My kids are so darn funny

After an extended break (McReynolds was one of two schools that had both July 3rd and July 4th off. We didn’t really have it off, but that’s another story for another day) I was reunited with my little monsters. I totally like them now. They’re great and they totally crave structure. Once I got consistent, they totally shaped up and responded really well. We still have some behavior issues, but none like before. They tell me that 8A and 8B are the worst kids in the whole school. I say pish to this… they’re like kittens.

George, my most want to be gang member, is five foot nothing and has tattoos on his arms. He thinks he’s tough, but once you remove all items he can throw across the room from his possession, he’ll do the work. This week he decided to hit Angel in the face with book he found on the ground (at least he’s using it for something) and when I wrote him up, he looked at me and said “Oh Miss, why you gotta be so mean? I didn’t hit him that hard.” No George, you didn’t.

I also have David Mendoza in my fifth hour class. David is kind of the cutest thing ever, but he’s so bad. He likes to tell me he forgets how to speak English. He is ESL, but he knows how to speak and how to write English. But then he flashes that smile and it just kills me. “Miss, I don’t know. English is hard. I write in Spanish?” “ No David, this is English class, you have to write in English.” “But Miss… just for today. I remember tomorrow.”

They also all call me Miss or some whiney variation thereof. They are immersed in their love dramas and issues. I confiscated a note yesterday all about how one girl had decided her boyfriend was no longer right for her and was interested in another more “mature” boy. This boys only concern with this plan was that the soon to be ex-boy was his best friend. Oh the drama. Other teachers have gotten really good at spotting notes and letting them get nice and long before confiscating them. I wish I had this talent. We read them over dinner and my notes are always a little lacking.

I suppose I should get on with the lesson planning. I keep trying to hide from that 5:45 a.m. wake up call, but it keeps finding me. Trickster.