All in a Day's Work

Wednesday:
Taught all day, went to the teacher’s meeting, parent conference, wrote a donation letter, ordered textbook samples, copied four more chapters in the math textbook, lesson planned for a friends fifth grade interview, and finally stopped to pee for the first time at 5:58pm. I get in such a fury, I tend to forget about things like eating, or peeing.

Sounds great right? Well it would be if I could feel like the kids even gave a crap about all of it. I’ve been working with teens for 17 years or so and I’m honestly surprised at the challenge I’ve been facing in trying to get their buy in. It’s something I used to consider myself good at. I am constantly fighting for something as simple and expected as respect in the classroom.

Thursday:
My 8th graders are trying to plan a coup to get me to approve a field trip. (Remember the respect issues?) I guess the last teacher took them to an amusement park, a movie night in a hotel (six girls to a bed), an expensive dinner in the city, and a funded shopping trip. This class is all below grade level and without textbooks, and I’m supposed to raise money to take them on a vacation? Also, as we are discussing this. the rest of the class, busy doing the school beautification by making a teen area, are actively digging a “fish pond.” I’m the mean one who told them to stop. So now, since they refused to refill it, we have a two foot deep hole next to our classroom.

I also was informed today that I have a new student coming. I guess that means my reputation is positive within the community. As my class was leaving however, I was informed by one of my students that this new kid is a "hand full." My response: "Which one of you isn't?" This came after this same student complained that another student did a fake punch at her. Again my response was to the effect that just a day previous her good friend was doing the same maneuver to another student, much to the class' enjoyment. Her rebuttal: "Yeah but this was done to me." Today's lesson to multiple students: two wrongs don't make a right, not even three wrongs do.

The highlight of my day is slaloming the potholes on the driveway and watching the TV show Glee. Since my computer's DVD player broke, my options are limited. However, it is surprisingly funny.

Today, as I dragged myself from the wearing day, I got a pleasant surprise and headed west instead of northward toward home. West, besides the location of the local high school, is the location of the local airport. Today I had my very first visitor. An old friend decided to fly in and take me up for a quick tour around the valley. I’m pretty rusty behind the controls and, in the trend of this mixed up little place, the weather was not cooperating, so he took the controls on our severe crosswind takeoff and I grabbed the camera for a quick photo flight. The air was a bit rough over the mountains but being able to see the place from a different perspective was exactly what I needed.

My realization of the week: California is home of the best game shows in the world

I also watched Food Inc on television last night. I’m disturbed and am on point to go not only organic but farther to the raw side of the scale, which would clearly ruin my gaining weight plan. That is of course until my stressful day which led to me finishing my peanut M&M’s and licking the bowl after my ice cream treat.

Only one more day until my home visit. I’ve already started packing.