Busy Monday

Whew, first Monday of the school year...

Got up this morning, had breakfast, and left for school. I was feeling quite prepared for the day, thanks for all of my list-making and planning. So far, I am doing well with that kind of stuff this year, of course, it was only the third day of school.

My main goal for the day (besides teaching), was to stuff the band folders with the Halloween Parade music, and collect band permission slips from students, which I received a pitiful amount of--I am hoping a lot of them just forgot. So, I'll spend tomorrow chasing after kids to get the forms in. I also did get all of the folders stuffed.

My classes went well, for the most part. I am realizing, despite the fact that when I was in college I thought I wanted to teach HS, that I enjoy myself MUCH more when teaching elementary students. I had a 3rd grade class today, and had a blast teaching them the lesson I had. Elementary students are always so well behaved, and actually find what I plan to be fun and entertaining (not that entertaining is my job, I would have become a DJ if that were the case, but it is rewarding to see students enjoying your lessons). Where as, in the middle school, I get a lot of eye rolls, and just plain-out bad behavior. The change seems to occur in the middle of 6th grade, so right now, my 7th and 8th grade classes are my only real problems.

The 8th grade class I had today did not go well. I did not feel like I had control of the class. I am good with discipline when most of the kids are good, and a few are bad. That I can handle. But I have a problem with the opposite, when most of the kids are talking, calling out, etc., and a few are being good. My normal discipline code of 1st warning, 2nd warning, demerit, doesn't work here, because I can't 'warn' that many kids that fast, and don't have time to write out that many demerit slips. I am going to seek the advice of one of my colleagues for help with this.

I did feel good because of the way I handled a discipline issue I had on Friday. I have an 8th grade student who constantly calls out. Last year, he received many demerits from me. He started the year with a demerit on his first class--for calling out. I honestly think it is a matter of impulse with this kid. He gets very argumentative when he is disciplined, which leads me to believe that in his mind, he can't understand what he did wrong. So, I played phone tag with his mom today, and finally got a hold of her at the end of the day. We discussed working out a positive reward system for NOT calling out in class. I am going to meet with the kid tomorrow, and come up with some kind of plan. I am glad I am addressing this behavior problem early, and coming up with a constructive solution. Last year, I would not have gone this far, and would have continued to give him a demerit every class. Well see how it goes.

I headed home at the end of the day, and picked up Meggie when I got to the house. We went over to my parents to put some stuff in the deep freezer, since our freezer is overflowing. We ended up staying there a while and talking to my parents. The name game is driving my mom mad. She had all of these working lists of possible names, and was crossing things off as they were eliminated. It was very amusing (is it okay to take joy in someone else's madness?).

We left my parents, came home, had dinner, and then I spent the next 40 minutes on the phone with my grandpop. Apparently he was at the DMV today to get a new license, and they wouldn't give him one because his social security card was "too old." What?!? Since when do social security cards expire? Well, I helped him print an application off the website, which involved a bunch of unnecessary steps because the form wouldn't print right on his computer. We eventually got it straightened out, though.

I spent the rest of the night on school work. I hope the load lessens as the week continues (it should). I brought home all of the band folders I stuffed, and printed labels with the students names and instruments and stuff. I only labeled the folders for kids who actually turned in their permission forms, so I don't end up wasting a folder.

Well, it is 17 minutes past my bedtime. Good night!