Teenage Wishes Part 3

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 repost them here.

This is part 3 of the series. (I believe there ended up being 10 total.) To refresh memories, here are links to part 1 and part 2. This originally appeared on February 26, 2007.

I'm back with more of that questionnaire. Today's question: "The time in history when I'd like to have lived, and why."

Some responses:

"Midevil time, so I could fight with swords."

"80's, because that's when the Lakers were at their best. Their nickname was 'Showtime'."

"1800's, because their were hardcore cowboys back then, I would be an outlaw and wanted in the U.S."

"None, because their was too much racism and wars going on."

"Around 1800's, because of the many revolutions."

"1800's, because I wanted to be the one to make a difference."

"'80's'. These seem like the days when people were themselves."

"The future. To see what it's like."

"Is in slavery. I wonder if I could run away successful and out smart people."

"1960's. I would of liked to march with Martin Luther King Jr. to change the future."

"Ancient Egypt. I would like to speak in their language and dress like queens."

"Now. Well, why not? Life isn't great or perfect. Just embrace the present."

"Jesus time. I would of like to met Jesus."

"WWII, so I could have fought in the war and killed people."

"In the early 1990's, because I love a lot of music that was made in that time."

The '80's? Boy, do I feel old!

Open Note Test

Yesterday was the last Friday of the school year. I was not surprised at the number of teachers who were out. I fully expected to cover an extra period. Luckily, it was right next door to the class I covered all day.

My extra period assignment was a 7th grade world history class. They had a final. 30 multiple choice questions. And it was open note.

I followed the lesson plan and gave the class 15 minutes of last minute cram time. Then I gave the class my usual test warning about no talking, and I passed out the test.

They settled nicely. I had been warned that they were not to use books for the test, so I walked around to make sure no one was trying that. Instead, I found one boy using the notes of the girl seated behind him.

The boy explained that he was missing some information in his notes, so he was borrowing the girl's notes to fill in those gaps. I reiterated that he could only use his own notes on the test. He told me that they were the same notes.

Apparently not.

I kept a closer eye on those two, but the boy didn't attempt to use the girl's notes any more. And the notes were to be turned in with the test, so once the girl finished, neither of them had access to the notes.

The boy ended up being the last one done with his test, taking a good ten minutes longer than the rest of the class. Part of me felt sorry for him. But hopefully next time he'll take a little more care in making sure his notes are complete.

I shouldn't feel too bad. He did have a whole 15 minutes to update his notes before I passed out the test.

Description Needed Winners

Remember my contest? It's time to announce winners.

I liked all of the keywords and descriptions, so rather than judge, I decided to let random.org pick a number. Congratulations, M.j.

For the second prize, I only had one entrant, so congratulations Theresa Milstein.

I wonder if I should do this again. I've been thinking. Perhaps next time I should think about giving away a eReader cozy. What do you think?

Powers of Perception

Math class at the continuation high school. 2nd period.

A student asked me if he could turn on the radio. Because music mellows the group (I've seen it happen many times), I let him. I even let him select the station. When a girl complained because a song she hated came on, he changed the station.

Girl: "What station is this?"

Boy: "I don't know. Do I look like someone who likes this kind of music?"

Since I thought that a ridiculous statement, I followed up: "What would someone who likes this kind of music look like?"

The boy hemmed and hawed a bit. I pressed the question. The only description he could come up with was "normal". I asked if that meant that he was not "normal"? I then asked if you could tell what kind of music someone liked based on appearance.  

While I didn't go into full rant mode, I did get a little intense. Prejudice is based on the idea that we can pre-judge someone based solely on some random attribute. And can you really tell anything about someone just by looking at them?

I went on like that for a couple minutes. The boy admitted that I was probably right. Then to provide example, the boy indicated the boy sitting next to him. The first boy told me that he used to think that the second boy was gay solely because the second boy didn't talk much.

(This was the first time the second boy had heard this or at least that's how it appeared.)

After I asked what makes someone look gay, we dropped the subject. I think I got my point across. At least, I hope I did.

Later, the boy got ready to leave class. Others asked him what he was doing. He pointed out that the period was almost over. The others reminded him that we were on lock down.

Boy: "Since when have we been on lock down?"

Me: "Since the beginning of the period. Didn't you notice all the teachers rushing you into class?"

