I am trying to remember that just because one class gave me some gray hairs, or another student threw a banana across the room and broke a window, it was not a totally bad day. In fact I think some of the strangest things happened or were said. Some are strange ha ha, some are just odd.
Student E, whose early use of drugs has put a serious hamper on his brain ability, joined a new class, and I knew it would be hard to catch him up with the novel we'd been reading all month. Another student gave a quick summary of what we've read so far, and I had them continue reading and answer the comprehension questions. E started his usual vacillating between talking to his friends about the party he went to last night and screaming over and over that he doesn't get what to do. So of course I snapped, "If you'd been paying attention then you'd know what has happened so far." He then rattled off the entire summary word for word. Egg on my face.
Student R, who was a major pain in the you-know-where last year, said something so amazingly mature. "I wish I had an older brother to set me straight. In elementary school I screwed around but figured I'd get my act together in middle school. I didn't and figured I could change at the high school. And then I screwed around in high school and ended up here. I am keeping my baby bro on the right path. He's getting straight A's and shit." My little man is showing signs of growing up.
Then today right out of the blue in the middle of grammar, student J asked, "Do raccoons run in packs?" After my confused admission that I have no idea, he continued, "I hooked one with a fishing pole and sardines when I was fishing at my friend's place."
You just never know what you will find out in school.
Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!
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8 comments:
Are you sure, you didn't have my youngest your class? He would be the one asking questions about stuff like that.
The one talking that would be my oldest, not paying attention to what I'm explaning how his h.w. is to be done.
{{Hugs}}
S.R.
Do you teach at a continuation school?
CH
SR- Thanks for the hugs!
CH - Yes, I teach at a continuation school in a small town that finally got a stop light that actually changes color!
How very funny! I bet you hear all sorts of funny things throughout your day!
Sounds very challenging dealing with this age group. A town in CA that just got its first stoplight?
Goodness, I think it's the goal of our city fathers to have a stoplight on every corner!!
Wow! Your about to pass this little town up pretty soon. We've got two stop lights down here. Unless you count the draw bridge then we have three.
I think you live pretty close to where my dad grew up and went to school.
CH
Is a continuation school what we call a Pupil Referral Unit? For kids who have criminal records, violent behaviour etc.
Yes, *all* kids can show remarkable insight, clarity of thought and perception. Some of my most creative pupils were those who often threatened teachers with a knife....
P&S, a continuation high school is for kids who do not fit into a traditional school. I could be because of behavior or being in jail. It also could be because they are not very fluent in English, need to work in the afternoons (we get out earlier and have less homework)and every once in a while we have kids who want to finish early to go college.
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