Full Moon

One of my students keeps me rolling with laughter...He shouted out Cornbread when the answer was "lack of oxygen", he said "I'm a straight sapiens" in response to finding out the human genus/species is Homo Sapiens, and he recently told me that his Gra'ma gave him a whoopin' and when I asked what he did wrong he said, "nothin' miss, but when a black person say they gon give you a whoopin', it could be a year later and you still gon get that whoopin."

This is Dalls. He's great.

He's also about 6'4 and about 250-280 lbs. He towers over me, gives me huge hugs and smothers me, and always teases me. Example:
Me: "DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic..."
Dalls interrupting: "Spell Deoxyribo" (this is a command/challenge - insinuating i can't)
Me: "There are 4 nitrogen bases in..."
Dalls interruping: "Spell Nitrogen"
later
Dalls to another student: "ooh, I'm gonna see Harry Potter on Friday..."
Me interrupting in an effort to get him back: "Spell Harry Potter"
Dalls quickly replied: "y-o-u-r space m-a-m-a"

I had to think about it, then laughed out loud.

So why the title? Right before Thanksgiving, I gave a test. All my students were working quietly when Dalls got up to sharpen his pencil. On his way back to his desk he dropped the aforementioned pencil and bent over to pick it up. Unfortunately...I saw too too much of Dalls posterier. We're not talking a little crack, we're talking all crack.

I immediately said "Dalls!" and he snaps up and said "What?!" then apparently felt the draft and said, "Oh, sorry." then he kinda half-grinned/half-giggled and walked back to his desk. Well by now all the other students were like "what? what happened? what??" and I wasn't going to say a word to protect Dalls from embarrassment. But he came right out with it and said:

"I just mooned my teachuh."

The whole class busted out laughing including me. He's a spot of humor during my crazy 5th period that I have every day.

Starts with a C, or does it?

This year, October 29th in schools everywhere = kids spaz out because Halloween is coming over the weekend and they think it's a national holiday and therefore shouldn't have to work. I decided to try and outsmart them and "trick" them into doing work by giving them "treats". I happened to have some cupcakes and candy left in my room from my 4th period senior class that I quickly realized I could use as a carrot to keep my 5th period freshmen focused for one hour before the bell rang to release them to all their gremlin delight.

So I began to teach about Cell Respiration, and that after Glycolysis it depends on if there is Oxygen present as to whether it continues in Cell Respiration or undergoes Fermentation. We played hangman to get to big words they hadn't learned yet and I was rewarding them with treats for right answers all the while. My typically reticent fishies were eating out of my hand within minutes. (literally)

After discussing the aerobic pathway (presence of oxygen), I tried to lead them to the other pathway. I was looking for a response that was anything like this: anaerobic, lack of oxygen, no oxygen, etc. One student up front, who was feasting on his previous prize, muttered under his breath "lack of oxygen" while all the other kids were shouting things like "CARBON", "HYDROGEN", "KREBS CYCLE", etc. I barely heard this young man and quickly jumped to him to get him to say it loud enough for the others to hear.

I said, "YES, Dalls!, Say what you said again!"

With a mouthful of cupcake he shouts, "Carbon!" I said, "No, the other thing!" He swallows and shouts, "CUPCAKE!" I giggle and shake my head 'no' to get him to try again. To which he replies with all gusto, "CORNBREAD!!!"

I couldn't hold my laughter in. I love teaching.

Me vs. the 600 lb Woman

So today we are moving into Biochem basics: Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, Nucleic Acids.

We had already discussed that Carbs are short term/quick energy and had shifted to discussing properties of Lipids (fats) and the fact that they are long term energy storage. I paused from the lesson briefly to illustrate the point and asked my kids this:

"If me and a 600 lb Woman...." (I have to pause because they are already giggling at the mental image) ..."are stranded on a deserted island, who will last longest?"

I'm HOPING they say something like, "Her, because she has more fat, therefore she will have energy longer." But here was the response I got:

"Her, cuz she gon eat you!"

