Wednesday, November 15, 2006

I'm soooooo not stressed!!!! Yippee!!!

Grades were due today....so I have a day to breathe and not be stressed about grading. Ahhhhh.

Here are some things I noticed in school over the past couple of days..OH AND HAPPY 68th BIRTHDAY, DADDY!!!! He honestly looks like he is in his early 50s. I've got good aging genes.

Stuff I noticed at school:
Boys like to wear tiaras...especially the "blow out" boys. Those are boys who blow their hair dry and just go with how it turns out...poofy.

Kind of, but not really related...apparently teenage girls have no problem hanging all over each other and playing kissy-face...FOR REAL...not just messing around...ewwwww!

I was reading a journalism student's reaction to a NY Times editorial. It was about how pulling out of Iraq too soon could spell disaster and the article gave pretty good reasons why. My student stated that she was against the war and supported bringing the troops home asap. However, after reading the editorial, she stated that she has changed her mind. She was persuaded by a very well-written and convincing article (paraphrasing her words). THERE IS HOPE!!!!

Our school has a "group" of other like-minded kids for almost all the kids. We are family-like school. So it always warms my heart when I hear the strains of "Happy Birthday" coming from our common lunch area. So yesterday I heard it, but then I saw a huge ballon (mylar) bouquet, a cake, and a bunch of girls taking care of their friend on her 18th birthday. Sweet.

Funny: Kids texting each other no more than 10 feet away from each other and walking towards each other, giggling at the same time realizing what they are doing is so wackadoodles.

Annoying: Kids trying to negotiate their grades with their teachers at the end of a marking period. "So you're fine with me giving you an 'A' you didn't earn?" "Yes," replies the student in all honesty. Craziness. Stoooopid kids....we aren't changing their grades for their self-confidence and for them to have peace with their parents.

I have a reading class that takes tests throughout the first three markings periods so they can graduate from high school. Once per month I give them a break (trust me, they earn it) and I show a movie for a couple of days. Last month...Lord of the Rings (Fellowship), this week...LotR (Towers), next month...the final one (I've never watched them before...they are great!) Anyway...yesterday one kid asked if we could watch Boondock Saints. I just laughed an evil laugh because the first friggin' thing that came to my mind was Willem Dafoe planting a really hot kiss (unfortunately) on a mob guy....while dressed in drag (too funny)! Needless to say, I said "No. I've seen that movie and we're not watching it." The student then said, "But we're all seniors...we're old enough." SHUT UP LITTLE BOY!!!

FUNNY: A journalism student hands me an OP/ED about how people have forgotten the true meaning of Thanksgiving and what we could do for others based on gratitude for our blessings. Heartfelt. The funny part? Quote: "...pilgrims even invited the foreign Native Americans." I had to inform the poor lad that my ancestors were the foreigners.

11 comments:

Buckaroo Banzai said...

Happy Birthday RT's Dad!

Sezme said...

My dad is the type of guy that sends his nieces' kids presents and he just loves doing stuff for others. It fuels him. Well, did he hear from any of them? No. Just me and his crazy as a loon sister. Forgive me for saying that, but she really is wacko.

My dad has some cognitive challenges and he so needs to feel like he's thought of...I'm so sad for him because of their selfishness.

Sezme said...

Oh...sorry. I forgot to thank you, Wyatt. :)

Peakah said...

You make me excited to be a teacher! Those moments are hilarious...

I just fear saying what I'm thinking outloud at some point!

Happy Birthday Pops!!
(my mom's sister is off her rocker nutz, I'm feelin ya)

Sezme said...

We're talkin' shock therapy nuts! And she just pushes all my dad's buttons. I'll one of hers someday.

Anyway...on to saner things. One of my students was looking for a word (it's an essay thing) and I tried to give her every synonym and phrase I could to take the place of the word "some." UGH! Well...when she said just one more, "no that's not it." I said, "Your mom was really happy to see you off to school when you were five, wasn't she?" Tears flowed, but from laughter. :P I think the mongress showed up at school by accident. She knew I was kidding. Her best friend was sitting next to me conferencing his essay, and he was beet red and in tears. It was a great way to end the day and the week.

I also asked a real pain in the butt once..."Your mom tells you your special, doesn't she?" When he said yes, I said, "She lied." That was another good one, but I don't advise cracking jokes like that until after you're tenured. Some kids wouldn't know sarcasm if it hit them and screamed in their ears.

I'm glad my stories make you excited to teach. :)

Sezme said...

And, sorry about the misspellings. My eyes are tired from conferencing essays.

r_mate_e said...

Glad I stumbled across this post, and your site.. It is a prety funny look at todays school atmosphere.

Sezme said...

Yeah, it is even funnier when a kid walks down a quiet hallway yelling, "PENIS!"

Maybe he's looking for his or doesn't know what one looks like?

Sezme said...

And thanks for stumbling in, R-Mate-E. Everyone else around here stumbles, but that's for other undisclosed reasons.

Dionne said...

Yah, Happy Belated Birthday to your dad and I enjoyed the post. Glad you're not stressed.

Sezme said...

Thanks and :)