A Swinger of Birches
| Independent Work: | *students talking* |
| Turn and Talk: | *silence* |
This is my job.
| Student: | I don't understand question 2. |
| Me: | It says "Identify the second part of the cell theory." The cell theory is in your notes. It has three parts, and I want you to name the second part. |
| Student: | Like, the second part of the cell theory? |
| Me: | Yes. |
| Student: | So basically, you want me to identify the second part of the cell theory. |
| Me: | ... |
Grading final examinations and then this happened. I literally fell to the floor and I’ve yet to recover.
Love.
This is all teachers, every day. Good for us.
| someone who looks an awful lot like me : | "Hey all you horses, look at that beautiful, life-giving water right there in front of us. Good job, Horse 1. I see you looking right where I asked you to look. I appreciate that. Keep it up. Horse 2, look at the water. No, you're not. The water is over here. Look. The water. There. Keep looking. Horse 3, I know you've already gotten a drink. Just hang on. Horse 2, the water, I said. Right here. The clean water. No, that's a toilet. Get your head out of it. Horse 3, could you please show Horse 4 the water? Thank you. Horse 1, you see the path to the water I stayed up last night paving? Yes, the one that's not quite finished. It'll be OK. Go ahead. See, yes, I've got the reins. You can do it. That's right, just like we did before. HORSE 2, STOP DIGGING UP THE PATH. Horse 4, I know you're not thirsty, but if you don't take a drink now you won't make it to the next stop. Horse 1, why are you IN the water? I know I didn't say when to stop, but I just thought that. . .OK, no, it's OK, just back up, we can still do it. That's right. Just a drink. You'll like it. Please. Yes, Horse 3, I know you'd rather have something stronger. So would I. NO, HORSE 2, STOP THAT RIGHT NOW. THAT. IS. NOT. WHAT. THE. WATER. IS. FOR. STOP. Everybody! AWAY FROM THE WATER. I KNOW what I said. We'll try again tomorrow." |
Before school started, I attended an impromptu conference with an (rightfully) indignant parent to mediate between the parent and the ESL teacher. It did not go well. I then received an email from a parent who was upset that I disciplined her child after he disrupted my class. I listened to a team member of mine try and solve a curriculum issue she’s having in her department, organized my filing cabinet, hung proficient work in my room, had a meeting with the media specialist about a technology project I want to collaborate on, and helped create a new grading system for our department that is actually aligned with the standardized test grading scale. And, oh yeah, I taught five classes. Teacher life. Wouldn’t trade it for anything.
My students are going to be like this.
And I’m going to be like this.
Here’s hoping I’m wrong.
Descriptive Kid is Descriptive
| Student: | Hey, Ms. G. Can I go do the thing? |
| Me: | What thing? |
| Student: | The thing with the other thing. |
| Me: | Use your words. |
| Student: | I need to go do the thing for that thing so that 2nd period can finish the thing. |
| Me: | ... |
