There are 25 minutes left for the day and then I'm FREEEEEEE!!! I'm very ready for this break. It's much needed for everyone here at school. Today I saw a total of 14 students and my average for the week is 14.75. Several students have been dropped so I'm not sure of my exact total number of students anymore. Either way 14 students for the whole day is sad. The school has seen less than 50% of its students the whole week. It's been super cold and snowing and raining and I don't really blame those that didn't show, however when it comes time to figure their grades I won't be as sympathic.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
2 more days
Today I saw a total of 15 students. We're supposed to have an ice storm starting tomorrow so we might get lucky and have another snow day. Since today was an early release day I didn't feel pressured to get a whole lot accomplished but overall I've been super lazy this week. Monday I had 13 students and most of them were in my 4th hour class. That was good though because we were getting ready for a concert, which was supposed to be yesterday but was cancelled. I've lost all motivation to do anything this week and so have the students...... we're all ready for break.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
SNOW DAY!
I love snow days. Except this is was our second one and twice now I've been up for about an hour when I finally get "the call" and then since I'm wide awake it takes forever to fall back asleep. That's what I do with snow days. I sleep. It's wonderful.
Monday, December 15, 2008
4 more days
Current temperature outside: 7.4 degrees
Total number of students seen today: 13
Total number enrolled in all my classes:39
Basically having a plan period every class hour:priceless
Total number of students seen today: 13
Total number enrolled in all my classes:39
Basically having a plan period every class hour:priceless
Coooolllldddd
The temperature when I woke this morning @ 5am was a warm 3 degrees. Currently @ 7:35am it's dropped to 1.3 degrees. Sitting in my first hour class I have one student out of ten here, and hardly anyone was on the buses. It was so cold even my dog who normally lives for snow and cold weather walked to the end of the block, decided screw this and literally pulled me back to my apartment. Most schools in the area didn't cancel or even delay by a few hours but really??? It's freezing outside. I watched the news and even though it says it's 1.3 degrees it actually feels like -17. I'm seriously hoping they didn't cancel or delay in the hopes that the bad weather we're supposed to get tomorrow and Thursday will actually result in a real reason to cancel and not as a actually suspect out of sheer stupidity.
Friday, December 12, 2008
One more week
Winter break is one loooong week away and it can't come soon enough. I'm currently trying in vain to get my choir ready for a concert on Tuesday. As always my major issue isn't so much students lack of ability (they're all actually very talented when they put forth the effort) but working through their attendance issues. I did progress reports last weekend for all of my classes and was actually shocked to discover that majority of my students are failing. Normally i would attribute this to my inabilities as a teacher, but after poring over all of my students records I found that the main reason for failing grades was lack of attendance. When a student is gone 8 out of 15 days yeah, they're going to fail.
Last year, being my first year, I was always concerned about how many failing students I had and was extremely caught up the way it made me look. But as the year went on and into this year I have realized that even trying my hardest, trying every teaching technique in the book, if the kids aren't there they're not going to learn and eventually won't pass.
I'm learning to take things in stride and adjust to the mindset that it's not always me as a teacher. Sometimes it really is the students and their work effort or lackthereof. I do hate though that out of a class of 15, 10 are failing, 1 has an A, two have D's and one just enrolled so they don't even have work in yet to actually grade.
Last year, being my first year, I was always concerned about how many failing students I had and was extremely caught up the way it made me look. But as the year went on and into this year I have realized that even trying my hardest, trying every teaching technique in the book, if the kids aren't there they're not going to learn and eventually won't pass.
I'm learning to take things in stride and adjust to the mindset that it's not always me as a teacher. Sometimes it really is the students and their work effort or lackthereof. I do hate though that out of a class of 15, 10 are failing, 1 has an A, two have D's and one just enrolled so they don't even have work in yet to actually grade.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Thanksgiving Thank God!
Thanksgiving break a few weeks ago was a much needed break. However, DBHS was the ONLY school in session in the Kansas City metro on the Wednesday before break started. When I was in high school in Iowa we always went on Wednesday and Missouri does lots of things differently when it comes to breaks, but last Wednesday I ended up seeing a total of 11 students for the entire day. It started out normal the day before a break, with late buses, no students going to class and of course the art teacher and I have already given in to laziness and decided to watch a movie allllll day.
