...feeling old...

We were going over the handbook.

We talked about the automated message system for important school announcements like snow days and whatnot.  I made sure that students understood the importance of making sure the office is informed of any changes in contact information.

Me:  So if your phone is disconnected, or your parents get a new cell phone number, or if they decide to get rid of their land line, make sure you inform the office.

Student 1:  What's a land line?

I just kind of stopped & looked at her.  At first I wasn't sure if she was serious.  She was.

Me:  Yeah, the kind of phone that is connected to the wall.

Student 2:  You know, the kind that stays in the house.

Student 3:  Yeah, a home phone.

I picked my jaw up off the floor.  Seriously?  You don't know what a land line is?

Student 1 gave me a look like I thought she was an idiot or something.

Me:  No, this isn't about you.  You are just making me feel really old...

...new sights...

I took a class of 19 students on a field trip today.  We went to the local outdoor education center.

When it was time to break for lunch, our facilitator brought out a garbage can for the students to use when they were done.

The student next to me physically reacted...His eyes grew & were about to pop out of his face.  A slow grin creeped onto his mouth.  Then he quietly exclaimed, I've never seen a metal garbage can before!

Turns out they aren't simply from 80's movies, or instruments for Stomp.  Metal garbage cans still exist, and people still put garbage in them.

At least one kid had a memorable experience today.  So what if it has nothing to do with the intended objectives.  I'm all about new life experiences...even trashy ones.  (Sorry, I couldn't stop myself with that one.)

...the pre-test dance...

We are starting the year with pre-tests.
Long tests full of questions students don't know the answers to, confirming they indeed do not know it.
A quiet room for most of the day.  Bonus time for me to get things in order that I probably should have accomplished last week.

I had my music shuffling as all of my classes were testing.  My students quickly learn that I have a wide variety of music.

Just now, I hit play on iTunes to give an example of what they might encounter:
Since You've Been Gone, Kelly Clarkson;
Rainbow Connection, Kermit the Frog;
Sweet Home Alabama, Jewel;
Brandenburg, Black Violin [love this one];
Jesus Messiah, Chris Tomlin;
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Cyndi Lauper;
Azukar, Kumbia Kings; &
Chicago, Frank Sinatra.

There's really no theme.

In one class, the students were quietly testing.  I was working at my desk.  Then it came on:  Cha Cha Slide.

I simply said, Don't do it.  Stay in your desks.

Small smiles creeped onto their faces.  For the next 4 minutes & 10 seconds, quiet feet were moving in unison under 20+ desks in my room.


I could have just changed the song & everyone would have moved on and stayed focused.

But I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

...kung fu panda...

I give my students 3-ring binders as I teach them how to get organized.  Of course I get them the best binders I can.  They are 2", so they can hold everything for all of their classes.  They have the rings on the back, not the spine, so papers don't get caught in the rings.  And they are view binders.

In some of my classes I have had time to pass out scrap paper and give the students time to decorate a page to slide into the front of their view binder.  Some students didn't know what to do with it, so I offered some suggestions:
Write with your favorite color.
Write your name.
Draw your favorite animal.
Write about how much you miss your mom.

As students were working, I noticed one girl wasn't writing or drawing anything.  So, I asked her why not.  She said she didn't know what to do.  Again I suggested drawing her favorite animal.

Girl:  I want to draw a panda but I don't know how!

Me:  Sure you do!  It's easy!  

I proceeded to pick up a dry erase marker and pretend that I am artistic.  At one point I couldn't remember if pandas have black in the center or their stomachs or white...the class debated about it for a little while before we decided it is white.  After completing the bear, I decided it needed a sword.  Many students were quite impressed.  I'm not sure they should have been.  The girl asked if she could trace it.  I said no.

The next class asked why Kung Fu Panda was on the board.  When I explained the story, they asked if I could draw a penguin...So I did.  I'm not nearly as proud of this one.

Another teacher saw my panda, then had me look up some panda pictures online.  Turns out in some Chinese zoo people are dressing up as pandas when they take care of the babies.  Crazy.

...book signings...

It's the beginning of a new school year.  Time to pass out books.  For my class, students use a paperback book that they keep.  After having the books passed out, I distributed permanent markers for the students to borrow.  I instructed them as to where I would like them to write their first and last names on the books.  About thirty seconds later I heard, Oh man!  I spelled my name wrong!  I always do it the same way!

The first thing a kid learns to do in school is write his name...and here he is in high school, still struggling with it.  Yikes!  It may be a long year, yet certainly an entertaining one!

...ribosomes...

So I came back to school to work in my classroom a couple days before having to report according to my contract.  If you are a teacher, then you understand.  The generous afternoon two days before school starts that we are allotted to work in our rooms just isn't sufficient.

Well, apparently another teacher in my hallway came back earlier than I did, and decided to visit my classroom.

He rearranged the letters on my bulletin board (that I had left up from last year of course).

I was pretty impressed with his ability to use every single letter.

Anyone want to guess what it originally said (and currently says again)?

...back to school...

Apparently it hasn't been a very funny summer because I didn't post a single blog.

Well, that is about to change.  Back to school meetings start tomorrow, with students arriving just around the corner.

I took a sneak peek at my class lists...One of my students has a last name that is the name of a superhero.  I kid you not.  It's not Superman, but it isn't too far off.  I hope he doesn't let me down for good material in the coming weeks.  Who knows, maybe he will even have the ability to rescue me from some of his more, well, villainous classmates.

Here's hoping for a really funny year!