"Old age is no place for sissies." Betty Davis
The class where I now sit used to be my quietest class- shy Freshmen. For two months I could hardly get a word out of them. Then two voices emerged, loud and self-important. They happened to be friends. I first moved their seats then they would talk across the room to chat with each other. I moved one to the back and one to the front. Alice sat in the front and behind her a shy diminutive and good matured girl, Maddy. Alice would make seemingly joking, but biting comments to Maddy. I gave an ultimatum to both of them. Either behavior changes or I call home every day. Behavior did not change and I tried to call Alice's mother but the number in our database was wrong. She would not give me her mother's phone number. Boom- referral. So now I sit again in a quiet class as everyone writes in their journal.
Writing prompt: "Would you like to be famous? Create a scenerio where you actually become famous for something that you do well."
Now in fifth period- never ending well of good feeling, but today noisier than usual and eating more. I walk around the room as they are chatting and should be quiet. Proximity to try to get them to focus. It works to some degree but there is still some chattering. I walk up to the front and ring my bell. Then there is silence. Most are writing in their journals. Becca is a little late. "Sorry, Mr. Lynch." So polite. It has not gotten to the point where I can hear a pin drop. Then I hear a page turn and a pencil drop. "Mr. Lynch, can I go to the bathroom." Now some more whispering. I must get up and stamp their journals. My aids anxiously await the vocabulary quizzes that they grade for me every week. The sun is shining, the students are happy to be here. It is a good day and it's Friday.
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