The Joys of April Fools Day.

I managed the energy wave well in the morning. We had a “pop quiz” with candy prizes. (Yeah yeah, I know, I feed the kids candy then complain about their energy levels in the afternoon.) We had some time to kill and the class even got a point for good behavior and being good sports. And then… they lost it by lunchtime.

Math resulted in a breakdown: emotionally and otherwise. One girl apparently thought that April Fools/ backwards day (it’s still spirit week) meant regression day. Seems the class was in agreement and for better or worse I allowed the class to attempt to rein her in with peer pressure. Didn’t work as well as I had hoped. She ended up trying to retaliate, which just escalated the peer pressure. Ugh… I have not seen such immaturity since my first grade class, with the little boy who struggled with being an English learner and with being the youngest in the class. She was removed from the class on one occasion and then later tried to convince me that she should be able to work, unsupervised outside during our group work time. I’m the mean one for not trusting her.

Warlords day three. We’ve lost two clans. The previously mentioned student, and her partner in crime of the day, decided that the game was boring (aka too difficult) and quit their team. This all happened on the coat tails of their third clan member, who quit because she was tired of trying to work with the immature teammates. These girls are the same ones who wanted school to be more “fun.” Well that’s the last time I give them a game to play for schoolwork! The other clan fell due to a lack of team members and was incorporated into another clan. They already have their world domination strategy planned out.

In an attempt to get the students proactive and off the complaining wagon, I had assigned a “three things you would like to see improved at the school” essay. A few have even completed them already and I must say they have good ideas: repaint the school, improve the garden, increase playground area, improve school food, include art in the classroom, and focus the budget on education supplies. I’m definitely taking the suggestions to heart and may even have the class write and present suggestions to the board

Between these main two disrupters of education, I attempted (I know changing things again) to have the class form committees to improve the school, based on their suggestions. During this time I chose to allow the students to color eggs for tomorrow’s Easter egg hunt. They want to be in “Junior High” but they want to have an Easter egg hunt. Anyway, the group work concept had a break down and students were soon partaking in all sorts of mischief. Remember those two girls? They now owe me a box on Kleenex and three minutes after school. But on an upside the few students that could focus in the chaos went full steam ahead, even beginning projects today, and asking to skip PE to keep working. And by working I mean raking, and researching.

The good news of the day:
1. I was included in the April fools jokes. It was a sort of hazing, but definitely means the kids are starting to accept me as the teacher
2. I got a new desk
3. I was referred to as one of the more academic teachers in the school by another teacher. Even though I’m the “newest” teacher I’m apparently making a good name for myself.
4. I was complimented by an Aide for being able to “draw the line” and at least get the kids on an academic page, something they’ve been missing. And this particular aide liked my predecessor, so he wasn't looking to do me any favors.
5. I have a student pestering me about her grades. She wants to make sure she’s getting good grades. It’s the littlest thing, but these kids being at all interested in school is a 180 from when I started.
6. Also one of my least motivated kids told me today that he wanted to get on the honor roll this year. Another teacher overheard and said that If I’d had been able to see this school before I started, I’d think I was in the twilight zone. “Kids actually wanting to succeed,” apparently that’s a new thing. This kid is the same kid who has had trouble with the law, is obviously partaking in the local commodity, and is trying diligently to get into the highest math group. He’s in 7th grade and wants to get into the 8th grade book. He’s my shining moment for the week.

Postcard update:
Washington DC
1. The kids were able to identify the White house!
2. They were also astonished to learn about the MANY features of the President’s abode: six stories, pool, tennis court, and bowling alley to say the least, not to mention the hundreds of rooms.

It might be April fools day today but this really is my life.