Dirty but happy, digging and scratching
I've had a great first week of school. The new seventh-graders seem very young. I seem very old. I may have been moderately brilliant a few times, but I'll spare you all the boastful details. No guarantee it will last after all. But at least I'm able to almost keep on top of things, without half-killing myself in the process. So far, anyway. Did I just jinx it? I'm pretty sure it's just that it's going to be a little easier the second go-round. :)
The other English 7 teacher convinced me to join her in giving points to each of my six classes to reinforce individual and communal acts of excellence, House-style. So we are. She saw on my board around Day 2 and said, Oooooh, how cute, did you have them pick names for themselves? That's when I realized how much I've learned the past few years. Of course I didn't let them pick their own names. Seventh-graders really don't want choice as much as everyone thinks they do. They certainly don't want to figure out town-hall-style democracy on Day 1. They much prefer a predictable and preferably benevolent dictatorship. So I gave them their names and they'll love them, dammit.
Period 1 Walruses: A super-shy and crazy-compliant Honors class. Half of them come into first period fifteen minutes early and start doing their daily warm-up no matter how many times I tell them that they still have fifteen minutes of free time. I get that they don't feel comfortable socializing around campus yet, but, geez, kiddos. You can read your Percy Jackson at least! I know you nerds would love that. (I would've.)
Ah well. I'll probably miss this once they lose it.
Period 2 Tigers: My most "grown-up" group. Right now they are upset because they're supposed to be the Advanced Honors Math cohort, but California is interpreting Common Core to mean no more skipping a year ahead in the curriculum, so they are using the 7th-grade textbook. But after the initial outrage they bounced right back. They glow with the glow of having been brilliant and successful all their short lives.
Period 3 Therapods: As shy as the Walruses and much less capable. Almost half of them failed to completely follow the instructions for their Honors Summer Homework. Hmmmm.
Period 4 Falcons: A non-Honors class with two boys who barely speak English* and two other boys whose suspension records, put together, are as long as the arms of... someone with really, really long arms. And Day 1 was a disaster because most of them couldn't line up quietly or read the seating chart projected onto the SmartBoard. So I started Day 2 with considerable trepidation. But, you know, I like this group. They need a lot of love and instruction. Quite a few of them never really had to learn to behave (or spell) in elementary school. But overall they are eager to learn, eager to please, and eager to win points. For example, I have a boy who, on Thursday and Friday, still shouted out once each day, but then he would catch himself before I even had to remind him and clap a hand over his mouth. And he's not playing for an audience: he's not good at getting along with the others -- it's just that he's incapable of feeling anything he doesn't express, even if he has to do it nonverbally. The mouth-clapping thing is adorable. I can totally work with this.
Period 5 Fireflies: My second non-Honors class. In general more capable than the Falcons, though they're almost as bad at following instructions, and their attitudes are crappy. Oh, there's quite a few kids I really enjoy in here, but... well.
They need a lot of love, too, but unlike the Falcons they don't solicit it. Nor respond to it, yet.
Suffice to say their history teacher and I are redoing our seating charts for this group over the weekend.
Period 7 Scorpions: Definitely my Honors class with the most personality. They're bright, overachieving, with a few showoffs. Small class and we have a very cozy attitude. Very early on they decided that they love me and I decided I love them. (And that's the way it's supposed to be, now yes it is.) What a wonderful way to end the school day.
Another great aspect to this year is that I feel much more comfortable with the staff and a part of the school family. It also means that I can understand the students a lot better because, when I try to see things through their eyes, I see not just my own classroom but all their classrooms. I know this week that, in addition to me frankly being on top of my game ;) and making them master some key skills right off the bat (you use your full name now, capital letters at beginning of sentences, end-punctuation is not optional, you is not spelled u unless you're texting, now go out and impress all your other teachers by doing this all the time), they are getting:
* an awesome, mind-blowing, inspiring infographic-like video in World History
* a new physical fitness program the P.E. dept cooked up this summer that got them sweating right off the bat (and most of them are incredulous but also quite proud of themselves for surviving)
* the notorious Respect Me, Respect Others, and, Most of All, Respect Yourself Bootcamp in Home Ec
* summer birthday celebrations with my team Math 7 teacher
* an actual art-project-outside-in-the-sunshine in the Art elective, because Mrs. B. knows that they were stuck in their seats reading the rules for their six other classes that day
* improv games with our new Drama teacher, who is young and pretty and hipster-stylish and the girls are going to idolize her something insane
* the other English 7 teacher, who is so gentle and loving that she has her kids eating out of her palm
Full of optimism. We are going to do this thing.
Keeping on top of things for now, but, if I disappear for a while, consider this due notice.**
In the meantime, curious to know what everyone's upcoming week is going to look like!
*The problem is that they are Arab boys who don't speak English. We have tons of students and staff who can help the kids who only speak Spanish; those students, no matter how rudimentary their English, don't even make the Houston, We Have a Problem radar anymore.
