Day 7

We had reading diagnostic tests today. Even though the class is eighth grade, Lukie had fifth, sixth, and seventh grade tests ready in case the students had a hard time with eighth grade level materials.

By the second period Lukie had run downstairs to copy the third and fourth grade tests. And some of these were turned in completely blank.

Another neighborhood teen was shot and killed over the weekend. Kids are still wearing memorial T-shirts from the funeral Friday.

Our Special Ed teacher was transferred with no notice to another school mid-week last week. We have some children in our classes who are required by law to have a special education teacher with them at all times, and who have nobody now. One of these kids can barely read or write his name, and I try to keep him occupied by giving him paper to draw on, and books about Phineas Gage from which he can copy skull pictures. Carey can't read these books, but I told him what happened to Phineas and he said "Dag, that's tight. His skull all messed up!" Carey is a really sweet kid but some of the thugs in class know his degree of naivite, and they try to exploit him to do their dirty work. I have to keep my eye on him until we get a new special educator. Carey draws me pictures of scary thug snowmen with guns and pointy hats.