Me: "No, what fight? Who was fighting?"
Student: "Nah Miz Duley, I can't tell you that - i'd be snitchin!"
Me: "How would that be snitching?"
Student: "Miz Duley, you just don' no! That'd be snitchen! It'z a street code Miz. You godda respect da street code Miz."
Me: "Well, how do you learn street code?"
Student: "Miz Duley, that's what snitchen iz! I can'd tell you!"
Me: "Well, if I stand on the corner on the street, can I learn street code?"
Student (shaking his head): "You best not stan on the street Miz Duley, people think you crazy! Then they'd know I be a snitch!"
Sigh, these students probably live their lives everyday experiencing more awful things and horrible things than I could ever imagine. These kids live in a reality that I have only seen in movies, and read about in books. Am I crazy to expect them to do their homework and complete a pre-lab in order to conduct a lab experiment? No! No, I can't think like that. I have to believe that giving them a pre-lab to worry about or forcing them to find a library at night to do their homework for my class will pull them out. If not pull them out for forever, then maybe just for that one night.
My heart just broke today. With all the schedule changes, I have had students drop and add to my classes. Knowing this would happen, I intentionally didn't have students fill out a Student Contact Form for my class. I created a form for the kids to fill out with their school schedule, any sports they play, any hobbies they have, or pets they/their families own. I also asked them what their goals for life are and what their goals for my class is. 96% of them said their goal for my class was to get a "C." A "C?" What happened to "A" or "B?" The reality is most of these kids have absolutely no confidence whatsoever. I hope I can change that. One of my female students said her goal was to go to "Haward Law School." "HaWard." She is 18 years old. My mom said the most reassuring thing to me.....she said, "Chantel, at least she has heard of it, she knows they have a law school, and she has a goal to go there. Let her learn her own way. Don't embarrass her." So I will let it go. I corrected her spelling on her homework assignment and gave her a lot of positive feedback. I also plan to email Harvard and ask for any college paraphernalia they can send me for free so I can put it up in my classroom. Maybe she will see it and correct herself her own way.
First homework assignment was due today. Students had to obtain a SCIENTIFIC news article from a newspaper, magazine, or the internet and write a brief summary about it. They also had to attach it to the summary to turn it in. I have followed a Harry Wong idea about using PINK SLIP's for students who do not turn in their homework. So far, I had an awful lot of students filling out a PINK SLIP today. My heart sank. I really believed for the first homework assignment, I would have 100% of my kids turn it in. This was a little high. Well, I will see how it goes. Some kids didn't even take the time to fill out the slip correctly. I will be giving them back to those students tomorrow so they can properly fill them in.
Yesterday, when I met my Faculty Supervisor, we had a long conversation about a female student of mine in my Biology class. Students have to pass Physical Science as a freshmen to move on to Biology as a sophomore. This student is a junior who was moved to my bio class after failing physical science for a second time. This student is one of those who can ruin your whole day. I could already tell from the first 3 days I was going to have a BIG challenge ahead of me. I talked with my FS about her and she gave me some really good pointers. Thinking about ways to handle this student has kept me up at night (the last 2 nights). She is a beautiful girl covered in tattoo's and facial piercings. She is 16!!! Back at school, I asked my neighbor teacher if he had any pointers for working with her and he said he would pop his head in every once in awhile to say "hello" (since she was kicked out of his class last year) so she would know he was aware she was in my class.
During my prep hour (2nd period), I went down to the office. My principal stopped me and pulled me in his office and asked if I had her in one of my classes. I said, "Yes." He said she was a REAL issue with some serious discipline problems and he would like for her to be placed with a more tenured teacher. He said he had confidence in me that I could handle her, but didn't want to put that extra burden on me my first year. Can I get a "Hallelujah?" YEAHOO! Not that I wasn't up to the challenge, but I am very thankful I can sleep at night not worrying about how to get through 3rd period tomorrow!
Lots of grading to do, a potato lab to prepare for for physical science, and a milk lab to get ready for my bio kids. Whew! Day still isn't over yet! 9:05 and still not over yet!
Dawng gurl, sounds like we are about the float in the same river, but on different rafts. I was told about the student population I will be dealing with today. Here's my two pennies: your students don't know what you don't know. What this means is, your students need to know who you are, and so, don't be afraid to show them who Chantel is; where you have come from, where you have gone, and where you are going. I too have been told, "no horsing around for the first two weeks," and it sounds like you have it under control; whereas, I fear I wont! LOL BE positive, raise your head high, and don't be afraid to show them you are human.
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