September Changes

A few things I've noticed in September...

1) obviously the weather has begun to change. That has been a welcomed arrival, especially since my room is an outdoor access room. I bet the Japanese maple at camp is looking beautiful...

2) The first 6 weeks came to a close at the end of September. Survived the first one - and wow, what a ride. It reminds of being at camp in some ways. Your campers arrive on Sunday, they are tough, they try to impress, they are walled off. Then around Tuesday night/Wednesday morning they begin to let their guard down and actually allow you, as their counselor, to see their softer inside and they become so much more teachable. This first 6 weeks has very much felt like "Sunday-Tuesday". Some of the walls are coming down, most of the kids are beginning to get into a routine... so I'm hoping (fingers crossed) that we can move into the good zone for a bit.

3) Sadly, an Austin ISD teacher, who was voted teacher of the year in May of this year, has now in September lost her job because of a blog. Foolishly, she used real names, photos, and made derogatory statements about the kids and their families. Her blog was not password protected or blocked from search engines. She said she was keeping the blog as a way to inform her family and friends of what was going on in her world. Unfortunately, you cannot violate privacy rights of students. This morning, A good friend clued me in to this happening and it has been a good reminder for me as I blog. I'll likely use some seriously outrageous names for the sake of protecting the identity of the kiddos.

4) One thing that has not changed in September is the behavior of "Klopek". Today, Klopek came in and was excited to see we had new seating arrangements... until he discovered his spot was right next to my desk and that he was at a table "full of losers!" in his words. He tried to get me to switch his spot to "the cool" table, which I denied, he has earned no privileges in my book. Then he decided to get out a hat. This might seem insignificant, but everyone knows... it's an ISD rule, NO HATS on school property. Too many gang affiliations and so much more, so no hats. Period. So he gets his out, knowing he's going to push the rules. The other teacher tells him to put it away and he complies for about 10 minutes. Then gets it back out. I tell him, "Klopek, put it away." He moves it half way under his bag. I said, "No, I can't be able to see it whatsoever." He blows me off. So I say, "Alright, give it to me." Now he's mad. "You can't take it! It's mine." So I say, "Alright, then put it away, completely." Again, no response. So again, "Give it to me." Again, "You can't take it."
"I'm not going to take it, you can go see your principal about it." so I write him up... (sigh)... again. And off he goes, with his hat on now. Only along the way, he encounters the Head Fred Principal (HFP going forward). HFP is awesome, he is legit, enforces discipline and is well respected. HFP says, "Son, put the hat away." Same routine. Second warning. Klopek gets rowdier. Third warning. Klopek then calls HFP a "chicken sh*t". Now there's cops and the whole hoopla. You can't cuss at HFP, ever. So we'll see what Klopek's punishment is this time. Suspension I'm sure...I can't keep him in class long enough to teach him anything.

Pray for this: Klopek could be the type of kid who decides to bring a weapon to school to "show how strong he is." He is so very desperate to prove himself and be accepted. Please pray against that, and for the safety of all of us who encounter him or many like him every day. Pray that he finds the True Acceptance he is looking for in Jesus.

Schnitzel and Stuff

This week in class my kids got distracted and began asking "Trinka" (the Special Ed Teacher who is in my class 1st and 5th period every day) and I if our husbands were German.

Then one of the biggest tallest kids in class (think offensive lineman) who also happens to be African American, blurts out, "Oooooh, I wish I was German. Then I could say things like 'Schnitzel' and stuff!"

I laughed out loud.

5th Period Dynamics

3 students in my 5th period make an interesting dynamic...Klopek (whom I've already posted about), and 2 others we will name Saldy and Stivaker.

Stivaker is a sweet young man who needs a little extra help and love. He can get frustrated and angry, but for the most part he has been in good spirits everytime he's in my class. Last week someone stole a $100 bill out of Stivaker's wallet during gym class just because they could. That infuriated me. Then, the other day, Klopek called Stivaker "special ed", which greatly upset Stivaker because he indeed does need some extra time and attention. Another teacher helped Stivaker calm down and get refocused while...