He hadn't.

On a separate note, Jane did graduate today. However, the lock down did hold her up for another hour.  

Graduation Postponed

"No! He's not here?"

Today was one of those last minute, unplanned call outs. If it wasn't a teacher I subbed for several times, I might have been worried. But, I know where he keeps his lesson plans, so if he had not prepared ahead on Friday, I would have been able to give the class the assignment he intended.

There was one thing I couldn't do, however.

Jane is ready to graduate. (That was her quote at the top.) She spent Saturday doing enough homework to finish her science credits. At least, that's what she told me as she pulled out said work and organized it so that she could turn it in.

The continuation high school works a little differently than a traditional high school. Credits are earned when a student completes a set number of assignments. A student who sits in class and does no work earns no credits. A student who does all the work and asks for more earns credits faster.

To graduate, a student must complete 220 credits. 40 must be in English, 20 in math, 20 in science, etc. Once the student has earned all 220 credits, she graduates, whether it be June, October, or February.

(The graduation ceremony is next week.)

Until Jane's work is corrected and recorded, she doesn't get those credits. And until she gets those credits, she can't graduate. She still has to attend school until those final credits are recorded, but once she graduates, she no longer has to show up.

Understandably, Jane was upset. She had science for two periods. During that time, she finished her last two credits (in a different subject), turned them in, and got those credits recorded. Now she just has to wait for the science teacher to return. (Jane asked an administrator if she could correct the final assignments, but Jane was told she would have to wait.)

There was only one thing I could do. I wrote in my note to the teacher: "Jane finished her homework and is anxious to graduate. She's waiting on you. Her work is on top."

Hopefully, by this time tomorrow Jane will be a high school graduate.

Rather Have Homework

Contest still going. You have until June 6th to enter...

Today was another 8th grade day. (The sub caller was happy that I was available to work. As it was, there were still several teachers sub-less.) The teacher left all of her classes review work. They have a final next week. This was their time to start getting ready for it.

I spent most of the day walking the room and staring significantly at those students not doing the assignment. I made the usual comments. They made the usual excuses.

5th period. One girl had put her math packet away. She had nothing on her desk. I asked if she was finished. She admitted that she wasn't. So, I reminded her that whatever didn't get done in class was going to be homework.

"But I like homework."

I stood there, trying to think up a different comeback. I heard this same sentiment several times today, and I was bored of the usual, "Yeah, sure, right," as I shake my head in disbelief. But I didn't get a chance to say anything, for the girl then continued.

"If I have homework, I won't have to go to church on Sunday, and I can sleep in."

This required a bit more explanation. I wondered how having homework allowed her to sleep in. If she had to stay home to do the homework, then shouldn't she be awake so that she could do it?

The girl explained that if she had homework, she could tell her mother not to wake her on Sunday, so then she could sleep in.

Did you get that? I'm still fuzzy on those details.

I reasoned that she could always lie about having homework. The math packet had pages of work, and she could claim that the next page was due. But the point of all this was for her not to have to work in class, so of course this was not an option.

If I got a dollar every time a student says, "But I want homework"...

Acceptance

Yesterday, as I sat in the jury box and it became clear that neither attorney was going to dismiss me, a feeling of acceptance came over me. I was stuck. I might as well make the best of it, I thought.  

So, after two days on jury duty (ugh!), I've been thinking over what lessons I learned from the experience. Number one: things go a lot smoother once I stop fighting what I can not change. (And it could have been so much worse. I only lost two days of work.)  

In no particular order, here are some other things I learned from the experience:  

1. They take a lot of breaks. We'd sit in court for an hour, and then the judge would call a ten minute break. Another hour, another 15 minutes off.  
2. An hour and a half for lunch!  
3. Things look a lot different from the jury box. Everyone was talking to us. And those chairs weren't half bad.  
4. Apparently, in my location we could do the orientation online. But only if we logged in on Sunday before the week we had to report. So, instead of getting there before 8 AM, I could have shown up after 9. (Instead, I tried to log in the night before. Sigh.)  
5. It's surprisingly easy to find other things to talk about with the other jurors besides the case. Although, inappropriate jokes did wend their way in as well.  
6. How to find the jury foreman: appoint the guy who volunteers.

Finally, the biggest thing I took away from the experience is how much I hated coming up with a verdict. That was hard!