So. Where to begin? On wednesdays, I teach every single period, so it's a pretty crazy day. I have a 25 minute tea break midmorning, and a thirty minute lunch. So regardless of how smooth the day is, it's hectic. The first three periods were quite nice, working on a summative assessment about the rainforest.
Anyway, aside from a continuous whiner who ran away from class at one point, the morning went fine. Then I moved on to my year 8 (7th grade) Geography lesson, which spans two periods with lunch in between. The first period, I kicked two kids out of class because I have a new "zero-tolerance-after-two-warnings" policy about insulting each other. Then at the beginning of the second period, I asked a kid to step outside for chasing another child and swatting her. I promptly forgot about her, however, because one of my students, who is five eleven and about twice my weight, started writing a note that said "I hate everyone in this school, I wish they would just leave me alone, why does everyone say I'm a bully cause I'm bigger than everyone else? I wish my mummy was home from hospital and my brother was out of prison..." (I stopped myself from saying, well and also you are really mean to everyone) and then she started crying. Then the girl sitting next to her started crying and I noticed that SHE had written a note that said "I love my mother even though I have never seen her, I talk to her on the phone but last time she said she didn't want to talk to me anymore. I hate my life and I hate that everyone else has a mum that they've seen..." and she was also crying... then three girls made themselves cry from reading those notes (before I could stop them)... then another girl who at first said "I want to cry too" later really was crying for reasons she would not disclose... all the while the three severely special needs students were being helped with their classwork on fairtrade by the TA.
I was trying to talk to my "big bully" who was in tears, because I have a soft spot for her... In the middle of that, a girl from the year above with whom my bully had had issues in the past came in to ask me something and before she could, my blubbering bully sucked her teeth and said, "what's she doing in here" to which the strange older girl flipped and starting screaming she would put my bully in the hospital. When I finally ushered the screaming child out, and returned to my crybaby, there was a crowd of five spectators. At that point, the two kids who I had kicked out the previous period were returned to class and apologised to me, as well as being quickly brought up to speed by classmates in answer to the question, "wait, why is everyone crying?" And finally another teacher brought me the student I had asked to step outside and forgotten about!!
I mean, wwwwwwwwwwwwwhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttttttttttttttttt????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel like laughing hysterically.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Moving day is Today! Yay!
Why does the demand for a title always come first? I'll let you know the title of this entry when I'm good and ready!!
Ok, so I try not to let my mom bully me into doing things too often (heck, sometimes I don't do things just to spite aforementioned bullying -- childish, I know), but she IS right that it's been a while and I should recommence communication. Even if she may be the only one who actually cares that it's been a while!
My left wrist is hurting, however, and since I'm trying to save myself for Power Yoga tomorrow, at which, because of all the Downward Dog they make you do (I know, I know, I smirked too), you're slightly fucked if your wrist isn't up to snuff. So, long, sexual-pun-filled story short, I won't be typing too much today. Sorry, mom!
By the way, just to reassure my eager readers on that front, there has been no front. Nada, zip, zilch.
I've been hard at work and Monday I finally get my just desserts! Yes, it is easier to be left alone and in charge of vulnerable children in the UK than to open a bank account so you can get paid for it! But I finally did it, with the help of a kind associate named Jennifer. Thank you, Jennifer!
My birthday was quiet, but profoundly content. I woke up with a buzzing in my toes and in my head that said, "Today is the first day of the last year you will ever be in your twenties." While this is a slightly terrifying thought, it wasn't a bad one. I had a conviction that I had to make it count, somehow. I also kept remembering the birthday three years ago when Max accidentally bought me the candle numbers 2 and 7 for my birthday, when I was so outraged he could think I was so old. I almost want to email him to apologize -- but not that much!
Recently, I reread Little Women (I was choosing books from the classroom library in my room, ok?). The memories came flooding back. Even though it doesn't happen in this book, but in one of the sequels, I spent the whole time hating 11 year old Amy because one day she was going to marry Laurie. I don't care if Jo turned him down! They were MEANT to be together! Just another indicator of how stupid love is. Even in books for fifth grade girls.
On a positive note, my principal agreed to spend the equivalent of $500 on ordering Hi-Lo books for my classroom. All I had to do was be a ballsy, impertinent freak and ask for them on my 8th day on the job! But any points I may have scored on that front were then countered by her catching me making a cup of tea during the first two minutes of my break duty. And, stupidly, rather than answering her comment of "Elizabeth, I think you're on break duty now" with "Oh, my goodness, am I??" I said "Oh, I know, I'll be there in a sec." DOH!
