I rewarded about 40 of my ”most well behaved” students with a field trip yesterday to a nearby college campus. At the end of the trip, one of my smartest honors students decided to yell at the field trip coordinator, ”Your hair stank!” WHAT? Another incident: We held a “last call” for the restroom before leaving the college campus for the hour-and-a-half drive back to our school. TWENTY MINUTES INTO THE BUS RIDE, two students who inexplicably had chosen not to take advantage of the restroom facilities stood up and began yelling at the bus driver that they were going to pee in their pants, pee on other individuals, “go R. Kelly on” F (umm…SO gross), etc. One of these two students then threw balls of paper toward the front of the bus. Again, WHAT? (Anaphora.) Predictably enough, I refused to stop, and the Bladder Brothers suffered on in silence.

The Field Trip Philanderers received dispositions, of course, as well as parent phone calls. Their parents were appropriately aghast, thank goodness.

Also. Today, while taking the NWEA, my third period class was perhaps the most hyper I have ever seen them. David stood up and pretended to fall on the floor, Brittany and Shakedra wouldn’t stop whispering, and Brandon and Darrian spontaneously cracked jokes DURING the assessment. I told them that I would play some soft music if they were silent. Then, once that happened, Ed tucked his arms into his shirt and began swaying and singing along with Ciara’s “Never Ever.” During the test. Comical, perhaps, but not exactly acceptable.

‘Scuse me. Kids have begun shrieking at each other in what should be an empty hallway outside my classroom.

Me: Oh, I stop at the gas station on my way to school — the Double Quick.

Student (in a shocked, ingenuous whisper): Ms. ____, that’s where the black people go.

(Silence)

Student: I don’t mean no harm in it. That’s just the way it is. White people go to Exxon.

I need to get reacquainted with this thing. As the months have marched on – as the weather has changed from Mosquito to Frost to Flood, and my teaching has gone from ohmygodwhatamidoingtomorrow to okmaybeiamnotterribleatthis, and my stress level has gradually declined (on average) throughout this frenzied first year of teaching – my need for blog-catharsis has become less urgent and less frequent. Although the current state of affairs is much better than last semester’s, the written record of my teaching has become regrettably sparse as the teaching itself has improved. Hrmmph. Seems I’m leaving a negatively skewed impression of my teaching years. Posterity and future biographers of Ms. ____, I am sorry.

Dedicated readers (er, mostly just family and friends from home) have filed a number of complaints for my lack of posts, to which I have responded dissatisfactorily. I apologize for this oversight as well.

That said, I’m going to add to the disappointment now by not writing just yet.

Yes, yes, I know you’re annoyed. I know you’re incredulous. And for the third time in one post, I am sorry. I just have papers to grade and significant planning to do for the coming week. If you’re reading this, though, I want you to know that the new goal is to write at least one meaningful post per week.

The first entry I have in mind is about a student named Deiun. Hold me to it.

P.S. Happy Easter!

You will physically need to get your butt to Borders because, tragically, the article I want you to read does not appear on the publication’s website — but I promise you the effort will be worth it. Once you’ve gotten your hands on a copy, you’ll need to flip to the article called “A Perfect Test,” by Michael Copperman. Don’t let go of it until you’ve finished reading it.

I would explain further, but the piece will speak for itself. Just go to the bookstore.

We’ve been on a quest for background knowledge these past few days so that we can start reading Animal Farm next week. Because I studied Russian and Soviet politics and economics rather seriously in college, this has been an exciting time for me. I LOVE HISTORY! YAY! 

Unfortunately:

As much as I try to galvanize my students, not all of them seem to be quite as fascinated by Soviet history as I am. Today’s documentary, however, with its descriptions of Stalin’s various affronts to humanity, does seem to be helping. (See below.)

Fortunately:

As a “special treat,” we’re watching a documentary on Stalin today. W00t. (I am writing in “real time” right now, sitting at my desk in my classroom.)

Unfortunately:

The documentary, produced in 1996, features a young Condi Rice as a preeminent scholar of Soviet history and politics…and most of my students seem to have no idea who she is. Womp, wooommmp.

Fortunately:

They know who she is now!

Exasperated voices before the bell: “Sit down and be quiet so we can listen to music!!!”

Cacophony: “I wanna be Creon (Antigone, Ismene, Choragos, etc.) today!”

“Man, we do some kinda work in this class EVERY day!”

