that trouble--typing the thing out, formatting it, and all.) In the end, they had to admit that those were the instructions from their teacher.
Did they then do the assignment? Of course not.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Random Mistakes
There are days when I shouldn't be allowed to knit. Yesterday was one of them.
Maybe it was the heat. It was such a mild summer that the sudden warm up rattled my brains (although, I had the air conditioning on all day). Or maybe I was just having a stupid day.
I'm knitting two scarves. Lately, I discovered that it's a good idea to have two scarves going at the same time. When one gets so annoying that I want to chuck it through a window, I can put it down and work on the other one. So, yesterday I started with this lacy number...
Things were going great for a while. This scarf is one where I have to constantly count to remember where I am in the pattern. Then I got to the end of one row where I should have had three stitches, and I had four.
I tried counting back to figure out where I had made my error, but I couldn't find it. I had to rip out the whole row and try again. Luckily, the second time it came out. I figured after that, it was time to put down the scarf and work on the other one...
This one doesn't need me to be so careful with the counting. But I got to the end of one of those center diamonds to find that the numbers didn't come out right. I should have had eight stitches, but I had only seven. I had to rip out the whole diamond and start again.
It was time to put away the knitting after that.
At least I finally finished the dinosaur sweater. It took me a few days to get around to photographing it, but here it is...
And this is a back view (so you can see the hood)...
Cute, isn't it? Now I can't wait for December. Hopefully, the weather will have cooled off by then.
Maybe it was the heat. It was such a mild summer that the sudden warm up rattled my brains (although, I had the air conditioning on all day). Or maybe I was just having a stupid day.
I'm knitting two scarves. Lately, I discovered that it's a good idea to have two scarves going at the same time. When one gets so annoying that I want to chuck it through a window, I can put it down and work on the other one. So, yesterday I started with this lacy number...
Things were going great for a while. This scarf is one where I have to constantly count to remember where I am in the pattern. Then I got to the end of one row where I should have had three stitches, and I had four.
I tried counting back to figure out where I had made my error, but I couldn't find it. I had to rip out the whole row and try again. Luckily, the second time it came out. I figured after that, it was time to put down the scarf and work on the other one...
This one doesn't need me to be so careful with the counting. But I got to the end of one of those center diamonds to find that the numbers didn't come out right. I should have had eight stitches, but I had only seven. I had to rip out the whole diamond and start again.
It was time to put away the knitting after that.
At least I finally finished the dinosaur sweater. It took me a few days to get around to photographing it, but here it is...
And this is a back view (so you can see the hood)...
Cute, isn't it? Now I can't wait for December. Hopefully, the weather will have cooled off by then.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Ye Old Cell Phone War
It was third period. English class. They were supposed to be finishing up a biographical essay. Most of them were making a little progress. Then I heard something fall to the floor.
I turned. A boy's cell phone had fallen out of his pocket. I don't confiscate cell phones that accidentally drop, but I do confiscate cell phones that are in use, so I watched as the boy picked up his cell phone. He opened it. He typed something.
I went over intending to confiscate the cell phone. Clearly, the boy was now using it.
There was a girl sitting next to him. She explained that he was just making sure that the cell phone hadn't broken when it fell. I might have bought that excuse if the boy had only briefly looked at the cell phone.
"You never checked your cell phone when you were in high school?" the girl asked.
"No, I never did," I replied.
The girl was surprised. She was sure that I had to by lying. I must have glanced at my cell phone once or twice.
I was sure that someone would explain the situation. I waited. No one jumped in, so I explained. I did not have a cell phone in high school. No one had cell phones when I was in high school (except for maybe the ultra rich).
The boy then asked, "Did you have a pager?"
I walked away. I didn't feel like explaining that pagers weren't in use by non-doctors when I was in high school.
So, of course, they won. I forgot to confiscate the cell phone.
I turned. A boy's cell phone had fallen out of his pocket. I don't confiscate cell phones that accidentally drop, but I do confiscate cell phones that are in use, so I watched as the boy picked up his cell phone. He opened it. He typed something.