Klopek and I had a talk that day outside. He has skipped class a few times, he's been suspended for cussing out another teacher. When he is in class he won't do work, he refuses to take notes, and he slums his way through tests and quizzes not even reading the questions. In our talk on Wednesday, (after making a huge spectacle of being asked to go outside) he said he thinks no one cares about him and he hates school and he doesn't want to do or be anything when he grows up. He said he picked on Stivaker because everyone else picks on him and Stivaker is lower than him in the pecking order so he was easy to mess with. I told him it's unacceptable to pick on a Special Ed kid. He wanted me to send him to the office, but because that's what he wanted, I denied him the "privilege" of getting out of class and asked him to go back in and get to work. He complied for a while, then put his head down and went to sleep. I gave up on Wednesday. Meanwhile...

Saldy. Saldy is one of my football players. He is mouthy and at times irritable, but every day I like him more and more. He asks questions, he tries to learn, and when he gets off task he is easily redirected (even if this happens many times in one day...). Saldy has taken it upon himself to be my protector. Wednesday, when Klopek made a spectacle, Saldy stopped me before I got to the door and said, "Mrs. Miller, I'll handle this." I smiled and said, "No, Saldy, I got it." He said, "No Mrs. Miller, what happens if he punch you?? Then I'ma have to go out there and handle it." To which I replied, "Don't worry, he's not going to punch me," and I went outside. When Klopek and I came back in, Saldy was waiting, sitting by the door, and his first question as he looks me straight in the eyes was, "Everything alright?" and he shifted his glance to Klopek who was returning to his chair. I told him everything was fine and we continued class.

So today, Klopek returns and again, refuses to do work. After asking him many times quietly and politely to get out paper and get started and he plain refused, I asked him to step outside. He abruptly stands up, says "THANK YOU, I wanna leave this class!" and grabs his backpack. I said, "Klopek, leave your backpack, you aren't leaving." He ignores me and keeps walking. I take a different path and get to the door and tell him again, "Go put your backpack down, you aren't leaving class." and then... explosion. "F**k you, f**k this class, I hate this S**t, stupid lame a$$ school." I say, "Go sit down."

Saldy leaps to his feet looking between Klopek and me. I tell him to have a seat too. I get the referral stuff out and the other teacher helps me fill it out (since I have NO idea how to do that!). And Saldy starts talking to me..."Mrs. Miller, let me handle this." I say, "No Saldy, he's going to the office." He says, "Mrs. Miller, he can't talk to you like that. I take care of this." By this time I'm finished writing and the other teacher escorts Klopek to the principal's office (where he receives 3 days suspension). And Saldy says, "Mrs. Miller, you know I got your back right? It's all for you gurrl, all for you." I just smiled and continued with class.

Pray for Klopek. Whatever has happened to him (or is still happening to him) is making him terribly angry and he acts out at school. He needs Jesus. and He needs an education, but he can't learn if he isn't in school, and he won't be in school if he keeps behaving this way.
Pray for Stivaker, that people won't pick on him so much.
Pray for Saldy, that he won't do anything crazy in the name of protecting.

Genius & Species

Yes, I meant to type genus incorrectly in the title. Let me share an "enlightened" dialogue from class today.

Me: So now that we have defined species, what do you think is a population?
Random Child Blurting Out: A city filled with people.
Me: Well, sort of. Yes that works when talking about economics and government, but think in terms of science.
Other RCBO: But Miss, I seen those signs when you come in and out of Tyler sayin' Population 80 thousand or somethin.
Me: Well, ok. Let's use humans as a scientific example then. We are a species too. Our species is Homo Sapiens, so together, we are a population of Homo Sapiens.
Still Another RCBO: WHAT? Say WHAT? Uh-Uh Miss. I'm a Straight Sapiens.
Me: (stifled giggle)