First Year Teacher
Saturday, November 01, 2003
Chapel Hill, again. I had a lot of fun last night for Halloween. Owen and Charles had a party at their house and I must say that there was a lot of creativity flowing! Owen was roadkill (a dead deer, complete with crows pecking at his carcass), Charles was Clay Aiken (a really big deal out here because he's from North Carolina), and there were prom queens and a Wonder Woman, and lots of cool things.
I did what I always do, which is chicken out at the last minute and not dress up at all. Go me.
You can go look at pictures from the party by going to http://www.unc.edu/~fergusje/images/halloween/
After the party, the ladies and I went to Bully's Basement, a girly bar in Durham. We saw a Drag King show and then just hung out. Then we went to get burritos. I love late night burritos.
Then, today, I had breakfast at the co-op and watched hippies and babies and puppies frolic in the sun. It was a gorgeous day out here. Then I went for a walk around Chapel Hill and UNC campus with Owen, which made me so hot and tired I came back and had a two hour nap. Love it.
Tonight I am going to Ethiopian food and I can't wait because I haven't had that in ages. And they certainly don't have it in Rocky Mount. You take culture where you can around these parts.
Tomorrow I must do work! I must! Poetry isn't just going to leap into these children's head, you know. ¶ 6:55 PM
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I did what I always do, which is chicken out at the last minute and not dress up at all. Go me.
You can go look at pictures from the party by going to http://www.unc.edu/~fergusje/images/halloween/
After the party, the ladies and I went to Bully's Basement, a girly bar in Durham. We saw a Drag King show and then just hung out. Then we went to get burritos. I love late night burritos.
Then, today, I had breakfast at the co-op and watched hippies and babies and puppies frolic in the sun. It was a gorgeous day out here. Then I went for a walk around Chapel Hill and UNC campus with Owen, which made me so hot and tired I came back and had a two hour nap. Love it.
Tonight I am going to Ethiopian food and I can't wait because I haven't had that in ages. And they certainly don't have it in Rocky Mount. You take culture where you can around these parts.
Tomorrow I must do work! I must! Poetry isn't just going to leap into these children's head, you know. ¶ 6:55 PM
Friday, October 31, 2003
I just found out that if you enter "fulsom street fair" (the leather extravaganza in San Francisco) into google, my blog comes up on the second page. And there is a quote from me writing something like "men spinning in circles spanking themselves".
I love technology. Sometimes I think this thing is getting out of hand. ¶ 7:15 AM
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I love technology. Sometimes I think this thing is getting out of hand. ¶ 7:15 AM
Thursday, October 30, 2003
I have been laboring over a costume for Halloween and I have finally started getting it together. I went to a craft store last night and spent way too much time there. I ended up with, not only what I needed for the costume, but knitting supplies as well. Someone is going to get a poorly knitted black scarf for Christmas! Watch out, it could be you.
But I am going to dress as a teacher for Halloween. I don't think that many people will get it-- if they haven't been around schools for awhile. But last night I puffy painted a black t-shirt and wrote (in orange) "There is nothing SPOOKIER that ignorance!". Then I am going to tye things to it, like pumpkins and spiders. Good times.
Today is one of those days where I realize that I have a cushy job, in ways. For instance, when I think about it, I only really work from 9:30-2:30. That is when the kids are here. Everything else is pretty chill. Not so bad. It can only be hard because of all of the trauma that kids can pack into those 5 hours. But I feel happy and lucky today.
And, once again, I am excited for the weekend. I have a pretty good life here in North Carolina, now. I am still homesick, but hopefully Christmas going down the Western coast will help that. ¶ 8:38 AM
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But I am going to dress as a teacher for Halloween. I don't think that many people will get it-- if they haven't been around schools for awhile. But last night I puffy painted a black t-shirt and wrote (in orange) "There is nothing SPOOKIER that ignorance!". Then I am going to tye things to it, like pumpkins and spiders. Good times.
Today is one of those days where I realize that I have a cushy job, in ways. For instance, when I think about it, I only really work from 9:30-2:30. That is when the kids are here. Everything else is pretty chill. Not so bad. It can only be hard because of all of the trauma that kids can pack into those 5 hours. But I feel happy and lucky today.
And, once again, I am excited for the weekend. I have a pretty good life here in North Carolina, now. I am still homesick, but hopefully Christmas going down the Western coast will help that. ¶ 8:38 AM
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Well, I had to throw out the entire reward system that I had (tickets to excellence) because I figured out that more kids were involved than I thought.