I'm on a committee at work called SIT which primarily deals with fixing issues relating to students; updating our pink sheets which are for write ups (and contain such previous things as writing up a student for murder/homicide), building case files against students with repeat offenses in an effort to get them removed from school and our latest task of making a sexual harassment policy.
Two weeks ago one of our teachers was verbally harassed by a student who came into her room, after being kicked out of his class, in a search for his cell phone. After asking the student to leave the teacher was bombarded with a horrible slur of profane comments remarking on of all things her female body parts. The teacher clearly upset as anyone should be left for the day and in the meantime has consulted a lawyer about pressing charges against the student for sexual harassment. Her lawyer is encouraging her to do this and also speak to the administration about what can be done to the student at the school level. After hearing how her conversation went with them I was appalled to learn that the student, who the teacher wants kicked out and he should be, got nothing more than a five day suspension.
Normally I do try extremely hard to mind my own business and not get involved with issues involving students I don't have or am not directly related to with the classroom or school environment. Lately however I've lost my cool.
I recently found out that I suffer from stress migraines, alllll of which are related to work. I've even had to speak with one assistant principal about the possibility of not being able to finish out my contract year because the headaches and stress of this school are so much I've basically used all of my sick days to stay at home crying in pain, unable to walk my dog or even get out of bed.
This current issue literally pushed me over the edge. I am determined to help in turning this school around. It may very well kill me, but to keep a student after severe sexual harassment charges against a teacher is INSANE!
The reason they won't get rid of him by the way..... we get lots of money for having a certain number of students in attendance every day and the admin. was afraid kicking him out would affect this number and thus cash flow. The student...... doesn't even go to class when he's here. I should know, because I had him last semester and he was barely there.
I'm on a committee at work called SIT which primarily deals with fixing issues relating to students; updating our pink sheets which are for write ups (and contain such previous things as writing up a student for murder/homicide), building case files against students with repeat offenses in an effort to get them removed from school and our latest task of making a sexual harassment policy.
Two weeks ago one of our teachers was verbally harassed by a student who came into her room, after being kicked out of his class, in a search for his cell phone. After asking the student to leave the teacher was bombarded with a horrible slur of profane comments remarking on of all things her female body parts. The teacher clearly upset as anyone should be left for the day and in the meantime has consulted a lawyer about pressing charges against the student for sexual harassment. Her lawyer is encouraging her to do this and also speak to the administration about what can be done to the student at the school level. After hearing how her conversation went with them I was appalled to learn that the student, who the teacher wants kicked out and he should be, got nothing more than a five day suspension.
Normally I do try extremely hard to mind my own business and not get involved with issues involving students I don't have or am not directly related to with the classroom or school environment. Lately however I've lost my cool.
I recently found out that I suffer from stress migraines, alllll of which are related to work. I've even had to speak with one assistant principal about the possibility of not being able to finish out my contract year because the headaches and stress of this school are so much I've basically used all of my sick days to stay at home crying in pain, unable to walk my dog or even get out of bed.
This current issue literally pushed me over the edge. I am determined to help in turning this school around. It may very well kill me, but to keep a student after severe sexual harassment charges against a teacher is INSANE!
The reason they won't get rid of him by the way..... we get lots of money for having a certain number of students in attendance every day and the admin. was afraid kicking him out would affect this number and thus cash flow. The student...... doesn't even go to class when he's here. I should know, because I had him last semester and he was barely there.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Profile Pic
to clear up my profile picture for my mom and her co-workers, who i'm certain are the only people reading this, that is not how i dress for work. last Halloween catie and i dressed up as the students mocking the males attire, complete with oversized shirt, shorts hanging out and way too bangy pants. i was sick this halloween so i couldn't dress up as them again, but i will say that i understand why they dress that way. it's very comfortable.
