Valentine's Day

At the end of first period, I gave each of the kids a kit kat and wished them a Happy Valentine's Day and I told them the only way anyone could leave my class today was to give me or my co-teacher a hug. I really thought they would groan, but to my surprise and delight, my freshmen leapt out of their seats and raced to the front of the room to give/get a hug! And not just partial half way hugs... I'm talking full on bear hugs from almost every one of them.

It's a good reminder to me. They come in with their "too cool" attitudes and act like they don't care what's going on and nothing bothers them. And I thought they would hate hugs - and yet clearly they want that loving affirmation of acceptance. They are no different than me - trying to be tough on the outside, but really I just want someone to hug me and tell me I belong.

I always viewed Valentine's day selfishly... wanting to have a boyfriend or a husband... but what made today so special was giving love away, not receiving it. Isn't that how it's supposed to be?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Snow Day = Blog Update!

Hooray for Snow. I thought I wouldn't want the snow day because I'm giving quizzes today, which is an easy day. But hey, now I have nothing to do but relax and update my blog. Although, I can't wait to read my quizzes... as one of the other bio teachers got this reply to the question "Explain Natural Selection in your own words": 'Natural Selection is also called survival of the fetus'  Oh man I can't wait.

I recently had my seniors (environmental science) watch a video on the effects of population on the environment. The video discussed AIDS in Kenya and how it is dramatically misshaping the population pyramid (all children, practically no one over 30). It spoke of a gel called a "microbicide" that briefly inhibits the virus from entering tissue and can be used when families want to get pregnant but one of the spouses has AIDS and the other doesn't want to get infected. I asked my students on an open ended quiz: "What is a microbicide?" looking for an answer like this "a gel that prevents the AIDS virus from entering tissue." You know? Something scientific!

Here were my two most hysterical responses:
One guy wrote: "a small bicide" hahaha, he took the word to break down like this micro-bicide instead of this microb-icide. That's funny.
Another guy wrote: "something in that v*g*na gel." I cracked up and blushed from awkwardness/funniness.

I've started a quote book to capture more of random things the kids say. One of my artsy seniors decorated it for me, it's way cute. I think I'll include some pics in it too, like this one: one of my student's new haircut. This is the little (or actually BIG) angel who loves cupcakes & cornbread. And yes, that's old school Mickey Mouse shaved into the back of his head.


Other updates:
- The switch to 2nd semester has been tough as I received many new students (transfers, schedule changes, etc.). This majorly changed the dynamic in two of my classes where in 3rd period I went from 20 students to now having 28; and sweet 5th period (which is already nutso) where I only added 3 kids, but wow - everything changed. Feels like I started a new year all over again. So, if you think about it, pray that we get back to a smooth functioning level.
- I got selected as a teacher of the 3rd 6 weeks! Wow, I'm encouraged.
- I continue to wrestle with "Klopek" - he's so lost and doesn't want to be found. Pray for someone to get through to him, anyone.
- I hear alot of gang talk... in small ways like "I won't touch the red pencil, that ain't my color" or "I only wear yellow, none of that blue and red". I got on to one of my kids because he comments on gang colors constantly, I told him it had no place in my class. But it makes me really sad to know that even in Tyler, TX these 14 and 15 year olds are getting involved in things that could drastically shorten their life span.
- Lastly, one of my students just signed with Mizzou! Very proud of him! You can watch him this fall: C. Browning.

Christmas Carol Bling

It's been awhile. My apologies.

Before Christmas, a coworker gave me a super cute silver leaf ornament for my Christmas tree. The leaf is rather big, so in the photo I included a pencil so you can get perspective.

One day, one of my favorite Seniors came up to my desk to ask me a question. This student we will name Dasher. Dasher is a receiver for the football team and he's also an excellent student. As we were talking, I looked away for a second and Dasher picked up the ornament and turned his back to me so I couldn't see what he was doing... which was:

He attached the large leaf to his long silver chain then spun around and began rapping "Carol of the Bells" music, adding in beat boxing, snapping, and a little bit of dancing. "dum doo doo dum, (snap) dum doo doo dum (snap)..." It was so clever I cracked up.

Have I mentioned I love teaching?

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.