First Year Teacher
Saturday, November 20, 2004
I don't know if this is good or bad but when I walked into the gym to begin to practice my jump shot, I heard, "No way! No way!" and then one of my students ran out of the gym.
Five minutes later, students came tearing into the gym to see what I was wearing. It was soooo fun. Kids were laughing and I was hamming it up pretty hardcore. I kept waving my hands in front of my face and asking them, "Can you see this? Or am I too fast?" They thought it was pretty funny.
The actual game was a bit of a puzzler. I don't know how to play and the coach really seemed to want to win, which I hadn't been expecting. I just wanted to dress up and act a fool. But he kept hollering things like "Stay in the paint!" and "You're up TOP, Ms. R! UP TOP!" I still don't know what these things mean except that it meant I got taken out of the game pretty early.
Post game comments from my students included, "You know your legs hurt. You know they do." And my favorite, "You looked pretty fly, but you run funny."
I can't wait for next year. I am going to try to find goggles like the NBA'ers wear.
¶ 4:34 PM
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Five minutes later, students came tearing into the gym to see what I was wearing. It was soooo fun. Kids were laughing and I was hamming it up pretty hardcore. I kept waving my hands in front of my face and asking them, "Can you see this? Or am I too fast?" They thought it was pretty funny.
The actual game was a bit of a puzzler. I don't know how to play and the coach really seemed to want to win, which I hadn't been expecting. I just wanted to dress up and act a fool. But he kept hollering things like "Stay in the paint!" and "You're up TOP, Ms. R! UP TOP!" I still don't know what these things mean except that it meant I got taken out of the game pretty early.
Post game comments from my students included, "You know your legs hurt. You know they do." And my favorite, "You looked pretty fly, but you run funny."
I can't wait for next year. I am going to try to find goggles like the NBA'ers wear.
¶ 4:34 PM
Thursday, November 18, 2004
I woke up today knowing that I was going to embarrass myself. But I am at peace with that.
Somehow, my team teacher managed to sign me up for the Staff v. Student basketball game and then convince everyone that I really wanted to do it. If you have been reading for a long time, you may remember last year’s Staff v. Student game where I was hoodwinked into being a cheerleader. I’m not sure which is worse.
So I have been bragging hardcore all day to the students about my "skillz". And I even wrote the word on the board so that they wouldn’t mistake them for simple "skills". I have also started every class today with a moment of silence. Then I tell them that the moment of silence was out of respect for the student basketball team and their upcoming loss. They all groan. And then I yell, "Booyah!"
I also just went to Wal-Mart and bought a jersey, the kind the boys all wear. I also bought sweatbands and athletic tape that says "NBA" all over it. Since I can’t really play basketball and don’t know the rules, I figure I will just costume myself up in a ridiculous manner and pretend I am the bomb. I plan to prance around the court yelling things like "In your face!" and "I may not be your parent, but I’m ‘bout to whoop ya!"
As I learned when I, myself, was in middle-school—make yourself a joke before someone else does.
¶ 12:00 PM
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Somehow, my team teacher managed to sign me up for the Staff v. Student basketball game and then convince everyone that I really wanted to do it. If you have been reading for a long time, you may remember last year’s Staff v. Student game where I was hoodwinked into being a cheerleader. I’m not sure which is worse.
So I have been bragging hardcore all day to the students about my "skillz". And I even wrote the word on the board so that they wouldn’t mistake them for simple "skills". I have also started every class today with a moment of silence. Then I tell them that the moment of silence was out of respect for the student basketball team and their upcoming loss. They all groan. And then I yell, "Booyah!"
I also just went to Wal-Mart and bought a jersey, the kind the boys all wear. I also bought sweatbands and athletic tape that says "NBA" all over it. Since I can’t really play basketball and don’t know the rules, I figure I will just costume myself up in a ridiculous manner and pretend I am the bomb. I plan to prance around the court yelling things like "In your face!" and "I may not be your parent, but I’m ‘bout to whoop ya!"
As I learned when I, myself, was in middle-school—make yourself a joke before someone else does.
¶ 12:00 PM
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Things that make my job hard:
1. Having a computer server that crashes at least three times a week.
2. Being expected to have lesson plans completely up to date even when spur of the moment meetings suck up unexpected time.
3. Being told I need to, not just teach, but love a student that wrote "Ms. R sucks d*%k" on a peice of paper six times.
4. Having one copy machine for an entire school.
5. Having one copy machine for an entire school that breaks every other day.
6. Being "gently reminded" that we need to maintain high expectations while also being "gently reminded" that we shouldn't fail more than a few students even though 40% of them have turned in no assignments.
7. Suffering with a blazing headache while a student shouts out "All wetbacks live in trailer parks!" and having to stifle my very personal rage as I write him up.
Not the best day ever. ¶ 4:35 PM
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1. Having a computer server that crashes at least three times a week.
2. Being expected to have lesson plans completely up to date even when spur of the moment meetings suck up unexpected time.
3. Being told I need to, not just teach, but love a student that wrote "Ms. R sucks d*%k" on a peice of paper six times.
4. Having one copy machine for an entire school.
5. Having one copy machine for an entire school that breaks every other day.
6. Being "gently reminded" that we need to maintain high expectations while also being "gently reminded" that we shouldn't fail more than a few students even though 40% of them have turned in no assignments.
7. Suffering with a blazing headache while a student shouts out "All wetbacks live in trailer parks!" and having to stifle my very personal rage as I write him up.
Not the best day ever. ¶ 4:35 PM
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
I want a dog.
But I feel mean for wanting a dog because I am away from home from 6am-4pm. But then I know that people who work have dogs, don't they? Am I so mean for wanting a pup to come home to? If I waited until I was home all day to have dog, I would never have one, right?
You dog folks out there-- is your dog home alone during the day? Does it seem to be alright for him/her? What if I walked it in the morning and then in the evening and was with it all weekend? Isn't it worse to just leave a dog in the pound? Wouldn't my apartment be better than nothing?
Or am I being mean? I used to have dogs but I was young and didn't labor over such matters. The dog just stayed home and I didn't worry about it. Now I want to make sure I am making the very best decision.
Advise me, oh wise dog owners... ¶ 7:40 AM
But I feel mean for wanting a dog because I am away from home from 6am-4pm. But then I know that people who work have dogs, don't they? Am I so mean for wanting a pup to come home to? If I waited until I was home all day to have dog, I would never have one, right?
You dog folks out there-- is your dog home alone during the day? Does it seem to be alright for him/her? What if I walked it in the morning and then in the evening and was with it all weekend? Isn't it worse to just leave a dog in the pound? Wouldn't my apartment be better than nothing?
Or am I being mean? I used to have dogs but I was young and didn't labor over such matters. The dog just stayed home and I didn't worry about it. Now I want to make sure I am making the very best decision.
Advise me, oh wise dog owners... ¶ 7:40 AM