IEP
last wednesday a student that my fellow friend and teacher catie and I have been dealing with literally went of the handle and freaked out on a teacher. i am fortunate enough to have my classroom positioned right next to the cafeteria and also one of the assistant principal's offices. so when something happens in the cafeteria, where majority of things take place, i can look out my windows and watch the action. then when they're taken into the principal's office next door i can literally hear every word of everyone's side and what their punishment is or lack there of.
so once i saw who the student was, i wasn't totally surprised that after she got in the assistant principals face, was taken to his office to "calm down" 20min. later during passing period she threw a student into one of the vending machines in the cafe. normally i'm somewhat sympathic to students who do get picked on, but in this case the student freaking out ususally brings something upon herself.
since wednesdays are early out days followed by faculty meetings i wasn't shocked to find us talking about the incident, but blown away to find out that the 3 day suspension she was given by an assistant principal for fighting was TAKEN BACK by the principal herself because........ the kid had an IEP that we don't even have documentation for. Now i understand the importance of following IEPs and how behavior IEPs work, but to me a student fighting is a student fighting. 3 days out should be appropriate regardless of their behavioral or learning disabilities. but what do i know. i'm just a teacher.
so once i saw who the student was, i wasn't totally surprised that after she got in the assistant principals face, was taken to his office to "calm down" 20min. later during passing period she threw a student into one of the vending machines in the cafe. normally i'm somewhat sympathic to students who do get picked on, but in this case the student freaking out ususally brings something upon herself.
since wednesdays are early out days followed by faculty meetings i wasn't shocked to find us talking about the incident, but blown away to find out that the 3 day suspension she was given by an assistant principal for fighting was TAKEN BACK by the principal herself because........ the kid had an IEP that we don't even have documentation for. Now i understand the importance of following IEPs and how behavior IEPs work, but to me a student fighting is a student fighting. 3 days out should be appropriate regardless of their behavioral or learning disabilities. but what do i know. i'm just a teacher.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Assembly fun!
This happened last Tuesday, Nov. 11th, Veteran's day, but i know i will cherish this moment always. The week before Veteran's day we had an announcement on Wednesday about an upcoming assembly to honor our vet's and celebrate Obama's presidential win. Later in the day I was informed that my choir would be singing(!) during the assembly. So with basically three days to prepare some patriotic music or something I inform my choir this is their final on tuesday (fun!) and get ready.
Tuesday rolls around with the usual mess assemblies create. NO ONE read my freaking email OR letter in their mailbox about how i didn't want choir kids until an announcement was made so i ended up with 11 students in my room 30 min. early. then the assembly started late. so we finally get the kids in the gym (think moving a herd of cattle through the building) and we no sooner say the pledge then a HUGE fight breaks out. AND we have guests (war vets) to witness the whole thing.
Once the fight is broken up to calm the atmosphere my lovely choir sings America the Beautiful, which i think was quite fitting and touching. So the assembly carries on with no other huge problems until the color guard enters the gym to do their march, to which they are pelted with pens and pencils by every member of the student body. then to make matters worse for them as they're making their way around the gym the kid carrying the flag runs it right into the basketball hoop and practically knocks himself over. And then my choir sang again.......
Tuesday rolls around with the usual mess assemblies create. NO ONE read my freaking email OR letter in their mailbox about how i didn't want choir kids until an announcement was made so i ended up with 11 students in my room 30 min. early. then the assembly started late. so we finally get the kids in the gym (think moving a herd of cattle through the building) and we no sooner say the pledge then a HUGE fight breaks out. AND we have guests (war vets) to witness the whole thing.
Once the fight is broken up to calm the atmosphere my lovely choir sings America the Beautiful, which i think was quite fitting and touching. So the assembly carries on with no other huge problems until the color guard enters the gym to do their march, to which they are pelted with pens and pencils by every member of the student body. then to make matters worse for them as they're making their way around the gym the kid carrying the flag runs it right into the basketball hoop and practically knocks himself over. And then my choir sang again.......
Announcement Fun!
Right during my plan period someone(a student) is on a phone somewhere in the building playing on the intercom. The following is an actual announcement made by one of our fine students, "dbhs.... this is the worst fucking school ever.....don't go to this school.... this is McCain...."
I swear this really happened
so basically this is just a place for me to post stories about where i work. i find them mildly amusing and i'm pretty sure most people don't even believe these stories are real...sadly though they are. this is my second year at dbhs. hopefully i make it through to the end of the year. i'm pretty sure that year three will not happen.
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