I went over intending to confiscate the cell phone. Clearly, the boy was now using it.
There was a girl sitting next to him. She explained that he was just making sure that the cell phone hadn't broken when it fell. I might have bought that excuse if the boy had only briefly looked at the cell phone.
"You never checked your cell phone when you were in high school?" the girl asked.
"No, I never did," I replied.
The girl was surprised. She was sure that I had to by lying. I must have glanced at my cell phone once or twice.
I was sure that someone would explain the situation. I waited. No one jumped in, so I explained. I did not have a cell phone in high school. No one had cell phones when I was in high school (except for maybe the ultra rich).
The boy then asked, "Did you have a pager?"
I walked away. I didn't feel like explaining that pagers weren't in use by non-doctors when I was in high school.
So, of course, they won. I forgot to confiscate the cell phone.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Second Guessing
It's been a slow week. I'm going a little stir crazy. (But then again, it's only September. Things are sure to pick up in a couple weeks.)
This incident happened last Thursday. It took me a couple days to process and decide that I was satisfied with how I handled the situation. I feel comfortable talking about it now. Also, I have no new stories, but I'm sure that's just temporary.
It was 4th period (of course). Kayla and Evan (the student I'd been warned about) asked me if they could listen to their mp3 players. The answer was a firm no. But that wasn't good enough for them. They explained that they did their work better if they were listening to music.
It is true--many times students listening to their music players tend to focus on their work and block out the rest of the class. It mellows them out. But the rules are clear, and the teacher left specific instructions that mp3 players were not to be used.
Evan wanted to know why. He wanted to know what the argument against was so he could find a way around. Because his teacher said no? I didn't have to tell the teacher that I had allowed it.
It was later in the period. I was back in front of Kayla and Evan, trying to get them to work. Kayla told me that she heard music. What? I couldn't hear it? It was coming from that direction.
It took me a little while to catch on. Someone was listening to an mp3 player, and since I had been so adamant about not allowing them, I had to do something about it. I knew that if I didn't, Kayla and Evan would have been all over it.
James was seated at his computer, doing his work. Quietly. He had been a good student all week. I whispered in his ear that he needed to put away the mp3 player. Next thing I knew, James was logging off the computer and packing up. We had a good 20 minutes left of class, so I told James that he should still be working.
The room was pretty quiet. When I told the instructional assistant about this later, she was surprised, as she hadn't noticed any of this.
James told me that he was angry, but he made it clear that he was not angry at me. He didn't want to "go off" in class, so he was removing himself from the situation. I walked away.
Evan's reaction belonged in a sitcom. First, he threw his papers in the air. Then he complained that if he had just done what James had done, he would have gotten into so much trouble. Apparently, James had just cussed me out, spit on me, punched me in the stomach, and I wasn't even giving him a slap on the wrist as consequence.
Had I let James get away with something? I thought James' reaction was very mature. He could have exploded. Instead, he went to the office to cool off.
It wasn't until Friday that I learned what had started that chain of events. James' buyout had been denied by his 3rd period teacher. He walked into 4th period upset already.
A buyout is permission for the students to miss Friday. James' 3rd period teacher denied him the day off because he had been sleeping in class. James thought that unfair. Then he came into 4th period, and he had trouble figuring out the math. My request to put away the mp3 player was the proverbial straw.
Because of Evan's reaction, I questioned whether or not I had done the right thing. (I also made sure to include that whole incident in my report to the teacher.) After mulling it over for a day, I decided that I wouldn't have done anything differently. Evan was just being Evan.
Although, I do wonder. Was there something I should have done differently?
This incident happened last Thursday. It took me a couple days to process and decide that I was satisfied with how I handled the situation. I feel comfortable talking about it now. Also, I have no new stories, but I'm sure that's just temporary.
