Beware of Student

Thursday and Friday I covered 7th grade math.

The teacher left detailed lesson plans. He was very clear in what behavior he expected from his students. He also knew what the usual excuses were, and he covered this in the plans (they were not to "do it for homework"--a usual excuse I hear).

After I read through the lesson plans, at the back of the packet the teacher left, there were several pages of students to watch out for. No, he didn't list the entire class. He had left pictures. Next to each picture was the student's name and what I needed to watch out for.

Now, those are detailed lesson plans.

Paranoia

It was one of those days. I needed to do something to keep my mind active, so I plotted stitch patterns. I keep a clipboard with paper on it (for notes about the class), so I doodled on it. I've been working on cell phone cozies (pictures coming soon), and they need something a little more interesting than stockinette stitch.

I also have a little collection of unusual student names. I'll go through the roll sheet and jot down any new ones. I have a list. (No, I'm not going to share.) I had time to add to this list today as well.

I had some issues with fifth period. They were juniors, so they should have known better. At the end of the period, they descended upon me and the podium up front. They wanted to know which names I'd taken down.

On the clipboard I keep the class notes at the bottom. On top--my knitting doodles. But they were sure that this was code.

I explained that it was a knitting pattern. "But it says 'row 1' & 'row 2'." Yeah, row 1 of the pattern followed by row 2. Then they found the list of names.

Luckily the bell rang, and they were no longer interested in what was on my clipboard. Although, if they had dug around long enough, they would have found my note to their teacher, and they would have learned that their note wasn't all that bad. (Later I amended the note, telling of the issue that I had.)

Badge of "Honor"

Today the subject was math, specifically algebra 2. They had a worksheet on logarithms to do.

We were well past the beginning of the period, and I was walking the room. I found a student sitting and staring into space. I asked him to get out his assignment and get working. He then told me that he did not have the worksheet.

Funny. At the beginning of the period I stood in front of the room with worksheets in my hand and I asked if they all had gotten the worksheet. I waved the worksheets in the air. "Anybody need one?"

So, I got the slacker a worksheet, and I stood there for a bit to make sure he got started. He didn't. Neither did his neighbor (though he had the worksheet out and on his desk). I tried to prod both of them along.

The first slacker then explained that he did no work in the class. He got out his latest grade check. It said that he had 22% in the class. 22%!!! That's an F. That's a pretty low F (though I have seen lower before).

Then the second boy got out his grade check. He was doing better. 40-something percent. That's still an F, but it's a slightly higher F. With the quarter ending shortly, there's no way that either of these boys will be getting anything but an F on their report cards.

The sad thing is that they were both kind of proud of their grade. Sigh.

Due East

It was an 8th grade class. There was a debate raging. Which way was east? (They'll get into throw down arguments about anything.)

At least the door was open (I can figure out north and from there east, but only if I can see where the street is). I determined where east was, and one student was happy while the other was disappointed.

Problem solved? Well, not quite. Now they had to discuss this. And they had to debate how they found their east. N-->E-->S-->W going clockwise.

"Never ever smoke weed."

Well, I guess that's one way to remember it.

Locked Door

There is a group of girls (mostly cheerleaders) who sit in the waiting area of the front office of the high school in the mornings before school. They started this last year, probably because they hated sitting out in the cold. Since they don't bother anyone, no one has asked them to leave. They have become sort of like a fixture there.

First thing in the morning, the front door to the office is locked (usually until the receptionist gets there). But subs have to enter the office--we have to check in. And we don't have an office key (we only get assigned keys after we've checked in). We used to have to wait out in the cold until someone noticed our plight and came to let us in. Then the girls started sitting there.

I like that the girls sit there.

There's usually one who gets up to let us in. Of late she's gotten more and more cranky about it. So today, there was a bag left propping the door open. Problem solved.

First Day

It was one of those science classes--the classes where they put the kids who failed the previous year. Most of the names on the roll sheet were familiar to me and not in a good way. So, my job was to keep them contained, and I was resigned to that.

Third period we got a new student. She wasn't just new to the class; she was new to the school. And all I could think was, poor girl. What a way to be introduced to your new school!

One of the troublemakers noticed her and asked her if she was new. I watched nervously. She replied that she was, and the next question was could troublemaker see her schedule. I breathed easier. Several students then chimed in with similar requests (they wanted to see if she was in any of their classes and/or if they could tell her something about the rest of her day). They were being nice to her! Whew.

But for the rest of the period one channel of my mind was watching the class through a stranger's eyes. What must she have thought of this group? The boy who accused another boy across the room of stealing his pencil (it was found on the floor near the first boy's desk). The two who tried to start a mock fight. The boy whose backpack constantly went missing (several others kept "borrowing" it). The boy and girl who were battling over the girl's umbrella.

The new girl's fourth period class was in one of the odd locations on campus (in one of the extra rooms set up on what used to be the parking lot). I was trying to explain where it was (as it wasn't close and there were several turns involved) when another student volunteered to show her where it was. He said his next class was close by.

I guess it's just me they antagonize. A new student? She's one of them.

8th Grade Nonsense

8th graders are a strange breed. If they're not fighting with me and if I watch very closely, I get entertained.

Today the subject was history. I've subbed for this teacher before. It's generally a good assignment (she's got good classes).

First period had four students who would not stop. The new quote from "overheard in class" (see sidebar) is from them. They spent the period cracking each other up (the quote in the sidebar made the whole class laugh).

Fifth period one boy purported to talk for another. Oliver asked me, "Timmy would like to know where you went to college." Strange. I was sitting between Oliver and Timmy, and I did not hear Timmy (who was not in any way shy) wonder aloud where I had gone to college.

I introduced myself to the class at the start of every period. Second period's reply: "Yeah, we know who you are." I can't convey in print the tone of voice the girl used, so let me just say that the girl was probably rolling her eyes as she said it. I was not sure whether to be offended or flattered.

And in sixth period someone threw a note across the room...

All in all, an entertaining day.