"Keep your hands on the table," is my nice way of saying "Stop playing with your JUNK!"

  I try to keep my eyes out from under the desks in my classroom.  I really do.  Beyond making sure kids aren't kicking each other, I mostly don't want to know.  Except, I… Read full post »

Even though we are bumping our class sizes up to 40 for next year, the district had to fly a new position at each school.  This position will be half teaching (3 periods of normal classroom teaching) and half "curriculum directing."  We've never had on-site curriculum directi… Read full post »

I know that everyone knows that boys cry.  I'm not going so far as to underestimate my comrads on OS, that much--  but I was wondering if you all realized that my experience with 7th graders has shown that boys cry a lot more than girls.

The student that cried in… Read full post »

I didn't even know what to write when this happened.  I don't even know if I am allowed to write this stuff.  I'm not going to stop, though.  Because no one else is writing about it.  I won't let this stuff disappear.  I think that is irresponsible!  

At lunch on… Read full post »

Not to whine, but sometimes you don't realize how f-ed things are until you start to write about it.  Right now it is 70 degrees outside nd 85 degrees in my classroom.

YUP.  In the morning (no matter how cold it is outside) the airconditioning comes on in my classroom.  In… Read full post »

Just in time for breakfast.  A suspenseful poo unsolved mystery.  This has been reported on by one of my co-workers over a series of weeks.  Mm.  Delicious.  Lunch in the Lounge is almost always Rated R.

So, a few weeks ago my co-worker gots nabbed by th… Read full post »

Hello Lovies!! I miss you! 

Today at lunch I spilled the beans about this blog.  I said, "People have this crazy image about what it must be like in a classroom.  They're so far off base!!  You wanna know why?  Because no educators have any time to write anything!  We ar… Read full post »

There's a new game in town.  The kiddies invented it.  This one can't be blamed on the teachers.  They call it "The Penis Game." 

Ok.  

 As of last year, instructional aids can not watch our classes for us.  Ever.  Only teachers with credentials can watch class… Read full post »

If you haven't figured out already, being a teacher means I have almost no time to write in a blog!  Because of this, I tend to avoid the big issues (merit pay, RIF Notices, NCLB, etc) and focus on small bits from my day.  I couldn't tell if my last post… Read full post »

My friends and I have started using this silly application on Facebook to send each other "Shite Gifts for Academics."  The other day the Reading teacher sent me "A Student Texting in Class!"  She said she would send me a real one, but she hadn't caught one this year.

Well, only… Read full post »

It isn’t an abnormal thing to see the police cars in front of the school in the morning.  Sometimes they crack down on bike helmets, or parents who try to make illegal turns into the parking lot.  But this was one of the craziest scenes I’ve seen!

Why the hell were… Read full post »

Take out a piece of paper.  Ok.  Trace your hand. 

I know I can't tell you to write on your hand because I'm your teacher and that is against some religions.

Some moral codes.

Some rules.

Maybe even our school rules.

I have a tattoo on my finger, so I don't… Read full post »

I swear, one of these days I'm going to post something about education that isn't depressing.

But Friday the 13th we are all wearing pink.

To protest, or commemorate (or whatever) all the teachers who are getting pink slips on the 13th.  Next Friday a whole bunch of teachers are going… Read full post »

It isn't any secret that teenagers stink.  There's tons of products marketed to their smelly demographic... it's almost cliche, even.

This does not make it any less alarming to encounter.

First of all, it isn't just the pits.  The pits are expected.  The garlic, onion, eye- watering pi… Read full post »

As much as I like to complain, today I have some glee.  Glee in the form of mobiles.

Remember these colorful fits of joy?  These wobbly sunbeam distractions hanging from the ceiling of your classroom?  Ah, yes.   Mobiles.

Maybe I am a bit more old skool than I ever thought.… Read full post »

I'm on my period and think "The Freedom Writers" will be a great choice for some cathartic tears and teaching inspiration.  Instead, I'm pissed off, again, and yelling at the TV.

Am I the only one who thinks this movie is a piece of crap?  I read the book, and actually… Read full post »

I didn't think anyone was listening, so I stopped writing. My mistake, honestly.

Sometimes there are pressures in the job and pressures in the life and pressures everywhere.  

 The only way to release the pressures is to actually release them.  I am not a writer, I am a releaser.

So… Read full post »

Today at our first department meeting deliniated for data analysis, I became really frustrated.  The data we analyze is completely out of context!  What good is data, if you aren't really looking at what you are measuring?

They have teachers look at each standard category, look at which tea… Read full post »

We just found out today that we will not be doing a textbook adoption this year.   Our district just does not have the money to spend on English.  They must spend the money on the new remedial algebra program.  

No Child Left Behind requires all 8th graders to take… Read full post »

During my conference period I was walking to make some copies and couldn't help but notice an autistic child SCREAMING into the doorway of a classroom.  His aid was standing by telling him to "breath, breath, breath!"  What can my students do?  I guess they can use their superhumansupe… Read full post »

This year I volunteered to teach INCLUSION.

Inclusion is run smashingly well at my school.  I have six periods of English to spread out students with various disabilities.  During one class period I wear a special microphone that transmits directly into the earpiece of a hearing impaired st… Read full post »

Folks, there's a lot teachers (and the school system) can do.

We can feed your kids.

We can give them "Character Education"

We can do our best as teachers to educate them in free (and or critical) thinking.

We can not make them go to bed on time.

Trust me.  I'm… Read full post »