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.