Living in the Present

After five days of Thanksgiving holiday my first period students roll back into class. The first statement that I hear is one that is on my mind too. "When is winter break?" We seem to measure time from holiday to holiday- a very unzenlike process. I should be enjoying the now of my teaching. Actually there are moments that I enjoy extremely and moments that are painful and I will try to pick apart those.

Painful moment- Hannah, a loudmouth self-absorbed student, is now giggling over something as most students are writing quietly in their journal. On the other side of the room, her friend Alexys makes a comment that she was busy with Megan. Megan is a student they make fun of and pick on. I have already given one referral over this issue. I have written both mothers and I know that at least one of the mothers has read the riot act to her daughter.

Enjoyable moment- Then the same girl sees a sign in the back of my room. "Stop Israel's slaughter in Gaza." She asks about Gaza. This is what I love. My whole class attentively listens as I try to simplify the issues involving Israel and the Palestinians. They keep asking questions. I joke, "Don't you guys have a social studies class?" Looking at my crude map on the board one of my students asks, "Where is India?" I point to a place beyond the board and answer, "over there."

Period 3
Enjoyable moment- My students ask for a new idea from my Ideas book. Our idea this week: Are we the top ape? The issue of human superiority.

Painful moment- Tanner has his head on the desk, and says that he got no sleep. Then Jeff says he needs to go to the bathroom and doesn't return. Then Tanner asks to go to the bathroom, then Jared asks to go to the bathroom.

Period 4
Painful moment - I am trying to get class started and as many times as I tell Jake to sit down he ignors me. Then he says, "I have to tell Mark about the Stanford game." Then when he finally gets to his seat, he is sitting on top of the desk instead of in it. I tell him to sit down. He says, "The seat is broken." I say, "Sit down." Then I say, "See me after school." He says, "I can't. My family... blah, blah, blah." I hate this.

Painful moment - We're reading Lord of the Flies and I hear some talking in the hall. I go out and 7 of my students are out there talking. "You let me go." "I had a call slip." "I had to use the bathroom." I respond, "All of you! no bathroom passes for the rest of the semester." Then as they come into class, I tell the class to remember who is involved- Mark, Rosie, Ashley, Angela, Jackson, Yudic and Amelia.

Painful moment- "I don't have my book." I had about six books up here for students to read and now there are only two. I say, "Whoever forgets their book next time will have to read." I call on two students who are not paying attention. Then someone says, "This is a boring book- too slow." The kiss of death. Do I now become the defender?

Enjoyable moment- a discussion manages to get started about the personalities of the main characters and the use of fear as a tool.

Enjoyable Moment - Jake comes to me and profusely apologizes. He says he will change. The sentiment is nice but I don't believe him.

The reader can see how little of this is about education- or maybe it is. Maybe this continuous back and forth between teacher and student is social learning.

Period 5

Enjoyable moment - They are quiet as I write. The sun is out and I am finally getting a little warm after shivering all morning.

Painful moment: Katie says, "This is too close to our five day holiday. Everybody is tired. Can't we just lay back and rest?"

Enjoyable moment- As we work through these sentences, the students are genuinely trying to make their sentences better.

Lunch: Enjoyable moment- our 30 minute lunch with my peers: Lanette, Alta, Susan, Mark and Joel- but far too short.

Period 6
Painful moment- The class is still talking after I ask them to quiet down. I start putting those little behavior checks in my roll book. Max comes to me and says, "I don't know if I've finished that test. Should I go down and finish it with Ms. Dugan." I say, "I don't know if you've finished it either." "Well, I don't think that I have finished it." I say, "Well, you can go and finish it now."

Enjoyable moment- the class is quietly writing. Also I just got the form that says Brendan is out of my class. One of the students told me he has gone to a military school - a good place for him.

Enjoyable moment- It seems like this class is actually reading the Lord of the Flies. We just had this great discussion over the two main leaders in the book and what they represent. Ralph is the liberal left in terms of the one who wants more government. Jack is the libertarian in terms of wanting less government. But where is the facism of Jack? I think I can go somewhere with this.

Period 7
Enjoyable moment- my prep period.