The End

Our last day of school with students was Friday. (I saw a grand total of 4 students. However, I did teach a bunch of kids how to play SET. I also went on a long walk with one of my students and gave a very compelling speech about why she should think seriously about college.)

Tomorrow is the last day of school for faculty and staff.

I'm rather ambivalent about this. My job became my passion this year. While I welcome the break, I am going to miss that which makes me so happy every day.

Doldrums, Part II

Bored out of my mind, and exploring the internet. I found this great (and accurate) description of how scientists view the world:

via Abstruse Goose

Doldrums

Three days of nothing down, two to go.

What on earth am I going to do today? I never thought I would miss teaching so much, so soon.

...I don't even have any funny quotes these days! This is what happens when I come to school but don't see my students!

She Did It!

You may remember my student who dropped out of school, but who returned after some reconsidering...

Well, she graduated! She did it! I watched her march across the stage with pride and accept her diploma. And now she intends to attend a 4-year university! I really hope she pulls through...

Future aside, I am really proud of her present accomplishments.

GRADUATION!

Today was the happiest and saddest day of my year. While we have three throw-away days to go, today truly marked the end of my first year of teaching. More importantly, my seniors, whom I have loved and nurtured and worked so hard for this year, graduated. My kids graduated! I was so proud of them as they stood on line and waited to process into the arena. When the valedictorian gave his speech, I nearly broke down (and I NEVER cry; even coming close is a major accomplishment for me). Their names were called, they flipped their tassels from right to left. They are my seniors... my graduates.

Bloop Bloop

In 2009, high school students took a record 2.9 million AP exams. (For my readers who have been hiding in a cave for the past 50 years, AP exams are comprehensive subject-centered exams that are intended to determine college readiness.) Students take the exams in early May, and AP teachers converge in June to grade their essays.

Several of my students took the AP US History exam last month. I certainly hope they did not pen some of these hilarious lines, sifted through by this year's AP readers:

Question 2: about the factors that led to America's victory in the Revolutionary War.

-- At the time, America had the most advanced communication system in the world -- Paul Revere.

-- England viewed the colonies as nothing more than a back-talking teenager that needed to be smacked.

Question 3: about the role of slavery in causing the Civil War

-- With the end of Reconstruction, the Civil War was not far ahead.

-- Slavery was like the crazy uncle in every family - everyone acknowledges the problem, but no one wants to confront it.

-- Most western states are in the South.

-- The Misery Compromise only delayed the Civil War.

Read more at Betsy's Page.

Walking Companion

I was taking a walk across my neighborhood on Saturday night when I saw a familiar face: a student in one of my coworker's classes. Since she is not my student, I didn't know anything about her, except that I knew her to have a sweet and generous nature. She giggled when she saw me and asked if I lived in the neighborhood. I answered in the affirmative and asked the same of her. She hesitated, giggled some more, and then told me that she had recently been placed in a battered women's shelter two blocks north of the street corner on which we were standing. She said she was out exploring the neighborhood. I invited her to take a walk with me.

As we talked, she confirmed my preconceived impression of her in every way. Finally, I asked her why she was living in the shelter. She said that she had gotten into a fight with her father and stepmother. The fight had gotten physical, and her parents eventually called the police on her. The powers that be immediately pulled her from her parents and placed her in the shelter in which she is currently living. I asked if she wanted to go home after her sojourn in the shelter, and she shook her head vigorously. She didn't know what she was going to do, but she didn't feel safe with her parents.

Throughout our entire walk, I was so impressed by the grace and maturity she exhibited. I am still amazed at what my students go through, and how well some of them handle it. Even after a year of teaching, I can't quite fathom how such young people shoulder such large burdens.

I really hope everything works out for her. With any luck, I'll see her around the neighborhood again, and we'll get to take another walk.

Chameleon

Has a Hugging Problem gave me her tshirt today. It's a pretty cute Hollister shirt. So I'm wearing it and looking all neon and sparkly and blending in with the students more than ever.

Proof? I've been yelled at 5 times today for cutting class.

To Fail or To Pass

I'm having a horrible day at school. There is a lot of pressure to graduate students, and.... well, as one counselor said, "_______ won't be needing Environmental Science for whatever she does after high school, so you might as well pass her."

Ugh! Nevertheless, it's Friday, and I'm managing to maintain a cheerful attitude.

Broken Window

Today's Do Now question was, "Who is the most important person in your life? What can you do to improve your relationship with that person?"

