Day Seventy-six: Graduation #2

Today was my second graduation since I started teaching. Another 31 students received their high school diploma tonight. One of them was the first student that earned their credit in my class. So proud!

It was definitely a whirlwind experience getting everything ready. I sent out an email asking teachers to not send me any extra students today except for two specific students that had been incredibly helpful. Having them meant I didn't have any classes staring at me blankly and we sailed through covering windows with the snowflake sponge paintings we've been working on.

One moment in 4th period I wished their was a video camera. Then I remembered we were in the cafeteria, and there was one! We realized we needed to move the light tree across the room. I'm embarrassed to admit how we moved it with eight lights attached to it. It involved four students carrying it with me in the middle on a (lowered) lift with another student pushing me across the room. Oh it was a sight. But we made it, and it worked.

As the day went on, we certainly had a few bumps and technical difficulties. Along one of the walls not a single plug worked. We had to run an extension cord around and behind the stage. At that point in the day I was beyond exhausted and my principal made me stop and eat dinner.

In the end, I'm really happy with what we ended up with. It felt so good to look around the room and think, "My students made this."

Day Seventy-five: Um...hello? Anybody?

My first period class is so precious. Two of the boys are taking benchmark tests this week, and told me this morning they wouldn't be in class so they wouldn't be able to help. Was that an apology?

Do you ever have those days where you wonder if your students are on drugs? Or just what drugs they are on today? The past few days my 2nd period class has developed an interesting habit. Four of them just sit there and stare. At me. At the floor. At the wall. At the ceiling. Two students from my 3rd period came to help out today and one of them basically asked me after, "What is wrong with them?"

Something really cool happened today with my 4th period class today. They LOVE lighting. I have a student that I usually have to walk like a hawk (the one who throws things) and he was so responsible today. He did such a good job hanging the lights and working carefully with all the equipment. So proud!

6th period I took advantage of their competitive nature along with a little bit of rewards. One of the clamps was stuck and we had not been able to fix it all day. So I offered 15 points to the student who fixed it. About 5 guys descended and took turns before one student that isn't even registered for my class but had come to help succeeded.

Day Seventy: The return

Much earlier than expected, my student from 6th period returned. He came by before 3rd period with the ringleader of the O5ers that's come so far with my class (even though she's not officially in it now). He asked if he could come back and then said he didn't mean it. Then he apologized. I told him he could come back if he wanted to be there, but that an apology doesn't mean anything unless something changes after. Then I almost fell over as I listed to the girl lecture him about actions speaking louder than words.

One of my more challenging students in 3rd period yelled at me today and told me no one wants to be in my class. I'm so grateful for the moments yesterday and today that have shown me otherwise.

We counted out how many giant snowflakes we've made and calculated how many more we'd need. Seeing an end in sight helped motivate some of the students to get back to work on them.

During 4th period I have had many discussions with them about throwing things in class. Today they were being careless and I ended up accidentally getting hit in the face with a beach ball. Yes, they got a lecture. And a new class rule about losing points for throwing things. Thank goodness it was only a beach ball. After that two students worked hard while the rest of the class didn't accomplish anything. Partly I think they were discouraged. Partly they were in a bad mood. Some of them felt bad that they had screwed up. As always, tomorrow will be a better day.

On a positive note, if they can manage to not throw things for a few days they will get to be part of the snowball fight we are having next week at the Christmas party. Yes, I ordered some fake snow. I'll let you know how it works.

Day Sixty-nine: The reason

I started the day overwhelmed. I ended the day emotional and exhausted. The middle? Pretty awesome.