**I'm not going to bail on coordinating Pulped discussions though. Which reminds me. Sign up to host a Pulped discussion or I'll send you to the principal's office.
The other English 7 teacher convinced me to join her in giving points to each of my six classes to reinforce individual and communal acts of excellence, House-style. So we are. She saw on my board around Day 2 and said, Oooooh, how cute, did you have them pick names for themselves? That's when I realized how much I've learned the past few years. Of course I didn't let them pick their own names. Seventh-graders really don't want choice as much as everyone thinks they do. They certainly don't want to figure out town-hall-style democracy on Day 1. They much prefer a predictable and preferably benevolent dictatorship. So I gave them their names and they'll love them, dammit.
Period 1 Walruses: A super-shy and crazy-compliant Honors class. Half of them come into first period fifteen minutes early and start doing their daily warm-up no matter how many times I tell them that they still have fifteen minutes of free time. I get that they don't feel comfortable socializing around campus yet, but, geez, kiddos. You can read your Percy Jackson at least! I know you nerds would love that. (I would've.)
Ah well. I'll probably miss this once they lose it.
Period 2 Tigers: My most "grown-up" group. Right now they are upset because they're supposed to be the Advanced Honors Math cohort, but California is interpreting Common Core to mean no more skipping a year ahead in the curriculum, so they are using the 7th-grade textbook. But after the initial outrage they bounced right back. They glow with the glow of having been brilliant and successful all their short lives.
Period 3 Therapods: As shy as the Walruses and much less capable. Almost half of them failed to completely follow the instructions for their Honors Summer Homework. Hmmmm.
Period 4 Falcons: A non-Honors class with two boys who barely speak English* and two other boys whose suspension records, put together, are as long as the arms of... someone with really, really long arms. And Day 1 was a disaster because most of them couldn't line up quietly or read the seating chart projected onto the SmartBoard. So I started Day 2 with considerable trepidation. But, you know, I like this group. They need a lot of love and instruction. Quite a few of them never really had to learn to behave (or spell) in elementary school. But overall they are eager to learn, eager to please, and eager to win points. For example, I have a boy who, on Thursday and Friday, still shouted out once each day, but then he would catch himself before I even had to remind him and clap a hand over his mouth. And he's not playing for an audience: he's not good at getting along with the others -- it's just that he's incapable of feeling anything he doesn't express, even if he has to do it nonverbally. The mouth-clapping thing is adorable. I can totally work with this.
Period 5 Fireflies: My second non-Honors class. In general more capable than the Falcons, though they're almost as bad at following instructions, and their attitudes are crappy. Oh, there's quite a few kids I really enjoy in here, but... well.
They need a lot of love, too, but unlike the Falcons they don't solicit it. Nor respond to it, yet.
Suffice to say their history teacher and I are redoing our seating charts for this group over the weekend.
Period 7 Scorpions: Definitely my Honors class with the most personality. They're bright, overachieving, with a few showoffs. Small class and we have a very cozy attitude. Very early on they decided that they love me and I decided I love them. (And that's the way it's supposed to be, now yes it is.) What a wonderful way to end the school day.
Another great aspect to this year is that I feel much more comfortable with the staff and a part of the school family. It also means that I can understand the students a lot better because, when I try to see things through their eyes, I see not just my own classroom but all their classrooms. I know this week that, in addition to me frankly being on top of my game ;) and making them master some key skills right off the bat (you use your full name now, capital letters at beginning of sentences, end-punctuation is not optional, you is not spelled u unless you're texting, now go out and impress all your other teachers by doing this all the time), they are getting:
* an awesome, mind-blowing, inspiring infographic-like video in World History
* a new physical fitness program the P.E. dept cooked up this summer that got them sweating right off the bat (and most of them are incredulous but also quite proud of themselves for surviving)
* the notorious Respect Me, Respect Others, and, Most of All, Respect Yourself Bootcamp in Home Ec
* summer birthday celebrations with my team Math 7 teacher
* an actual art-project-outside-in-the-sunshine in the Art elective, because Mrs. B. knows that they were stuck in their seats reading the rules for their six other classes that day
* improv games with our new Drama teacher, who is young and pretty and hipster-stylish and the girls are going to idolize her something insane
* the other English 7 teacher, who is so gentle and loving that she has her kids eating out of her palm
Full of optimism. We are going to do this thing.
Keeping on top of things for now, but, if I disappear for a while, consider this due notice.**
In the meantime, curious to know what everyone's upcoming week is going to look like!
*The problem is that they are Arab boys who don't speak English. We have tons of students and staff who can help the kids who only speak Spanish; those students, no matter how rudimentary their English, don't even make the Houston, We Have a Problem radar anymore.
**I'm not going to bail on coordinating Pulped discussions though. Which reminds me. Sign up to host a Pulped discussion or I'll send you to the principal's office.