Nucleus, who is normally incredibly disruptive and averse to doing work, asked me to read his Do Now:

I say the most important person in my life is my mom. I say my mom because she is always their [sic] for me and now I have to take care of her. I have to take care of her because my mom has AIDS and I was sad when I found out. I wanted to kill myself. She had AIDS for six years. Every time I am in school I think of her, and hope she is alright at home. That's why my mom is the most important person in my life.

Wow. Just when you think a kid is just plain obnoxious, he open a window into his life and makes you wonder, if only I had known this before.

Focus on Positivity

Lately, I have noticed a deluge of news articles, opinion pieces, and blog posts about optimism, forgiveness, and making the most of life (and much of it related to dogs).

Some tidbits of wisdom...

...From Can Pets Improve Your Relationship?

-- Even when pets drive us crazy by wrecking the furniture or soiling the floor, we don't stay angry at them. Similarly, we shouldn't hold grudges with our friends and family.

-- Even on bad days, we greet our pets cheerfully. After all, they probably had nothing to do with why our day went wrong and therefore shouldn't bear the burden of our rotten mood....

...From Patrick Moburg's Lessons from a Dog

-- Always be curious about the world around you, especially when new people come into it.

-- Give and accept affection, freely and often.

...From Nick Kristof's most recent New York Times column, about dealing with a cancer scare

-- Spend more time with family.

-- Appreciate the world around you, despite its imperfection.

And I think so much of this relates to teaching...

Bad Blueberry Buzz

Blueberries have now made the "Dirty Dozen" list -- the list of fruits and vegetables that are so contaminated by pesticides that the Environmental Working Group recommends you only buy them organic. Really unfortunate.

The good news is that frozen blueberries have only half the insecticides found on fresh blueberries. Furthermore, frozen blueberries deliver a much higher number of proanthocyanidins than the fresh variety. So even though frozen blueberries don't have that same juicy zing, they are nevertheless a delicious and nutritious alternative.

Quote of the Day - June 6, 2010

Bright Kid With World's Biggest Attitude Problem just called me to ask a question about an extra credit assignment I had given him. When I made an allusion to the BP oil spill, he said

"Oh yeah... I heard there was an oil spill or something. Like, my 8-year-old cousin was talking about some oil spill yesterday."

Period 2 Awesomeness

Turquoise-Colored Glasses: Are you telling me that french fries are bad for you? ARE YOU F***ING SERIOUS?!

~~~~~~~~~

(Holds Onto Sketch's Stuff So That Sketch Doesn't Need to Carry His Own Bookbag is unsure if he needs to complete the work he missed when he was absent.)

Adorable But Slightly Sketchy Student: Yo, you so dumb, obviously you need to do all the work you missed. You have to, like, be responsible.

Preparedness

In Environmental Science, one of my smartest and laziest students neglected to bring her packet (in which all of her unit work is contained) to class for the second day in a row. Upon questioning, she told me her packet was in her locker. But when I wrote her a pass to go to her locker, she flat-out refused to leave. I asked and coaxed and pleaded with her to go to her locker, and still she refused, telling me she "didn't feel like it." I then directed her to go to her locker. Still, a refusal. Finally, I asked her to stand outside for the rest of the class. I know that probably wasn't the best option, but I was beginning to worry about the value of my authority. And I felt that if she wasn't going to obey my instruction to be prepared, that I had to assert my authority and command respect somehow, for her sake for the sake of the rest of the class. I still don't know what the best course of action would have been.

Quote of the Day - June 2, 2010

Boisterous But Lovable: Miss, you HOT! Can we go out sometime?

I think I may need to change his pseudonym to "Sex Maniac" or something along those lines.

Popularity Pays Off

According to a study I've been reading, popularity in high school positively correlates with higher wages later in life. Specifically, one additional friendship nomination in high school is associated with a 2% higher wage 35 years later. This is equivalent to almost half the gain from an extra year of education. Shifting someone from the bottom fifth to the top fifth of the school popularity distribution would be predicted to yield him a 10% wage advantage.

Why? I'm guessing strong leadership skills and persuasive powers, especially developed so early in life, are at play here. Any thoughts?

via Barking Up the Wrong Tree (via Economix)

Quote of the Day - June 1, 2010

Precocious and Matter-of-Fact: Miss, it was a three-day weekend. So I can't learn all week.

True, we're all burnt out and checked out, and holiday weekends always require some recovery time. But even so...