Friday!

Man, I didn't really like today. Escept for the fact that it is FRIDAY!

Class A were jerky and noisy. I tried to do a lesson and three or four students were listening and paying attention. The rest were talking. This one sweet little boy was in tears for awhile, apparently another, bigger boy gave him a wedgie.

I got a coverage slip when I came in, for a seventh-grade class 3rd period. I went up there and then was told by another teacher that the coverage must have been for 4th period. But then they called me on the PA to come back, about halfway through. Frankly, I really really dread coverages. Because actually, I guess I do have some classroom management with my own classes. I hate going to seventh grade classes because they are rude, some disrespectful, and many are lazy when a sub is in the room. It sucks. So before I picked up my homeroom class, I asked Ms F if she was free during 3rd. She has said before that she can do demo lessons/help for coverages. She did come with me and the class, for the 20 minutes we were there, was fairly contained. I have no doubt that if it had been just me, it would have been bad.

When I got back to my room a few minutes after 4th (lunch for the 6th graders) started, two kids were actually there waiting for me. Let's see, I better give them names. One was Little C, who's one of the boys I had to lecture (the other one I can call Little K, and he was in my room at lunch Weds and Thurs), and who has been in my room at lunch for what, three days? The other is Tall T, who has the pushy parents I saw last week. I found myself quite a bit relieved that she's willingly hanging out in my room; maybe if she likes me, her parents won't get so many reasons to come talk at me.

Coming down the hall, I saw Tall T poke her head out and then say to the boys in the room, "Oh good, she's here."

"Trouble" was there too! With powdered donettes! And he willingly shared them! He whined that he wanted to come back to my class. I'm quite sure that's because my friend Ms C and her class don't put up with the shit he pulled in my class, and so my class was fun for him; he got to play and goof off and do no work. Anyway, he was quite content there. I made sure to be normal (as in person, not in teacher--my 'normal teacher' has become STERN) and he responded to it. When I corrected his "brang" to "brought," he caught on and later corrected himself on it when I gave him a teacher look.

Tall T and Trouble got me to write a pass so they could bring lunches back up to the room. They brought me some too, and I said I just wanted fries. They let me have all their fries. I made them sit down and play Boggle with me. I warned them that I was going to kick their butts, and I did. Heh. But they did pretty well.

Good lord.

Class B irritated me, as always. Well, just a few of them. The same few that are always a problem. God, why can't I exert enough control over these little kids?

All of the students, in all three classes, whined and tried to beg and plead about the grouping today. Since it's test prep day, and we're supposed to have differientiated learning groups, I put papers on the tables with names. They were to come in, find their seat, and get ready. But they whined and were annoying. Shut up! I did not take any of that crap. All I said was a tough, "Sit down."

Class C was okay. Still chatty and not really paying attention, even some of the "good" kids. Ay yi, it was a true Friday!

Oh, and guess what we got today. Memos about simulation testing next Tuesday and Wednesday. The big 8th grade test is coming up in January, and the 8th grade teachers are cramming in everything they can until then. So they're going to have a practice day, two of them. And, the 6th and 7th graders will be doing them too. No idea what kind of test or anything, but all of us are "proctoring" those days. The regular classes during what appears to be the regular periods for those days. Ugh, I'm not looking forward to it.

That will throw off my plans for the week, for getting a start on the group report project. Shit. I'll just do one lesson, once for each class. Class C will get a free period on Wednesday, because they are the only class I'll see twice. Lucky bastards.

Hey yeah, I wanted to mention this. In the PD on Monday, our ELA AP (ha, that means English/Language Arts Assistant Principal) talked about...something about implementing things into our classes. And she mentioned me! To say that she really liked what I did! I feel like I got away with something, because I think she just came in at the right time and maybe overestimating my skill. But still, to be called out like that for doing well, I really didn't expect it. Pretty sure I don't deserve it, either. But of course, it's pretty cool.

Hurrah, it's Friday! I am not going to work at all tonight. I can't wait to sleep for a long time. Or at least more than seven hours. Woohoo!