Presentation tomorrow...and the Return of Obnoxious

Tomorrow should be our last literacy meeting for the year. These are the meetings where we learn about integrating literacy and ESL strategies, so at least half of it are assignments we have already done. Somehow, since half of our group didn't show up at any of the meetings we set up to complete the presentation, I got left with making it. I guess sometimes you have to do that to make sure it gets done. The only good part is, if all goes well, I should get some post-graduate credit out of all of this. You get enough post-graduate credit and you go up a pay scale step - but I still have a ways to go before I have enough credit. There was that idea of getting a Geography endorsement, which would mean credit. Then I taught Geography last summer, and I think it was my least favorite subject. Maybe it was because I had never taken a Geography class, so it took so much extra prep time. Or maybe it was because my classes were bursting at the seams - and usually the silver lining in teaching summer school is that classes are smaller than usual. Summer school is made up of students that often don't want to be there, but goofing off during the year has led them to being forced by their parents to attend - so smaller groups of them is the thing that makes it manageable. Plus, in the smaller classes, it is harder for them to fall through the cracks. In fact, I am considering taking a break from teaching summer school this year. I have taught the last four summers, and a break would be nice. I could really use the time to get acquainted with the new IB curriculum topics, since this year's topics are being replaced. They do that every 8 years or so.

So, I better have at least one funny story to share. Yesterday two of my former sophomores came to visit - one of whom was Obnoxious Student. The other one was a student who would say"Miss, Miss" instead of my name (sometimes I wouldn't answer him until he proved to me that he knew what my name was...) and he pronounces it, "Mees, Mees." So, about 5 minutes into class, I hear, "Mees, Mees." Immediately you wonder if you have cracked and are hearing things. I turn around, and there he is standing inside the door of the classroom. Aaah! In truth, this student, while being difficult, is pretty entertaining. But, he was interrupting my class, so I had to say hello and then ask him to leave. I guess it's a good sign that students stop by, right?

When Obnoxious came by, he tried to come in and sit down with the other students - the same period he used to have my class. One of the girls asked, "Is he in this class?" "No, he was in my class last semester, he passed, so he isn't coming back." "Oh good, because if he was, I would transfer out. He's kinda mean." Yeah. I do not make this stuff up. Obnoxious looked around and demanded to know where the hall pass he had made me was. I explained that I got a new one. He tried to take my new hall pass. He fetched the old one - the huge, heavy desktop from the desk that broke - out of my office so students could use it. (The "hall pass" has hall pass written barely legibly with spray paint on one side, and Obnoxious student's name on the other side, not my name or class number. Hmm, yeah.) You see, I finally have one of those coveted aquamarine colored PVC sewer pipe ones. (If you went to this school, you KNOW exactly what I am talking about.) How do you explain to a student that having a PVC sewer pipe hall pass is a mark of distinction. Most teachers who have them obtained them when they were new - back in the early 90's. Having one of these passes separates the new teachers from the seasoned teachers. Those teachers who have them, write their name all over them not only so the students don't lose them, but also so that other teachers don't take them. These are legacy hall passes. How do you explain that to a student? You don't. "Well, many of the girls complained that the other hall pass was too heavy to take." "Fine, let those girls take your new one, but have the rest take my pass." Sure, sure.