I did give me an opportunity to give this awesome speech to my classes, though. They were actually listening, I think. I struck some sort of chord. And believe me, that is not always the case. But I stood up and said,
"You have an opportunity, right now, to decide what kind of world to live in! You can let a few people ruin your class, ruin your fun, ruin your chances in life-- or you can stand up for yourself and take charge! It is not noble to protect those people who are hurting you. You are not being a friend by refusing to tell me who the guilty parties are. You are being cowardly and you are deciding that you have no rights. If you decide to do that-- well, then, you don't deserve to have rewards. You don't deserve to have fun. You don't deserve my respect. You don't deserve Tickets to Excellence."
After that, several kids gave me notes telling me who did what and who stole things. I am trying to teach them that the "good" kids outnumber the "bad" and that they need to take their classroom back. It is sort of working, I think.
But now, I have to create a new system. Off to Office Depot I go, to find unique paper and perhaps some rubber stamps. Yes, rubber stamps! Oh, these are the things that teachers love! ¶ 8:46 AM
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I did give me an opportunity to give this awesome speech to my classes, though. They were actually listening, I think. I struck some sort of chord. And believe me, that is not always the case. But I stood up and said,
"You have an opportunity, right now, to decide what kind of world to live in! You can let a few people ruin your class, ruin your fun, ruin your chances in life-- or you can stand up for yourself and take charge! It is not noble to protect those people who are hurting you. You are not being a friend by refusing to tell me who the guilty parties are. You are being cowardly and you are deciding that you have no rights. If you decide to do that-- well, then, you don't deserve to have rewards. You don't deserve to have fun. You don't deserve my respect. You don't deserve Tickets to Excellence."
After that, several kids gave me notes telling me who did what and who stole things. I am trying to teach them that the "good" kids outnumber the "bad" and that they need to take their classroom back. It is sort of working, I think.
But now, I have to create a new system. Off to Office Depot I go, to find unique paper and perhaps some rubber stamps. Yes, rubber stamps! Oh, these are the things that teachers love! ¶ 8:46 AM
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
I actually taught a for real lesson today! I have been so lazy, lately, and just kind of floating along. But today I taught a lesson on symbolism and they did activities and everything. It was sort of annoying, because they kept talking, but it was better than what they have been doing-- which is throwing things, stealing things, screaming obsenities at me.
It helps that many of my kids, as always, were suspended. While I was away, one of my students broke into the student store and stole $200 dollars worth of school supplies. He probably would not have been caught, except that he promptly went into his next class and started handing out the goods to other kids. He also stole a bunch of my "tickets to excellence", which is how I reward kids for doing well. It ruined my system, but at least nothing else was stolen from my room.
I also got to be detention monitor, which was great. I got to send kids out for talking and not have to do any paperwork. The other teachers out there know what a blessing that is. No paperwork. Imagine.
I am also feeling a lot better. One of my kids told me what the proper color of my car is. According to Timara, my car is "Champagne", not gold. Makes sense. ¶ 4:09 PM
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It helps that many of my kids, as always, were suspended. While I was away, one of my students broke into the student store and stole $200 dollars worth of school supplies. He probably would not have been caught, except that he promptly went into his next class and started handing out the goods to other kids. He also stole a bunch of my "tickets to excellence", which is how I reward kids for doing well. It ruined my system, but at least nothing else was stolen from my room.
I also got to be detention monitor, which was great. I got to send kids out for talking and not have to do any paperwork. The other teachers out there know what a blessing that is. No paperwork. Imagine.
I am also feeling a lot better. One of my kids told me what the proper color of my car is. According to Timara, my car is "Champagne", not gold. Makes sense. ¶ 4:09 PM
Monday, October 27, 2003
My car is still really cute. And the old car is officially gone. And, did I mention that my car is cute?
¶ 5:49 PM
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Ugh. I am siiiick. I hate having colds. I am coughing and have a fever.
I took the day off from school. I will pay for it by having to deal with whatever they do to my substitute, but really, the rest is worth it.
But in the happy news department-- I have the cutest car in the world! I got a goldish 1997 VW Gof and it is little and cute and I love her. Her name is Goldie (named so by the previous owner). She is perfect for me.
I must go cough some more. Cheers. ¶ 2:43 PM
I took the day off from school. I will pay for it by having to deal with whatever they do to my substitute, but really, the rest is worth it.
But in the happy news department-- I have the cutest car in the world! I got a goldish 1997 VW Gof and it is little and cute and I love her. Her name is Goldie (named so by the previous owner). She is perfect for me.
I must go cough some more. Cheers. ¶ 2:43 PM
