The Language Arts teacher got fired last year because he couldn't pass the math portion of his certification tests. (According to No Child Left Behind, we all have to pass a math, reading and writing test with a certain score. This guy has is 50 something years old and hasn't had math in quite some time.) Anyway, he still works at our school but only as a full-time substitute. He's the only IB trained Language Arts teacher we have.
He's leaving next week. I was told that whenever he leaves, they will make ME the IB Language Arts teacher and put some other full-time substitute in my place to teach Social Studies.
Okay, so I realize I complained a lot about the whole "4 preps" situation earlier in the year. And, if anyone wants an update, it still blows. But NOW they are going to give me 3 preps in a subject I'M NOT EVEN CERTIFIED TO TEACH??!
You know how I know it's going to happen? Because I've planned social studies lessons for the sixth graders and eighth graders all the way up until Christmas break. So, of course, they will change my SUBJECT and completely negate all that work.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Icy Hot
Okay, so I just went to Lowe's and bought two fans. I already had one that works and another that doesn't anymore. I bought them so that we can survive tomorrow. I started to sweat today just SITTING in my classroom. I wasn't standing or moving, just sitting. and sweating.
I have no idea how hot it is in my classroom or the school in general. I just know it's hot enough to make me sweat without moving. This means I am crabby. This means my kids are crabby. It has been a very ugly past few weeks.
Before this manufactured heat wave, it was so incredibly cold, people were wearing winter coats inside all day and teeth were chattering. I had to stay in my room because, thanks to my no-ventilation, the air conditioner doesn't pump into my room and so the freeze out was bearable. People bought mini-heaters and let the kids take turns standing beside them.
But as much as I hated the freezing, the sweating is ten thousand times worse. Tempers are much closer to the surface when everyone is hot and uncomfortable.
So, when we go to the administration, the maintenance people, whoever, to get this temperature thing under control, this is what we hear: "You know, you people are never happy. Just two weeks ago you were complaining about how cold it was. I can't spend my life trying to accommodate you!"
Um, okay. coupla things here. 1. I'm not asking for mints on my pillow or a gold-plated pen set. All I want is for it not to be unbearable in my classroom. And that's too much? 2. Since when are my only options 40 degrees or 100 degrees? Seems like around the 70 degree mark works for most everyone. Why don't we try that? The maintenance guy told me it was "really difficult" to regulate the temperature. Seriously? Like, rocket science hard? Is there a special degree for this?
I know it seems like a petty thing to complain about. I'm sure tons of people sit in offices or wherever freezing or burning up. But it's just another thing in an already ridiculously long list of things that aren't fair to my kids. It's already an effort to even get them to show up to school, now we're going to make it an unbearable environment?
I have no idea how hot it is in my classroom or the school in general. I just know it's hot enough to make me sweat without moving. This means I am crabby. This means my kids are crabby. It has been a very ugly past few weeks.
Before this manufactured heat wave, it was so incredibly cold, people were wearing winter coats inside all day and teeth were chattering. I had to stay in my room because, thanks to my no-ventilation, the air conditioner doesn't pump into my room and so the freeze out was bearable. People bought mini-heaters and let the kids take turns standing beside them.
But as much as I hated the freezing, the sweating is ten thousand times worse. Tempers are much closer to the surface when everyone is hot and uncomfortable.
So, when we go to the administration, the maintenance people, whoever, to get this temperature thing under control, this is what we hear: "You know, you people are never happy. Just two weeks ago you were complaining about how cold it was. I can't spend my life trying to accommodate you!"
Um, okay. coupla things here. 1. I'm not asking for mints on my pillow or a gold-plated pen set. All I want is for it not to be unbearable in my classroom. And that's too much? 2. Since when are my only options 40 degrees or 100 degrees? Seems like around the 70 degree mark works for most everyone. Why don't we try that? The maintenance guy told me it was "really difficult" to regulate the temperature. Seriously? Like, rocket science hard? Is there a special degree for this?
I know it seems like a petty thing to complain about. I'm sure tons of people sit in offices or wherever freezing or burning up. But it's just another thing in an already ridiculously long list of things that aren't fair to my kids. It's already an effort to even get them to show up to school, now we're going to make it an unbearable environment?
I Pray Every Night That I Never Have To Go Through This
In memory of Jason ...
