Working from home

I could get used to this.

It's a compensation day for teachers at our school: that means a day for students, teachers and support staff (aka secretaries). But it's no day off for little ol' moi. I've got bucket loads of correcting and planning.

But I do like the whole idea of working from home. Coffee, my own music, comfy chair, loungy pants... Waaaaait, apart from the loungy pants, it's almost like that when I'm at school!

I guess I should wear loungy pants at school? Hmmmm...

You know you're going to have a good day...

... when you get to put some whipped cream on your coffee.

It's those little things that make my day.

And Mr.Mick (aka my dad) is back from his own Spring Break. Cruise. Tanned. Just to annoy me! Ha!

Going to sip my whipped-cream topped coffee. Yum.

My "whedonverse" fix!

He's back!

He's booked to write and direct Wonder Woman.

I mean, I will be getting a fix with Serenity and all but this is the closest thing to a Buffy-esque character since, well, Buffy.

I did read some nasty rumor though that Kim Basinger will play WW. God, I hope the rumor is false.

I am giddy. Very giddy. So giddy, it would make GoodIsa puke.

EvilIsa out.

Flaming Lunch Break

Another examples of how brilliant some of our students are:

Some kids decided it would be a real hoot and a half to pull the fire alarm... during lunch (we have split lunches for junior & seniors)

Soooooo, this meant that everyone had to exit the building (it isn't that warm out there, sun notwithstanding), and wait outside. In the cold. For the firefighters to confirm that, yes, it is a false alarm.

Every teacher on lunch break is in line to pummle the living crap out of this kid. Lemme tell ya' , our lunch breaks are s-a-c-r-e-d! Criss, I exited the building not with my coat, but with my sandwich!

Putting things in perspective

I have to thank Monsieur Carlo for putting things into perspective. And he is absolutely right: my attitude has a direct influence on how my students will act. I have control through my own behavior. And it does show, I see it with my 2 grade 10 classes and I see it with my ethics classes. When I flow, they flow... when I jive they jive. They are also very understanding when I am under the weather ( "aww Miss, you should take the period off, relax, we don't mind..." the sneaky little buggers...I love 'em to bits!)

But this is the thing with Bob and Larry (and a bagful of others - and do keep in mind, I am not criticizing what Mr. C has expressed, I am just stating facts that can be confirmed by pretty much the entire teaching staff at my school):

What happens when you've got kids who don't give a flying foof about what you do, what you say to them. Scare them, scold them, chastize them, praise them, mock them, cheer them on... it always brings the same result: nothing. It seems that there is a void in many students today (even in Greece where my sister teaches), a void where motivation goes to die, a void that has swallowed the basic social skills that allows a human being to exist in society... Did you know that there is a girl at our school whose vocabulary is made up entierely of derivatives composed by the words F*** You and Bi*** (sheer talent...) Another girl back handed a teacher because said teacher was reprimanding the girl's friend. In the case of Bob and Larry, last year, they led my class in cheering on a girl who called me racist. And when confronted by their appaling behavior, they saw nothing wrong with it. Their actions were totally justified.

And I have tried. We all have tried. Which is why so many teachers are giving up. Kids are so screwed up these days that you could be as entertaining as Bugs Bunny and they will throw it right back in your face. It's scary to know that no matter how nice, playful, annoying, violent you can be towards a kid and it'll all slide off like Teflon.

I appreciate the advice. I did actually get some vindication from a former student who has become one of our basketball coaches (awesome guy). This kid, John P., was a total slacker in my grade 11 class back in 2001/2002. A real bum. I don't think I ever gave him above 50% (he just never did the work and was always absent). When I saw him earlier this year, we started chatting and he told me that he wishes he had paid more attention in my class, because he is having a hard time trying to get his credits in French in adult education.

That definitely makes my day!

Merci Monsieur Carlo. Things aren't that bad. I can always count on my grade 10 classes (thank you Sam, Darryl, Liz, Wongzilla, Morales, Josephat, Antoine, de la Montagne and so many others...) to put a smile on my face!

This is when I hate being a teacher...

There are two students in this school (they will remain nameless, or for coherence sake, I'll call them Larry and Bob) who make me wish I didn't deal with their type on a daily basis.

You know, the type of moronic idiot who believes the world stops an inch away from their nose... the kind of assinine turd who believes that you are there to serve them. It sickens me to witness the attitude that oozes from them, like some of toxic sludge that poisons everyone around them and makes others act like them. I get frightenly violent (and trust me, my students have seen that side of me) when these animals act the way they do and claim no responsibility for their actions. In their eyes, the entire world is at fault, everyone else is imperfect and therefore they have no basis for reprimanding them, those who oppose them are worthless.

I hate saying it, but they are a bleeping waste of space.

When the Bobs and Larrys of this school spread their maliciousness around, like for instance, running, nay, tackling students in a hallway right at the start of lunch, trampling over one of my grade 10 girls and then act all high & mighty when I try to reign them in, I say to myself: why the frag do I have to deal with this? Why didn't I pursue that acting career?

More importantly, why do teachers have to tolerate this kind of behavior? Why do kids have to endure Bob & Larry's sick and selfcentered attitude (that, unfortunately, many kids see as hip and cool)?

To me, Bob & Larry are like a disease. Like a bad rash. You want to scratch it off, but you know, that the only way to deal with it is to get to the source of the rash and eliminate it all together.

Sadly, I have found an ointment yet to cure the Bob & Larry rash.

That's when I hate being a teacher... it's when I can't find a big enough band-aid to fix the booboo.

Back to work, slave!

Yes indeed, this is the last day of my March Break and it has been a good one (quiet but good). Did some sewing, watch some movies, cleaned, listened to music, and finally cleaned some more.

The next month should be ridiculously busy. Yipee. Yay. Better book a day off now.