Ah, well, we can't bat a hundred all the time. I used to think that phrase referred to baseball, but now I'm fairly sure it must be cricket.
Oh my, almost forgot my most important bit of news! I'm going to be a real, live, honest to goodness American citizen in less than a week! Yes, folks, Uncle Sam is accepting me as one of the fold! My vote could be the definitive one in the next election when Obama miraculously wins again (lalalalalala I'm not listening to any haters out there).
Much love and miss you. Miss you doesn't capture the longing in my... heart? gut? well, somewhere intestinal to see my favorite people with a cold delicious glass of IPA (which for some freakish reason they don't drink here!!) and a game of scrabble. or settlers. or taboo!
Oh, wait, the REALLY important news is that I'm moving today! No more four hours a day of commuting to and fro! The pair I'll be sharing with seem really nice although you'll have to wait for a later entry to find out more, since that's all I know. Yes, mom, you're right, they could be drug dealers, but I still maintain they wouldn't tell me if I asked them, anyway!
Ok, so I try not to let my mom bully me into doing things too often (heck, sometimes I don't do things just to spite aforementioned bullying -- childish, I know), but she IS right that it's been a while and I should recommence communication. Even if she may be the only one who actually cares that it's been a while!
My left wrist is hurting, however, and since I'm trying to save myself for Power Yoga tomorrow, at which, because of all the Downward Dog they make you do (I know, I know, I smirked too), you're slightly fucked if your wrist isn't up to snuff. So, long, sexual-pun-filled story short, I won't be typing too much today. Sorry, mom!
By the way, just to reassure my eager readers on that front, there has been no front. Nada, zip, zilch.
I've been hard at work and Monday I finally get my just desserts! Yes, it is easier to be left alone and in charge of vulnerable children in the UK than to open a bank account so you can get paid for it! But I finally did it, with the help of a kind associate named Jennifer. Thank you, Jennifer!
My birthday was quiet, but profoundly content. I woke up with a buzzing in my toes and in my head that said, "Today is the first day of the last year you will ever be in your twenties." While this is a slightly terrifying thought, it wasn't a bad one. I had a conviction that I had to make it count, somehow. I also kept remembering the birthday three years ago when Max accidentally bought me the candle numbers 2 and 7 for my birthday, when I was so outraged he could think I was so old. I almost want to email him to apologize -- but not that much!
Recently, I reread Little Women (I was choosing books from the classroom library in my room, ok?). The memories came flooding back. Even though it doesn't happen in this book, but in one of the sequels, I spent the whole time hating 11 year old Amy because one day she was going to marry Laurie. I don't care if Jo turned him down! They were MEANT to be together! Just another indicator of how stupid love is. Even in books for fifth grade girls.
On a positive note, my principal agreed to spend the equivalent of $500 on ordering Hi-Lo books for my classroom. All I had to do was be a ballsy, impertinent freak and ask for them on my 8th day on the job! But any points I may have scored on that front were then countered by her catching me making a cup of tea during the first two minutes of my break duty. And, stupidly, rather than answering her comment of "Elizabeth, I think you're on break duty now" with "Oh, my goodness, am I??" I said "Oh, I know, I'll be there in a sec." DOH!
Ah, well, we can't bat a hundred all the time. I used to think that phrase referred to baseball, but now I'm fairly sure it must be cricket.
Oh my, almost forgot my most important bit of news! I'm going to be a real, live, honest to goodness American citizen in less than a week! Yes, folks, Uncle Sam is accepting me as one of the fold! My vote could be the definitive one in the next election when Obama miraculously wins again (lalalalalala I'm not listening to any haters out there).
Much love and miss you. Miss you doesn't capture the longing in my... heart? gut? well, somewhere intestinal to see my favorite people with a cold delicious glass of IPA (which for some freakish reason they don't drink here!!) and a game of scrabble. or settlers. or taboo!
Oh, wait, the REALLY important news is that I'm moving today! No more four hours a day of commuting to and fro! The pair I'll be sharing with seem really nice although you'll have to wait for a later entry to find out more, since that's all I know. Yes, mom, you're right, they could be drug dealers, but I still maintain they wouldn't tell me if I asked them, anyway!
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