Can't Multiply?

I have one more CAHSEE story. I promise, this is the last one until the next testing session.

It was Wednesday, the math day. It was before they had started the test, and I was walking the room. I found that one student had a calculator out. Calculators are not allowed, so I went over to tell the boy this.

The boy was surprised. He wanted to know how he was going to pass if he couldn't use a calculator. I informed him that the test was testing his arithmetic skills, so using a calculator would defeat that purpose.

The boy then informed me that he had never taken arithmetic. And the boy who was sitting at the same table told me the same thing. I reminded them that they had both passed elementary school (an assumption, but since they were sitting in a high school...). They learned to multiply and divide in elementary school.

The second boy told me that he had just moved here from Arkansas. He told me he hadn't learned to multiply and divide in Arkansas.

I wish I had a dollar for every time a student hold me he couldn't read. I hear it almost daily. Telling me that he can't multiply or divide? Different discipline, same idea. The assertion is ludicrous.

I told the second boy that I was sure he learned what he needed to know in Arkansas. And then I walked away before they tried to tell me that they didn't know how to count.

Later in the testing session the second boy had to be moved. The two boys were not acting as they should have acted in the testing room. I was not surprised.

An Ordinary Pencil Caddy

This is my 400th post!

On Friday, I was sitting in the teacher's lounge 4th period. I was knitting beads. Another teacher walked in. She saw me knitting, and then she announced that she knew who I was.

This teacher taught two periods of CAHSEE English. So, she discussed how her students did on the CAHSEE on Tuesday. How well they thought they did. Was it hard? Did they think they passed?

Apparently, they wanted to talk about my pencil caddy.

One of the jobs of test proctor is to give students newly sharpened pencils when they need them. I hated carrying around the pencils, so I made a container. I wear it across my body, like a purse. I can pull out pencils at will.

Now, not one student commented upon my caddy to me. But the English teacher told me that students couldn't stop talking about my caddy in class.

I didn't realize I was that much of a distraction. All I wanted to do was make my proctoring time easier.

Punishing the Victim?

It was 6th period. I was warned. I had to watch out for this group. (This was the history teacher for the same kids in this math class.)

I don't know what I did, but the class was pretty mellow. They weren't as loud as the previous two periods. Unfortunately, they weren't doing any work. So, I was walking the class, trying to get them on task.

And I was soooo tired. I've been dragging all week. Then last night I tried to go to bed really early (like 8 PM early), but the neighbors thought that Thursday night was a good night for a party and that 9:30 was a good time to take it outside and get very loud. No nice long night's sleep for me.

I don't know exactly what I was doing, but I happened to look up and catch a girl chasing a boy across the back of the classroom. Uh, no. I put a stop to that, and I assigned a consequence (a "think sheet").

The girl wasn't having any of it. She claimed she was the wronged party. The boy had smelled her hair!

I tried explaining that chasing the boy in a classroom was wrong. I told her that I had given the boy the same consequence. But that wasn't helping.

Apparently, another boy did the smelling of the hair at the behest of the first boy for a bet of $1. At least, I think the first boy was in it somehow. He might not have been. Honestly, I didn't care. All I knew was that two students were up and running around the room, and I couldn't allow that.

The alleged hair-smelling boy? He was studiously ignoring all of us. He was working on the assignment.

The girl refused to do the "think sheet". She was the victim!

I wrote this all down in the note. It was near the end of the period. And if the girl was going to refuse to follow my directions, so be it.

See, this sort of thing is what is going to get her into more trouble. Refusing to follow my directions? Her teacher can milk that all the way up to a referral.

I have no idea if I'll know how this turns out. If I find out, I'll pass it along.

Dangerous Delivery

UPS no longer knocks. So, before locking up for the night, I poke my head out the front door just to make sure nothing was delivered, even if I'm not expecting anything.

Last night I was surprised to find a box. I was just about to bend over to pick it up when I saw movement in the planter next to the front porch. At first I thought I was imagining it, but I took an extra couple seconds to make sure and get a good look.