Cashlyn, using a word she learned recently: “Ms. ____, let’s go over the answers. I’m anxious!”

A student who started the year with phenomenal anger management problems (whispering): “Ms. ____, just for you I’m not gonna let him get to me.”

(Following one of my obnoxious singsong chants) “Ms. ____, I oughta get you a parrot.”  

Excitedly, from students who scored well on makeup quizzes today: “Is my name gonna get added to the wall?!” 

Several students, with concern: “Am I on track for Beautiful Behavior this week?” / ”Why wasn’t I on the list last week?” (This is another way to get your name on the wall.)

(Pointing to a quote about inner strength in a book by Walter Dean Myers) “Ms. ___, I underlined this sentence because it really hit me.” 

Goofball Student #1, annoyed: “Stop touching Ms. ____’s hair, [Goofball Student #2’s name].” — Goofball Student #2, indignant: “But she my favorite teacher!” (This is a favorite topic of commentary for Goofball Student #2, who once angrily rebuked another student for “giving attitude to his favorite teacher.”  Hahahaha. He has worked really hard all year — resulting in more than two years’ growth in reading level in the first semester alone. I’m really proud of him.)

And my favorite. This one comes from a kid who struggles, struggles, struggles – even more than most. He’d just explained a fairly complex comma usage rule to another student:

(Elatedly) “Ms. ____, I’m smart!!!”

 —–

P.S. I recently found out that I get to roll up with my students next year and teach 11th grade, which is the state-tested year in Arkansas. YESSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After three warnings — for having their heads down, for example, or talking when they shouldn’t, or just generally ”acting a fool” – students must write an essay on a topic of my choosing. They cannot get credit for anything else in my class until that essay, a full page, has been completed. Students may not talk to anyone in Essay Land unless they want to join them there.

The success rate, as measured by overall classroom tone (far better) and the number of dispositions written per week (far fewer), shows significant improvements from last semester. Essay Land, an idea hailing from the classroom of TFA demigoddess KT Cooney, has sparked a revolution in my classroom management. The system demonstrates to students, as well as administrators, that I’m actively trying not to send kids to the office – while still showing that every consequence is a direct result of students’ own choices. Now, when I do send kids to the office, the administration backs me up; offenders go to ISS long enough to write their essays, then return to class and (usually) cause no further trouble. This system is fine with me. In order to get sent to the office, students usually have to defy not only me but also their peers: the REAL key. A typical situation goes like this:

Ms. ____ (casually): You’re really choosing not to write that? You’ll have to do it in ISS anyway. I haven’t written you up since October; this is disappointing.

Offender (indignant): I don’t gotta write this!

Ms. ____ (reaching for disposition form): Ok.

Other students (exasperated): Just write it, dude.

Offender begins writing.

Behavior essays also allow for a much more positive classroom environment than one in which students simply get sent to the principal’s office after “three strikes,” which happened all too frequently in my chaotic first semester of teaching.

Initially I really had be steely and hold my ground so that students would respect the behavior essay system. After that hurdle, however, the only major drawback has been that students sometimes pay close attention to the number of warnings their peers have received and then taunt them with chants of, “Essay Land!” when they’re nearing the cliff. The collateral damage: warnings (or essays, depending on the situation) for those who clown in such a manner. Lame. But students always write their essays.

(Note: Blatant demonstrations of disrespect, such as backtalk, profanity, cheating on tests, etc., still earn students a one-way ticket to the principal’s office.)

It also looks like I am brimming with enthusiasm. I’m grinning right now. Thank goodness my housemate M knows how to play the piano…because my skill set consists of the following:

1. The voice of an angel. (Ha.)

2. An artillery of embarrassing dance moves, mostly involving jazz hands and/or “blades.”

3. Intensity. (This is the most significant thing I bring to the table.)

In other news, please review a conversation that took place during my second period class today: 

Cashlyn (interrupting read-aloud; not pointing to anything, nor actually seeming to refer to anyone in particular): You know — you look like her, Ms. ____.

Me: Wait. What?  

Cashlyn: You know…his wife!

(pause)

Me: You know how I always tell you all to be more specific and descriptive, and to give examples and information and stuff?

Cashlyn: Aggh…Crystal, what’s her name?

Crystal (ponders for 0.2 seconds): Oh, you mean Obama’s wife? Yeah. Michelle. You shoooww right!

Me: What?!

Chorus: Yeah, you really do! Cool!!!