It was 4th period (of course). Kayla and Evan (the student I'd been warned about) asked me if they could listen to their mp3 players. The answer was a firm no. But that wasn't good enough for them. They explained that they did their work better if they were listening to music.
It is true--many times students listening to their music players tend to focus on their work and block out the rest of the class. It mellows them out. But the rules are clear, and the teacher left specific instructions that mp3 players were not to be used.
Evan wanted to know why. He wanted to know what the argument against was so he could find a way around. Because his teacher said no? I didn't have to tell the teacher that I had allowed it.
It was later in the period. I was back in front of Kayla and Evan, trying to get them to work. Kayla told me that she heard music. What? I couldn't hear it? It was coming from that direction.
It took me a little while to catch on. Someone was listening to an mp3 player, and since I had been so adamant about not allowing them, I had to do something about it. I knew that if I didn't, Kayla and Evan would have been all over it.
James was seated at his computer, doing his work. Quietly. He had been a good student all week. I whispered in his ear that he needed to put away the mp3 player. Next thing I knew, James was logging off the computer and packing up. We had a good 20 minutes left of class, so I told James that he should still be working.
The room was pretty quiet. When I told the instructional assistant about this later, she was surprised, as she hadn't noticed any of this.
James told me that he was angry, but he made it clear that he was not angry at me. He didn't want to "go off" in class, so he was removing himself from the situation. I walked away.
Evan's reaction belonged in a sitcom. First, he threw his papers in the air. Then he complained that if he had just done what James had done, he would have gotten into so much trouble. Apparently, James had just cussed me out, spit on me, punched me in the stomach, and I wasn't even giving him a slap on the wrist as consequence.
Had I let James get away with something? I thought James' reaction was very mature. He could have exploded. Instead, he went to the office to cool off.
It wasn't until Friday that I learned what had started that chain of events. James' buyout had been denied by his 3rd period teacher. He walked into 4th period upset already.
A buyout is permission for the students to miss Friday. James' 3rd period teacher denied him the day off because he had been sleeping in class. James thought that unfair. Then he came into 4th period, and he had trouble figuring out the math. My request to put away the mp3 player was the proverbial straw.
Because of Evan's reaction, I questioned whether or not I had done the right thing. (I also made sure to include that whole incident in my report to the teacher.) After mulling it over for a day, I decided that I wouldn't have done anything differently. Evan was just being Evan.
Although, I do wonder. Was there something I should have done differently?
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Why Ninjas?
I used to have a MySpace account. I started my blog there. But after I had a few too many technical difficulties, I moved the blog here. I have since closed the MySpace account. I hate to lose all of my blogs from that time, so from time to time I'm going to repost them here.
This one was originally posted on October 21, 2006. I was covering three days between long-term subs. The first long-term sub's assignment was up, but the next long-term sub couldn't start until the next week.
The question asked them to describe how sugar dissolves in water. It had nothing to do with ninjas.
It was supposed to be a step-by-step write up, but since less than 1/4th of the class actually turned anything in, I was being generous. If they made an effort and at least got in the ballpark, I gave points.
Mostly the papers were on topic. The answers were rather vague and undefined. However, they were freshmen mostly, and I was only there for three days, so I didn't have a chance to school them on how to properly answer such questions.
And then I got the paper on ninjas. It went something like this: the ninjas attacked the sugar molecules while the water molecules fell to the sidewalk, shaking (wait, the sugar was quaking on the sidewalk while the ninjas attacked the water...oh, bother). Then the ninjas used grenades to blow them all up, thereby combining them... Oh, it was a mess. I read it three times. I laughed out loud.
I did give him a couple points. One for turning something in and one for making me laugh. Like I said, I was being generous.
The other paper I got from him also referenced ninjas, but by the time I graded that I was not as amused. I'm not quite sure if he was just being cute, if he didn't have an answer, or if he thought that I wasn't going to read it. Mistake.
I graded all the work I assigned so that the next sub only had to deal with that which he assigned. As it turned out, I didn't have all that much to grade.
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