"The tragic stabbing death of 15-year-old Jason Madison Jr. last week, allegedly at the hands of a convicted murderer who had a forced sexual relationship with the boy in his aunt's home, brought a tearful letter from the victim's teacher.
The boy was found in his aunt's upstairs closet, gagged with a pillowcase and stabbed in the head and throat. A suspect, Donte Parrish, was arrested a few days later at a convenience store in Northeast Baltimore.
A spate of other killings this week has brought Baltimore's homicide total to more than 200 for the year, a grim statistic as we end the year.
Here is the note from Jason's teacher, Ryan C. Jones (note, he uses a different spelling for the victim's last name): "-Peter Hermann, Baltimore Sun
Hi friends and family,
I am writing you this in hope you can do me a large favor. As some of you know, I lost someone very close to me this week. A student of mine was taken from us in a violent manner. His name was Jason Mattison and he was a 15-year old student, whom I have had the privilege to teach through his 9th and 10th-grade years, since he arrived on our campus during the summer of 2008.
There has been extensive news coverage of Jason’s death over the past few days. He was brutally attacked, abused, fatally injured and left for dead. His attacker, a 35-year old previously convicted murderer, has been arrested, and will meet his doom in one way or another.
However, I am writing because not enough positive things have been shown about Jason. As is often the case, the majority of news has revolved around the graphic nature of his death and the circumstances relating to his attacker. Too often, we hear news that a young, black male from Baltimore City was killed and we think nothing of it.
Jason was not just another statistic! He was a lively, unique individual who brought smiles to the faces of countless people every day. Jason was an above-average student, who excelled in many areas of academics and social life. He dreamed of finishing his career here and moving on to college, medical school and then to his own pediatric office. God, how kids would have loved his big smile and booming voice! You need to simply look at his exotic dress, flare for the dramatic in class and with friends and talk to those who knew him to understand what a loss we have all been dealt.
Jason was in no way involved with gangs, drugs or weapons. He spent his time after school doing homework in teachers’ classrooms and hanging out with friends. His nightly routine of chatting on MySpace is the same one any of our kids have, and the same one as kids all across America. But for as “typical” as Jason seemed, he was so unique. He hated normal! He was different because he could be. He wore his skinny jeans and fashionable sweaters and blazers because it made him stand out.
I’ve included a few pictures of Jason as a way to expose what a great child he was, and to allow those who didn’t know him to see more than the news coverage allows. In my eyes, this tragedy has focused so much on the negative and what is truly being lost is what a great child we had the pleasure of being around. It hurts me to watch the news and see a murderer’s face and story being told and not that of Jason!!!!!
Please do me a favor and honor Jason! I am asking that you simply forward this e-mail and pictures to everyone you know. I want Jason’s story to be told and I want everyone to see that we have lost an innocent child! And maybe more importantly, I want everyone to see how beautifully wonderful this child was!!!
Ryan C. Jones, M.A.T.
English II Instructor
"The tragic stabbing death of 15-year-old Jason Madison Jr. last week, allegedly at the hands of a convicted murderer who had a forced sexual relationship with the boy in his aunt's home, brought a tearful letter from the victim's teacher.
The boy was found in his aunt's upstairs closet, gagged with a pillowcase and stabbed in the head and throat. A suspect, Donte Parrish, was arrested a few days later at a convenience store in Northeast Baltimore.
A spate of other killings this week has brought Baltimore's homicide total to more than 200 for the year, a grim statistic as we end the year.
Here is the note from Jason's teacher, Ryan C. Jones (note, he uses a different spelling for the victim's last name): "-Peter Hermann, Baltimore Sun
Hi friends and family,
I am writing you this in hope you can do me a large favor. As some of you know, I lost someone very close to me this week. A student of mine was taken from us in a violent manner. His name was Jason Mattison and he was a 15-year old student, whom I have had the privilege to teach through his 9th and 10th-grade years, since he arrived on our campus during the summer of 2008.
There has been extensive news coverage of Jason’s death over the past few days. He was brutally attacked, abused, fatally injured and left for dead. His attacker, a 35-year old previously convicted murderer, has been arrested, and will meet his doom in one way or another.
However, I am writing because not enough positive things have been shown about Jason. As is often the case, the majority of news has revolved around the graphic nature of his death and the circumstances relating to his attacker. Too often, we hear news that a young, black male from Baltimore City was killed and we think nothing of it.