They proceeded to explain that “it’s mostly when I smile.” In any case, the revelation means that two groups — my housemates were first – have now independently identified some vague similarity in our facial structure. I think I like it… 

Finally, on a separate yet still important note: The back of a receipt in my purse contains a list of people whose phone calls and/or e-mails I have yet to return. If you happen to be one of those individuals, and you happen to be reading this humble little blog post, please know via the Internets that I haven’t forgotten you.

On the other hand, Keisha (formerly “Tough Girl”) excitedly introduced me to her mom in person at the game tonight — which is such a big moment that it pretty much makes everything else okay.

I will explain Essay Land at a later time. Just know, for now, that it is not a good thing.

My students wrote persuasive letters to President-Elect Obama this week. The assignment incorporated a bunch of state standards, such as using the Internet to conduct research, writing in business letter format, organizing evidence in support of a main idea, and using appropriate transitions in writing. Jaaam! The kids are really excited about the project because we’re really sending the letters to the White House. Even though they have been warned that we’ll probably only receive a response from an underling, if anything at all, they’re extraordinarily invested in the assignment and have been hard at work in the computer lab for the last few days. Many have requested extra work time before school, during lunch, and during other classes — and have used that time with laser focus. I couldn’t be prouder of their diligence.

I’m going to include letters here that two students wrote to Obama in support of better education in low-income areas. I’m also going to include the letter written by Keisha, the girl formerly known to readers as “Tough Girl,” as well as a perceptive letter on immigration policy.

I need to preface these letters by saying that, at the beginning of the school year, the first three students refused to do anything in my class. At all. They would come in, park themselves in the back of the classroom, and either put their heads down or disrupt class. They would refuse to read and would rarely complete even the most basic in-class assignments. Two of these students tested at a first or second grade reading level at the beginning of the school year. April, meanwhile, who tested almost on level in August and is one of my brightest students, began the year as perhaps my greatest challenge in terms of attitude and classroom management. She displayed no respect for me whatsoever, and I ended up sending her to the office several times in the first couple of months because I just couldn’t figure out what to do with her. At this point, however, all three of these students put forth their best efforts on a daily basis and even cajole other students to do the same. I know I said it a couple of paragraphs ago, but damn, I’m really proud of these kids.

The following are just a few examples of the effort my students have poured into these letters. (Note: I showed them how to search the Internet, but they found all of their statistics themselves.) Their work isn’t perfect, of course, but I’m getting chills just thinking about the progress they have made. Please click the link below to read the letters.

Ed’s Letter (check out the last paragraph — he must have found the TFA website)

Dear Mr. President:

Congratulations on your recent election as President of the United States! I was so glad to see that we have our first black man as a president. The world has waited such a long time for this day to happen. My friends and family cannot wait to see you in action these next four years.

See I am a high school student at ________ High in _________, Arkansas, which is a small town in the rural [Ed. Note: vocabulary suggested by Ms. ____] Mississippi Delta region. I am concerned about the school systems in the United States. It is very important that the kids get a good education and that no child is left behind. I think that some students are not as smart as the others. I found that students of the Delta are offering and Extremely Limited set of Experiences from their everyday surroundings. Than plus almost 90% of the delta’s low income schools are African American and that’s probably why students are not getting the right education.

Some of the kids are not even graduating at the right age because of the education level the school has us on. That’s why schools in other states are achieving at the right level. Did you know that Hispanic and African-American high school students are more likely to drop out of high school in every state and that’s not good? I was looking at the NAEP data and they said by the time the students reach the 12th grade they will be four years behind the other young people. I once was on a low level but now I have improved myself. Another thing is Children in low-income communities, however, often face challenges such as inadequate health care, nutrition, or housing, and lack of access to high-quality pre-school.

Another thing is seventeen-year-old African American and Latino students have skills in English, mathematics and science similar to those of 13-year-old white students. That isn’t good for those that are going to graduate and not even on the right level. So that’s why the schools need to improve in the education department. Than plus it shows on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) that the reading scores for 17-year-olds students from 1975 through 1988. Than from 1990 and 1999 the gaps grew slightly in both reading and mathematics. After all that Hispanic and black young adults are only half as likely to earn a college degree as white students. The NAEP writing scores for eighth-grade African-Americans are equal to or higher than the writing scores of white students in just seven states.

