I feel I have my two sixth grade classes pretty much under wraps. They are on task, they do for the most part quality work, and they pay attention when I ask it. They also do an amazing job during independent reading time. We started at 15 minutes, and they're up to 20 already, and asking for five-minute extensions when the timer goes off. Looks like I'll need another Donors Choose library increase soon, because these kids are gonna go through my collection in no time.
Now I have to figure out how to challenge them. No small feat. I also have to figure out how to teach them two subjects worth of crap in one class period this year. Gulp! My creativity is in the shitter right now, the Muse is off somewheres having a fling in a fleabag hotel, I got no ideas worth a train-flattend penny. But they'll come. They always do. Even if it's at 3:00am they'll come. I need them soon, though, because the two weeks of lessons which sprung full-formed and armored from my skull a while back are nearly depleted.
The seventh grade boys are aggravating me no end. Today they were throwing water on each other from their water bottles, many had balloons in their pockets which they took out and started inflating and bouncing, and they refused to stay in their seats or pay attention. So now the good kids are starting to go bonkers because of a few bad apples derailing the class. I'm meeting with the principal tomorrow to strategize about these kids. I'm apparently having less trouble with them than others, but that means nothing to me. I want no trouble. I want to teach.
I just can't stand when the kids who care and want to learn sit there and stare around themselves, wondering what to do. It makes me sick to my stomach.
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