Jason was not just another statistic! He was a lively, unique individual who brought smiles to the faces of countless people every day. Jason was an above-average student, who excelled in many areas of academics and social life. He dreamed of finishing his career here and moving on to college, medical school and then to his own pediatric office. God, how kids would have loved his big smile and booming voice! You need to simply look at his exotic dress, flare for the dramatic in class and with friends and talk to those who knew him to understand what a loss we have all been dealt.
Jason was in no way involved with gangs, drugs or weapons. He spent his time after school doing homework in teachers’ classrooms and hanging out with friends. His nightly routine of chatting on MySpace is the same one any of our kids have, and the same one as kids all across America. But for as “typical” as Jason seemed, he was so unique. He hated normal! He was different because he could be. He wore his skinny jeans and fashionable sweaters and blazers because it made him stand out.
I’ve included a few pictures of Jason as a way to expose what a great child he was, and to allow those who didn’t know him to see more than the news coverage allows. In my eyes, this tragedy has focused so much on the negative and what is truly being lost is what a great child we had the pleasure of being around. It hurts me to watch the news and see a murderer’s face and story being told and not that of Jason!!!!!
Please do me a favor and honor Jason! I am asking that you simply forward this e-mail and pictures to everyone you know. I want Jason’s story to be told and I want everyone to see that we have lost an innocent child! And maybe more importantly, I want everyone to see how beautifully wonderful this child was!!!
Ryan C. Jones, M.A.T.
English II Instructor
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The Bad Day
It was not a happy time in Schoolville today.
First, my dear baby 6th grader Ricardo, had a problem. One of the other teachers does not like him, and she sent him out of class. He was walking up the stairs, and somebody threw something and hit him in the face. He was already angry and he punched the kid in the face and gave him a bloody nose. He got suspended for 3 days. He also is to be taken out of the advanced class. I am very, very upset about it. This is not the first time they have decided that smart kids can't make any mistakes. I went to the principal and begged and even cried a little. I really don't want to lose him. She said we'll see.
Third period. 3 students are working and they call me over to their table. Desean says, "Mr. Y is a rapist." I told her that was a pretty huge accusation. She said, "it's not about me. it's about tytrese. tell her, tytrese." Tytrese just cast her eyes down. Desean said, "You really need to tell somebody what he did." I told them that it wasn't appropriate to talk about this in the middle of class and we would talk about it after class was over.
After class, I went to the principal and told her what the girls had said. She called them in and spoke with them and then scheduled a meeting with Tytrese's mother.
Today, Mr. Y confronted me in the hallway and yelled at me because I didn't warn him. He kept saying that I know he didn't do it and this is his career that is on the line.
I'm very upset about this. Mr. Y is my friend and I feel bad, but at the same time, what else was I supposed to do? I tried to stay as uninvolved as possible BECAUSE he is my friend.
First, my dear baby 6th grader Ricardo, had a problem. One of the other teachers does not like him, and she sent him out of class. He was walking up the stairs, and somebody threw something and hit him in the face. He was already angry and he punched the kid in the face and gave him a bloody nose. He got suspended for 3 days. He also is to be taken out of the advanced class. I am very, very upset about it. This is not the first time they have decided that smart kids can't make any mistakes. I went to the principal and begged and even cried a little. I really don't want to lose him. She said we'll see.
Third period. 3 students are working and they call me over to their table. Desean says, "Mr. Y is a rapist." I told her that was a pretty huge accusation. She said, "it's not about me. it's about tytrese. tell her, tytrese." Tytrese just cast her eyes down. Desean said, "You really need to tell somebody what he did." I told them that it wasn't appropriate to talk about this in the middle of class and we would talk about it after class was over.
After class, I went to the principal and told her what the girls had said. She called them in and spoke with them and then scheduled a meeting with Tytrese's mother.
Today, Mr. Y confronted me in the hallway and yelled at me because I didn't warn him. He kept saying that I know he didn't do it and this is his career that is on the line.
I'm very upset about this. Mr. Y is my friend and I feel bad, but at the same time, what else was I supposed to do? I tried to stay as uninvolved as possible BECAUSE he is my friend.
Monday, November 2, 2009
I Don't Even Want To Know Why They Know How To Do That
On Friday, my 6th graders were taking a test. Another teacher came into my room to give me something, walked out of the room and closed the door.