First, it's raining here, and this city does not handle moisture/cold/anything but sunshine very well. There was a stoplight out at a major intersection so I had to sneak around side streets in a questionable neighborhood and arrived to work ridiculously late (along with everyone else). When I arrived, I looked down the hallway and a feeling of doom began to set in. One of my students from 1st period that has been gone for the past few months was standing in the hallway. I took a deep breath, walked into my supervisor's classroom and said, "I'm screwed." Then later I saw a girl that used to be in my 6th period. Earlier in the semester, she acted out and told me she didn't care because her mom was putting her in a high school. I think I might have said something along the lines of, "What are you going to do if that doesn't work out?" It seems it didn't. Both situations ended up less difficult than I thought they would. I've made a lot of progress with my students since they've been gone and wasn't sure how having them back would change the dynamic. I made sure that I did everything I could to keep things light and make them feel welcome. I think it helped them stay off the defensive. It's hard to rebel against authority when authority is showing kindness. I hit a bit of a bump when the girl told me at the beginning of 6th period that another student had mentioned to her that I had said some very negative things about her. Eeek. I remember him using those particular words to describe her, but I'm not in the habit of using that particular language. Note to self: Talking about other students with other students is a no no, but so is letting other students talk to you too much about each other.

After school, my supervisor came by and said that we couldn't do what I'd been planning for covering the windows in the cafeteria. Too much materials, too much manpower. He wanted me to scrap that part. I admit I cried as he left. Not because of all the work I had done, but because my students had worked so hard. I'd struggled to keep them working on probably the longest project these students have ever worked on. I didn't want to walk in tomorrow and tell them that they'd wasted their time. I think I've limited it enough to cover less of them. We'll see how it goes over tomorrow. I'll have to remeasure everything I've already done in the morning and see what I still need.

Now for some positive. During 6th period a few students came to my class from English. The computers were down so they couldn't do anything for the assignments they were working on. One was a girl who has visited my class before, while another was a girl in my 3rd period (that I just gave student of the month to, but has a habit of ditching her other classes). We were talking about my expectations regarding respect, and the visiting girl said, "I don't know why anyone would disrespect you, your class is cool." Seriously. Can't argue with that one. But what was really humbling and made my day was when the girl from my 3rd period said, "This class is the only reason I come to school." I have the best job. Ever.

Day Sixty-eight: Telephone

After yesterday's fiasco, I was wondering how my 6th period would react to the departure of one of the students yesterday. As we were working, someone said, "He said you kicked him out of the class." It turned into a very interesting discussion. I told them I didn't kick him out. He kept saying he didn't want to be in the class anymore, so he got what he wanted. I also said he was welcome to come back, but only when he decided he wanted to be there and then asked to come back. It's interesting how what you say to students gets translated and changed over time before it gets back to you. I tried to male it very clear to my students that I was not and do not give up on my students. I expected and hoped he would return soon.

Today we took a little bit of a break from making decorations/building scenery. I'm concerned about them getting burned out and losing interest before we finish everything we need to do.

Day Sixty-seven: You know you like it

Last night I went shopping at Joanne's and bought some new snowflake stencils. Only decent ones I could find were actually cake decorating ones. But they were much prettier than the ones left behind from last year. The last few days I have struggled to get the students to help with sponge painting the snowflakes on the paper we are using to cover the windows. Today I showed them what the panels will now look like. I had students in every class working on it and fighting to get to work on it. Lesson learned: You know it looks good when the students want to work on it.

Before:


After:

Today I learned the secret to calming down my 4th period class. Sing to them. I've been trying to start a choir, and they asked me to sing for them. So I sang a quick Christmas song...and they all got silent. Then they wanted me to sing something else. The next thing I knew I was playing Disney karaoke and making Christmas decorations with them. Yes, I was singing songs from The Little Mermaid with "tough" high school students. It was like magic. Who knew?

The miracle in 2nd period continues. He worked again today. The entire class period. I typed up an email to the principal and the AP letting them know how he was doing, then let him read it before I sent it up. He got a little smile on his face when he saw it.

Then there was 6th period. A little heartbreaking. My "I don't want to be in your class anymore" student pushed things a little too far. He said it again today, yelling across the room, "F-- this class," among other things. It's hard because he is one of my favorite students. He's angry. And his life outside of school is incredibly difficult. It doesn't have anything to do with me and I can see that. But today I couldn't talk him down when he got upset. So I had to send him to the office so that he could have what he said he wanted. I told the AP to let him back in the class when he asks to come back, but not before then. It was reassuring to see the AP's confidence in me, but what I really hope is that this student will still be able to see my confidence in him.