Friday morning during my first period I met the interim math department head since we do not currently have one. He is some guy from the district office who was apparently a teacher for 30 years. Now he is the guy that comes into your classroom to observe with a huge clipboard and marks all of your smallest weaknesses wrong so you can correct them. Well, I was taking my students out for a water break (Yes, I lined them up and walked them down the hall like they were in 3rd grade because that is how they were acting) and while I was in the hall I met the guy. He introduced his big bad self and asked how I was doing. I know, I know, sometimes I am too honest, but I told him I am taking it day by day, and it is getting better everyday (even though we were supposed to have turned in lesson plans for the next two weeks by last Monday. What are they going to do? Fire me?) Well he lectured me on using the wrong book, and then lectured me on teaching the wrong topic right now. REALLY! No one has helped me or even told me where to start, so guess what I did? Started at the beginning of the book I was given! I started to cry in the hallway right there... Woops. I walked back into class fanning my face and for the first time my students connected with me. Instead of being little ghetto 9th graders who have to act all tough cause they need to save face, they talked to me like they were normal teenagers. It was awesome. They took their quiz with an average of 90% and were on their way.
2nd period was also amazing. Yeah, half my kids were missing, but that is my WORST class. They talk as if I am not even there in the classroom. On Thursday when we were supposed to be reviewing, there was one student on the class phone and another next to her standing on a desk. Did I mention that I have a special education teacher in that class? Yeah, she was standing right next to them and didn't say anything... Awkward for me when I got called down to the office to explain why my students were repeatedly calling. But even Friday was better. They had a little lower average on their quiz, but that is because they are the lower class. They still all passed :)
4th period which is 17 males and 2 females was also really good. I had tried to explain the topic of points, lines, and planes on Thursday, but they were a bit confused and lost through the powerpoint. I started acting like I was playing football on Friday though and ran back and forth across the front of the room asking if my lines were coplanar and if the people in the audience were lines or points. What about the goal post? Does that intersect the field? AND I was having fun. It was a really good day. Their average was high 80s, so sweet. I even had a kid, one of the special ed kids, get a 100. Thats a good feeling.
Well I have a 2 hour break in the middle of the day because 3rd period is my planning and then lunch. Classes are 90 minutes. Well, that dude I was talking about before? He took up my entire 2 hours talking to me. Some was awesome and very helpful, the other parts where he was repeating repeating repeating himself and forgetting where he was going with his story were pretty annoying. But I figured out what I am supposed to be teaching this week! So planning for two of my classes only took about 3 hours just now instead of the normal 15 :)
On Friday I FINALLY got paid. I was able to pay all my bills, and I still had some left over, so I decided to have a really fun filled and worry free weekend. I was able to buy a real drink at happy hour with the other teachers, and even splurge for a real meal, not just the cheapest appetizer. I even bought myself a coffee grinder :)
Yesterday I finally was able to enjoy the beach. I bought an awesome chair, that is really for your back porch, but I figured I would use it for multiple things being that I have a back porch. I got tan just like a lobster, and am ready to get maid fun of by all my kids who have never felt a sunburn before. Things are looking up. I can't wait til I can start leaving school before 7. As long as I focus then I will be able to do it! So back to focusing and writing my geometry lesson plans. And making it fun and interesting so that I can keep bonding with my students.