In conclusion the teachers of American need to come here and teach as much as they can for us African American students so that when we reach the 12th grade we will be on the right level and not just be hanging on. So Barack Obama can be a better president. Thank you very much for your consideration.

Sincerely, yours truly,

Edward

April’s Letter

Dear Mr. Obama:

Congratulations on your presidential election and being the first African American president! It was such a big moment in history and now that you will be in office for the next four years I have a few concerns that I would like to share with you about the United States education.

I am a sophomore at _______ High in _______, Arkansas. It’s a small town in the Mississippi Delta, which is in the far south. I am writing you to share my concerns about the country’s education primarily in the delta regions. So if you could would you please read my letter and consider some of my concerns.

In most southern states, approximately half of the students drop out of high school. Forty-three percent of Mississippi Delta’s high school students left before graduating in 2005. Most of them entered the labor market, and one out of four could not find a job. Of the present population in the Mississippi Delta, 8,444 whites have never been to school, and 32,196 blacks have not. There are 40,274 functionally illiterate whites and 119,741 functionally illiterate blacks in the state right now. In Arkansas there is only a 58 percent graduation rate, the graduation rate ranges from 50-65 percent (Internet). In my school alone there are approximately only 40-50 percent of students who graduate and the rest drop out.

You stated plans to address the dropout crisis by “passing legislation to provide funding to school districts to invest in intervention strategies in middle school – strategies such as personal academic plans, teaching teams, parent involvement, mentoring, intensive reading and math instruction, and extended learning time.” I also have concerns about the No Child Left Behind Act; I believe that schools should not just teach children to fill in bubbles on standardized tests but prepare them for real life. You stated that you planned to change this by improving the assessments used to keep track of the students learning, if they are prepared for college, and there school environment and improve student learning in organized and effective way.

I ask you as a citizen of the United States to please take everything that I have told you into consideration and please try to fix the breach in the educational system, meaning finding new ways to improve not only math and literacy but other subjects as well.

Thank you,

April

Keisha’s Letter

Dear Mr. President:

My name is Lakeisha ______ ________. I am from _______, Arkansas, and I am 18 years old. I was just writing you to tell you how little our town is. I would like for you to make a change there by pursuing policies [Ed. Note: vocabulary suggested by Ms. ____] that would help build stores in our town and others like it.

There are 526 people that are living in _______. In _______ the median income for a household in the city is $20,625, and the median income for family is $22,361. The town is 75% black and 26.24% white. Thirty-five percent of the population is below poverty line. Out of everyone live in _______ 51% more than half are under 18 live below the poverty line.

_______ is sometimes quiet when other people don’t bring drugs in our town. In _______ there are many people that are suffering because there are no stores there so they can work. For example, my cousin ______ has been living in _______ for 20 years, and she has not found a job yet. She would have to go 12 miles just to look for a job in _________. Unfortunately there are not many jobs in _______ either.

In summary, _______ is a very small town without stores to shop in. Because of that reason I would like for you to build stores in our town, because people really do need jobs and places to shop at so that they would not have to go out of town.

Sincerely,

Pablo’s Letter (name changed due to sensitive subject matter)

Dear Mr. President:

Hello Congratulations on your recent election as President! I am so excited to see that a black person was actually elected to be the President. I never thought a black person was going to be President, but it finally happened. I am in tenth grade, and my friends and I cannot wait.

My name is Pablo. I am a student in ________, Arkansas. I’m writing you to talk to you about something that is really important to me: Immigration. Specifically, I would like you to try to let more people come to work without them worrying about being deported.

During the time of election there were more Hispanic people that wanted you for president over McCain and the others who were running for president. Because the Hispanic community has supported you I think that you should try and help them out as in helping them get papers so they can come to the United States legally. It would be a good thing if you could do that because in Mexico they don’t have very good jobs in some places, and they also don’t pay very well. That is why a lot of people come to the United States for a job. That is also why people that don’t have papers come to the United States illegally because they have no other choice. For some people they have good look and doesn’t get caught by the Border Patrol.

In addition, if you think about not helping the Hispanics out, think about who is going to do the jobs they do today. I think that is a reason why America needs immigrants, so they can do the jobs that Americans don’t want to do. For that reason I also think that is why you should try and help them out at least. They may not be very good jobs, but they are probably better then the jobs they have in Mexico. Also, if there are more people coming to the United States that means the population is getting larger, and perhaps that means the creation of more jobs in the United States.