For some unexplainable reason, the door wouldn't open again. It was unlocked, the handle would move, the door wouldn't budge. An administrator was walking by, I tried to alert her without telling the kids. Maybe she could open it from the other side and no one would ever know that the door wouldn't open.
No such luck.
It was only 8:15a.m., so 6 of my kids were coming in late--they had to go sit in another teacher's room. I had the administrator, an office worker and another teacher on the other side of the door trying to get in. I was on my side trying to get out.
This went on FOR AN HOUR. Meanwhile, the kids are freaking out.
WHAT IF WE STARVE TO DEATH?
BUT MS VINSON I HAVE TO GO TRICK OR TREATING TOMORROW!
I CAN'T BREATHE, WE'RE LOSING AIR!
WE CAN'T MISS LUNCH!
I would literally spend 30 seconds working on the door and then a minute telling every one to take deep breaths and calm down. over and over again.
About half an hour in, I just gave up and left it up to the people on the other side so I could make sure nobody hyperventilated. After another 15 minutes, Tyrin and Ricardo asked me if they could try to get the door open.
They spent a good 5 minutes assembling their supplies; they had a little committee meeting about their plan of action; they then had the door open in about 10 minutes.
I'm not asking any questions.
For some unexplainable reason, the door wouldn't open again. It was unlocked, the handle would move, the door wouldn't budge. An administrator was walking by, I tried to alert her without telling the kids. Maybe she could open it from the other side and no one would ever know that the door wouldn't open.
No such luck.
It was only 8:15a.m., so 6 of my kids were coming in late--they had to go sit in another teacher's room. I had the administrator, an office worker and another teacher on the other side of the door trying to get in. I was on my side trying to get out.
This went on FOR AN HOUR. Meanwhile, the kids are freaking out.
WHAT IF WE STARVE TO DEATH?
BUT MS VINSON I HAVE TO GO TRICK OR TREATING TOMORROW!
I CAN'T BREATHE, WE'RE LOSING AIR!
WE CAN'T MISS LUNCH!
I would literally spend 30 seconds working on the door and then a minute telling every one to take deep breaths and calm down. over and over again.
About half an hour in, I just gave up and left it up to the people on the other side so I could make sure nobody hyperventilated. After another 15 minutes, Tyrin and Ricardo asked me if they could try to get the door open.
They spent a good 5 minutes assembling their supplies; they had a little committee meeting about their plan of action; they then had the door open in about 10 minutes.
I'm not asking any questions.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
"Some people march to a different drummer--and some people polka."
This sums up Marcus more than any words I could use.
If every single other kid turns in this:
Then Marcus will turn in this:
He followed directions (he folded, he cut), but he followed them in his own little way. The point of the activity was to find a country, put the country on the first flap, the climate of that country on the inside and a description of the climate on the back of the flap. 79 other kids got it done. Marcus crammed all the information on the back flap. And he didn't finish.
Oh, by the way, Marcus is pretty much a super genius.
If every single other kid turns in this:
Then Marcus will turn in this:
He followed directions (he folded, he cut), but he followed them in his own little way. The point of the activity was to find a country, put the country on the first flap, the climate of that country on the inside and a description of the climate on the back of the flap. 79 other kids got it done. Marcus crammed all the information on the back flap. And he didn't finish.
Oh, by the way, Marcus is pretty much a super genius.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Lexicon Artist
In a world with the "yo's" and the "wassups" and the u 2 and the b4, I would like to take a moment to recognize a special young man in my 3rd period for attempting to single-handedly bring back the phrase "doodly-squat."
Thank you, Quamonta, for repeating the phrase approximately 302,984,320,948,329 times today and some how finding a way to make it almost every single part of speech. Congratulations!
Thank you, Quamonta, for repeating the phrase approximately 302,984,320,948,329 times today and some how finding a way to make it almost every single part of speech. Congratulations!
Monday, October 26, 2009
An Open Letter To Parents
Man, parents. I love you people. I've never birthed a child, so I don't know exactly how it would make me feel. I mean, I have students (students!) who I've only known for a few years and I would stab somebody in the face before I let them hurt my babies. So I can't even imagine that same feeling multiplied into something that came out of me, looks like me and is part of every waking moment of my life.
So, anyway. I get that having a kid makes you a little psycho. It's fine. And as a teacher who rarely sees parents, I'm even more excited that you care enough to come talk to the teachers about your precious baby. I'm even MORE excited when you have showered, are not high, and don't threaten the lives of either me or your child.
