maineiac in kc

Sorry for the title, just felt like being poetic.  I guess I am just frustrated with a few select students.  I had three fantastic lessons today, I’d say 85% of my class did outstanding, but its that insane 15% that is making life hard.

I have a couple of girls that just love to slap boys.  I have sent people to the office, but thus far there has been little change in behavor over the long term (although in the short term there was).  Today, they slapped a boy so hard his glasses fell to the floor, then in his anger and trying to get away from them, he punched through a window in the door to my classroom.

 I guess its just hard having to beg the same four or five kids ever single day to do their work and knock off the inapproperiate behavior…  I need to take strength from the high points, like the student who arrived thirty minutes late, but managed to complete her assignment on time, getting better answers than anyone else.  She has improved so much!

So I am writing this merry posting on St. Patrick’s Day, and I hope everyone has tipped a pint of something today just because.  Its the middle of out Spring break here in Kansas City, and I must say that having time to get some time and distance here has been refreshing.

 I love teaching.  I didn’t know coming into the corps if I was like it as much as I do, but I do have to say that the feeling you get when you get a student to care about a topic is pretty special.  Knowing that I can make a difference is really why I get up before the sun each day, but I’m not going to lie, I was nearing a burnout before this break.  Between some students acting out of control, some badly approached issues (on both sides) with the administration, and just the long stretch between time off, I was getting a little frustrated.  Now, only after a few days off, I can sort of see the reasons again.

 I guess, just having time to relax with friends, share stories (good and bad), and get some much needed rest allows me to recharge the batteries and get ready for the MAP test which is rapidly approaching…

Finally, to any prospective or future members of the KC corps for next year, get ready and congrats!

So, yesterday, a student went into my desk and stole my phone.  Now, granted, this wasn’t the greatest phone, but it was mine, and it was my one and only source for phone numbers.  I literally now have no one’s numbers.  I think I maybe know two or three numbers off the top of my head, and thats it.

 By the time I managed to cancel the phone that evening, there had already been three calls, two to Detroit, one to Atlanta.  Right after I got home with a new phone, I got a call from Detroit where someone, upon hearing my voice, told me he thought he had a wrong number.  I told him that I thought he didn’t and who was he looking for.  Of course, he hung up.  I did the whole reverse lookup thing, and saw that they were calling named Carter in Inkster, Michigan, but other than that, no success.

 Today, me confronting students with this resulted in an almost brawl, and a possible one later that day.  Sigh, the fun seemes to keep coming.

 In other news, and postive at that matter, there has been massive improvement for many students in prep for the MAP test.  Its a huge deal in this state, and we’ve see a lot of gains among both my students and Mr. Bauer’s in sixth grade, especially as compared to last time we tested them.  I am actually starting to feel like there could be some massive gains, instead of worrying that I’m not succeeding!