I know how the people who are in Mexico feel because I am a Mexican, and I [know people] that have come illegally and some people that want to come but they can’t. Just put yourself in their place and think about it: If you were in Mexico and had a job over there, but it was the hardest job you had ever had, and you were just fifteen years old, wouldn’t you want to come to a better place? Like in Mexico I have a cousin and he is only sixteen years old and he has been working in the fields ever since he was thirteen years old. I was talking to him last year when I went to Mexico over my Christmas break. Me and him were talking and he was asking me how everything was over hear and he sounded like he really wanted to come to the USA to see how it is. Another thing that he was also telling me that once he turned eighteen he was going to try to come contracted he was also telling me that was the only way that he could that was legal and that whenever the work was over that he had to come back because they force you to come back even though you don’t want to. There are many young people that want to come to the United States but can’t come legally so their parents send them illegally.

In my opinion the only reason I think immigrants come to the United States is to live a better life. Immigrants work hard when they come to the United States because most of them have a family in Mexico so they have to send money for them. Or some people cross their whole family so they can live with them and not have to send money except to their parents probably. But the biggest reason of it all is that I think people just come to the United States for a job.

In addition, I just ask you to please think about helping out the Hispanic community because during your election they were supporting you. So this letter I just ask you to consider to help all of the immigrants that want to come to the United States but also qualify to come. I Thank you very much for at least considering.

Sincerely,

Pablo

• Broken heaters
• Ceilings that leak
• Cars that break down (F’s and M’s — both currently stranded in separate locations in the Delta, each about two hours away)
• Cars that allow rainwater to seep perilously onto the seats, and/or that greet occupants with the scent of mildew (mine)
• Mice*

Also, we never fixed August’s broken window, unless taping cardboard over the hole counts. F says this makes us seem like meth addicts. He is right, although I would like to note to readers that my bedroom, my little kingdom, has been neat and tidy and pleasantly decorated for some time now…I mean, like, a whole month and a half.

Anyway, despite our little “quality of life” issues, things as a whole are fairly marvelous at the moment. The students have behaved exceptionally well and have actually enjoyed writing this week (!). Questions: Are these shifts a collective result of many high schoolers’ New Year’s resolutions? Or can I get some credit because of my own?

More later. w00t.

—

—

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*Actually not ever okay indoors

• Exhibited slothlike behaviors. From time to time I have slept until 11 a.m. or noon, then dozed off on the couch a mere three hours later. For lack of a better word, it’s gross. (In my defense, I’m pretty sure I haven’t really slept since before Institute. June.)
• Eaten more food than I ate during the entire semester. Probably.
• Gotten to know my family’s new Yorkie – perhaps a bit too well, I’m afraid.
• Caught up with college friends.
• Read 1984. I have a thing for dystopian fiction, but somehow I’d never read it. (Verdict: thumbs up from Ms. ____.)
• Spent quality time with my family.
• Ruminated on those movies we’ve been watching (TransAmerica, The Dark Knight, The Ron Clark Story) somewhat more deeply than I would have been able during these past few months. Questions to ponder: What is gender, anyway? Is man inherently evil? And how does Matthew Perry get all of those kids to test above grade level?
• (CUE OMINOUS MUSIC) Graded my students’ final essays and calculated their semester grades.

Ahem. Those last two items — well, watching The Ron Clark Story, at least, and then letting the letter ”F” smack me repeatedly in the face as I rounded out my gradebook (which I didn’t do until after Christmas, I might add) — reminded me that I am just NOT an awesome teacher yet. Consequently, a fire seems to have rekindled itself, both within my soul and under my, well, you know. So. How can I become a better teacher? (Ah, yes, grasshopper, I knew you would ask.)

Why did I just feel compelled to quote Mr. Miagi?

Anyway, if I remember correctly from constant exposure to goal theory during Institute and beyond, a truly marvelous goal must manifest the following characteristics. I’m going to use bold print again, so prepare yourself:

• Measurable.
• Clearly defined and communicated. You can identify it when it happens.
• Ambitious — audacious, even! — yet also feasible.

I’m still trying to figure out the nexus between “ambitious” and “feasible.” So. Much. Tension. I will ponder this issue in greater detail tomorrow. And now enters my goal for tomorrow, The “Goal” Goal: Formulate at least three of these truly marvelous goals for the coming semester. Looks like I might have even more bullet points ready for y’all soon.