Getting back into the swing of things after a break is never easy, but this has been a little ridiculous. Opposed to the normal crazy behavior, many of the kids were merely apathetic when we first came back on Tuesday, grouchy even when I started our drama unit by asking them to write out a script for a scene from Elf (how can you be grumpy when you get to watch Elf???)
However, things did seem to pick up. By yesterday, we were beginning to read our plays for this unit, which meant beginning A Midsummer Night's Dream for my honors class, and The Diary of Anne Frank (the play) for my other classes.
My honors class surprised me with their enthusiasm for Shakespeare. They are appalled at the love triangles, and are ecstatic that the characters are all fighting over one another. In all actuality, it sounds a lot like middle school love lives.
Anne Frank started out fantastic with my second period as well. [I can't believe I just wrote that sentence. It felt nice. I'm going to do it again.] Anne Frank started out fantastic with my second period as well.
They were asking questions about the background (many of them weren't at all familiar with the Holocaust), and actually asked me to keep going when we had to stop. After that, I was so excited to start with the other classes.
Flop.
My third period was unruly, but my fifth period seriously looked as if someone had released a hive of tracker jackers on them. All but four students were actually yelling out over the reading. I had to keep pausing to ask one after the other to stop play fighting, running around the room, and SIT DOWN and be quiet. We got less than halfway through the scene that all the other classes got through.
After that experience, I was hesitant to continue today.
But then third period came in with halos. After ten pages, they, too, asked if we could keep going. Maybe the magic would continue with fifth mod?
No. Worst teaching day. Ever.
"Your class is so boring."
"No, it's not just her class, it's her."
"She's the worst teacher ever. I don't get why bad teachers don't just go work at TGI Fridays."
"There's one around the corner."
"I bet she quits after today."
"Oh, look, she looks heartbroken."
"Look at her, doesn't she look so sad?"
After this lovely conversation between five of my students, I decided to keep my sanity and post the reading assignment on the board with a notice that there would be a quiz at the end of class. I hate doing that, but I didn't think I would last much longer with any semblance of self control.
Of course, instead of even starting their work, most just picked up on (highly inappropriate) conversation topics of their choosing. When I interrupted a conversation questioning the sexual orientation of fellow students outside of that class, I asked them "How would you feel if you walked into their class and heard them all talking about you?" I got an array of responses:
"I don't give a sh** what they're saying about me."
"I hope they've got somethin to say about me."
"They're probably all talking about you."
Clearly, I made an impression on them. Then, the highlight of it all. End of class. Four minutes left. Four minutes!
Student 1: "You just need to go teach in an all white school where the kids are good."
Student 2: "That was racist!"
Student 3: "Yeah, you said all white school!"
Me: "The reason that was racist was not because she said 'all white school', but because she assumes that the white students will be better behaved"
Student 1: "Well, they would be."
Student 2: "You're black!"
Student 1: "That's why I'm bad."
Me: "Then you're deluding yourself."
Student 2: "What's deluding?"
Me: "It means she's tricking herself into thinking she has an excuse for being bad, when really that's no excuse at all. It's a choice she makes."
Student 2: "Yeah, you're delusing yourself."
Again, clearly, impression made.
I'll keep in mind all the other classes are loving it. I'll keep repeating to myself "Can we read more?".
Is it summer yet???
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