Skunk.

Yep, the skunk found my front door. It was about two feet from my package. And it was looking at me.

I closed the door. I uttered a few choice expletives.

I waited.

I didn't want to leave the package outside all night. I also didn't want to have to de-skunk. After a couple minutes I decided to chance it. I slowly opened the front door again.

The skunk had fled.

Box retrieved safely. Whew!

Considering how often I get a whiff of eau de skunk on the wind, I think I've gotten off pretty light. But I would still like to stop adding entries to skunk sighting.

Looking for a Loophole

It's that time of year again. CAHSEE time.

I've become quite the expert at this. I can handle most of the questions that they throw at me.

It was first thing in the morning. The students were checking in. I was handing out their answer booklets. One student was concerned. There was something marked in the math box. (Today was the English Language Arts test.)

Me: "You've passed the math part, right?"

Student: "Yes."

Me: "That bubble just means that you're done with the math. Don't worry about it."

Second Student: "So, if I mark that bubble, does that mean that I won't have to take the math part tomorrow?"

Because, I guess, if he tells the testing service that he's already passed the math section, he will be believed? It's not like they keep records or anything. Wait, they do! And they know perfectly well that he hasn't passed the math.

I explained, patiently, that while he might get away with missing the math part this time, they would make him take the test again. He does not get a diploma without passing both parts of the CAHSEE. So, he might as well show up tomorrow and get it taken care of.

Besides, there's a list of students who need to take the test. If they don't show up to the testing location, the administrators go looking for them. They pull the students out of class. The students end up with us anyway.

If it were that easy to get out of taking the test, everyone would do it.

Anxious to Leave

Yesterday was my last subbing day at the continuation high school for a bit. They are out for the next three weeks for their fall break (they did start their school year in July, after all). Apparently, they were anxious to start their vacation.

It was the last class of the day (on a Friday, that meant that it ended at noon). Same class as yesterday. We were finishing up the movie.

The teacher had given them 18 questions to answer. These questions referenced things that happened in the movie and the questions were in order. (Students tend to ignore videos of any type if they do not have something to do that makes them pay attention. Even then, many don't.) Question 18 happened about three minutes before the final credits.

The periods before did the same thing. Once they had answered the last question, they put their notebooks back, sat back down, and watched the movie until the end of the period or the end of the movie (some classes didn't finish the movie). This was acceptable behavior.

The last class? They packed up, and then many of them walked out the door. We still had five minutes of class left!

I went to retrieve these boys (all boys as no girls pulled this). I told them to go back inside, sit down, and finish watching the movie. They whined. But eventually I got most of them back.

Just when I got them settled, the final credits rolled. And all the boys got up, went to the door, and many of them went through. I shooed them back inside and closed the door.

"The bell rang."

Um, no, it had not. I know because I didn't hear it, and I didn't see any other students walking out of their classrooms.

Luckily, the argument didn't last long, for then the bell did ring. "Now you can leave," I said to them as they filed out.

Now that I think about it, this sort of thing happens every time I'm there before a break. So, I shouldn't have been surprised.

Making Bracelets in Class

I've been knitting all day. I had to do something. Watching The Grapes of Wrath over and over again was making me go a little crazy.

(I've been working on beads. Turns out that they're a great take-along project.)

It was 4th period. I passed out the question worksheet, took roll, and started the movie. Once I got fully settled, I looked up. There was a girl making those beaded bracelets that all the kids seem to be wearing these days.

I probably should have told her to stop. But as long as she was quiet... (I don't much care if they have other work, draw, or do something else while the video is playing. Just so long as they aren't talking.)

It all started out well enough. But then her neighbors wanted to make their own. And somehow the conversations started. Uh, no.

I completely understand the need to do something with your hands while watching a movie. However, I had instructed them to remain quiet and attentive to the movie. So, I had to keep after them to shush.

Sigh. Do I have to go after them for crafty things, too?