Testing

We started testing. It’s the new “Smarter Balanced” testing. It looked hard. I think it’s harder to read longer passages on the computer than it is to read them from a hard copy in front of you. I felt bad for the kids. Some were overwhelmed.

It Ain’t Bad

I love my job.  The pay isn’t great.  The parents don’t help much.  Sometimes the district is…um…infuriating.  But we had a 3 day weekend last week, we have a 3 day work week this week, and then a 4 day weekend.

I love my job!

C’s Language

C said, “F**k you,” to a supervisor a couple of days ago.

Yesterday he told a girl that her mom was a lezbo.  When I asked him why, he said because she had said that his family was black.  I told him that it was true, they are black.  Did I mention C was black?  He is.

An Odd Child

I have a boy in my class who is a definate English Language Learner (ELL we call ’em).  So he’s got some language issues.  But he’s a pretty good reading, one of the highest in my class.  But I’ve noticed something lately.  When I talk with them he looks off another way.  And sometimes I see him do odd things/movements with his hand.  In short, he sometimes acts like a child with Autism.

Now for sure, I am no expert!  But I have had about 5 Autistic kids in my class, plus my wife’s nephew, so I do have some experience.  And I’m telling you, at times he seems to be a little on the spectrum, as they say.  Just weird hand movements, like it feels good to do it.  And his eyes looking away when he’s talking to me.

Just a little odd.

Book Fair Problems

It’s time for the Book Fair.  That means as a teacher, I can send about 3 kids there during lunch, and 3 kids there during recess.  I’ve got about 15 kids who want to go.  I can’t send them all.  Not in one day.  So I randomly select 3 who have money to buy books.  They get a note.  They can go at recess.

J really wants to go.  But he wasn’t picked for this recess.  Plus he has recess detention for missing homework.  But after detention, when he is supposed to be walking to the playground to line up after recess, he sneaks over to the book fair.

He gets busted.  The teacher who had him for detention writes him a discipline note.

At lunch, I pick 3 more students to go to the Book Fair, and I remind the class that only the students I pick can go.  But guess who decides to go, anyway.  J.  Yep, even after getting a discipline note, he decides to go to the Book Fair and buy a couple of books.

I was furious!

Of course I bust him.  He tells me that he needed to go because his mom gave him money.

Half the class brought money.  They know that they have to take turns going to the fair, and that they can’t all go at the same time.  Plus, we will have class time to go.  He knows that.  Every student knows that.

I take the books away, and tell him that if he wants the books back.  His mom will have to come up to the room and talk to me.

Annoying Habits

We have a big walk through / observation coming up this week.  We get this every year.  As I said earlier,  they are pretty stressful.  And it’s good to get them over with.  We’ve been instructed that no one is to be testing, going to the computer or Jiji labs, going to the library, or doing anything but explicit, direct instruction.  They want to see us teach!

My Life with J (the start of the 2011 – 2012 school year)

Who’s the thorn in my flesh this year?  What name am I going to be calling over and over and over again?  Who am I going to need to stop talking and pay attention?  J_ is the name.  He frequently does’t bring his homework.  He often doesn’t return things he needs to.  I’ve got mom’s text number, and I’ve already texted her a number of times to help her remind J that he needs to show her things so that she can sign it and that he can return it.  I think mom’s overwhelmed.

Gold Rush, Here We Come