However, the following are a few things I've heard over the years...oh, no, wait, they were all said just today by the same woman...that maybe aren't really appropriate to bring up in the parent/teacher conference...or really maybe at all:
(all of these were said to the Language Arts teacher. He's super tough and loud and mean, but totally fabulous. And, I heard all of this even though I was two classrooms down the hall.)
"Your work is too hard. It is not your job to prepare her for high school. It is MY job."
"I will defend her no matter if she is right or wrong. No matter what she says, I will come up here and defend her to you. [30 seconds later] Well, if she is not doing her work, then why aren't you calling me every day to tell me these things?"
[screaming] "The whole problem is your tone! She can't learn because you make her angry with your voice!"
"So Chelsea said you pick on her, but she wasn't telling the truth? It doesn't matter if she was telling the truth or not---she is not a liar! Don't call her a liar even if she's lying!"
"You don't TELL my daughter what to do! She will do what she needs to when she's ready!"
and finally...
"I just don't understand why you teachers don't try to communicate with me more."
So, anyway. I get that having a kid makes you a little psycho. It's fine. And as a teacher who rarely sees parents, I'm even more excited that you care enough to come talk to the teachers about your precious baby. I'm even MORE excited when you have showered, are not high, and don't threaten the lives of either me or your child.
However, the following are a few things I've heard over the years...oh, no, wait, they were all said just today by the same woman...that maybe aren't really appropriate to bring up in the parent/teacher conference...or really maybe at all:
(all of these were said to the Language Arts teacher. He's super tough and loud and mean, but totally fabulous. And, I heard all of this even though I was two classrooms down the hall.)
"Your work is too hard. It is not your job to prepare her for high school. It is MY job."
"I will defend her no matter if she is right or wrong. No matter what she says, I will come up here and defend her to you. [30 seconds later] Well, if she is not doing her work, then why aren't you calling me every day to tell me these things?"
[screaming] "The whole problem is your tone! She can't learn because you make her angry with your voice!"
"So Chelsea said you pick on her, but she wasn't telling the truth? It doesn't matter if she was telling the truth or not---she is not a liar! Don't call her a liar even if she's lying!"
"You don't TELL my daughter what to do! She will do what she needs to when she's ready!"
and finally...
"I just don't understand why you teachers don't try to communicate with me more."
Saturday, October 24, 2009
The Day I Disrupted An Entire High School
So Ultimate Favorite of All Time child, Taurus, is in 9th grade now. He comes to visit me sometimes, and he asked me to come to his football games. So, me and a few 8th graders and maybe a teacher or two will drive over after-school on Thursdays to watch him and a couple of my other former students play for the high school down the road. Usually the games start at 3:45.
Well, last Thursday, the game started at 3pm. I did not know this, but the high school doesn't get out of school until 3:30. I pulled into the parking lot around 3:10. I got out and so did the two girls who came with me. Well, it was a very nice day and this high school doesn't have air-conditioning. All the windows facing the parking lot were open. All three stories of them.
I start walking towards the field when I hear, from a third floor window, "I LOVE YOU MISS VINSON!" Well, everyone else heard it too...because all the windows were open. I know about 25-30 kids in that school, and apparently all of them took that opportunity to run to the open windows and yell out at me. I'm pretty sure some kids I don't know were yelling too.
Here I am, standing in the parking lot, telling three floors of screaming high schoolers to "Shh!" Finally I just scurried over to the bleachers and tried to hide.
I hope I don't run into one of their teachers around town anywhere. Sorry 'bout that.
Well, last Thursday, the game started at 3pm. I did not know this, but the high school doesn't get out of school until 3:30. I pulled into the parking lot around 3:10. I got out and so did the two girls who came with me. Well, it was a very nice day and this high school doesn't have air-conditioning. All the windows facing the parking lot were open. All three stories of them.
I start walking towards the field when I hear, from a third floor window, "I LOVE YOU MISS VINSON!" Well, everyone else heard it too...because all the windows were open. I know about 25-30 kids in that school, and apparently all of them took that opportunity to run to the open windows and yell out at me. I'm pretty sure some kids I don't know were yelling too.
Here I am, standing in the parking lot, telling three floors of screaming high schoolers to "Shh!" Finally I just scurried over to the bleachers and tried to hide.
I hope I don't run into one of their teachers around town anywhere. Sorry 'bout that.
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