What do I do?

What do you do when one of your A students finishes all of his work and then takes a nap in your class? This boggles me because I feel that if he has mastered the objective for the day, why bother him? Am I not being a good teacher and using every instructional minute to his advantage? I think that students should have a break evey once in a while. This student is in my Lodging Management class and we call free days "Mental Preparation" days. He calls them "Mental Institution" days. We don't get them very often, but when we do, the students love them.

This is my FYI board. Anything that is happening in school that needs to be posted goes here. The paper to the left is my "Tardy Sign In" sheet. Every student that is tardy has to sign this sheet and come the next day to a lunch detention that is to be served in my classroom. The pretty blue furry string has a pen at the end of it. I provide it for them because I don't want any excuses. I only keep my tardy students for about 5 minutes and send them on their merry little way. I do this because we don't have any real punishment at school for tardies. The Dean of Students is in charge of K-12. He couldn't possibly know every student. He is new this year and lazy. (But you didn't hear that from me!!) This is why our students are running wild on the campus. But I say this, as long as I have my classroom under control, he can not do his job and it won't bother me at all!!!

I made a breakthrough!!!

This picture is not staged!!! On Monday, December 1st I did it. I was soooooooo excited!!! This is one of my special education students. He is severely ADD and has a behavior plan. This is Accounting and he understands it. I have had the hardest time trying to get him to sit down in his seat and not be tardy to class. He actually did the work and got it right!!!! I don't know what I did, but I'm going to keep doing it!!! (Maybe it was just easy to him, but I'm taking the credit!!)

My Mentor

MEET MRS. LOVE!!!! This is my mentor for the second year. She is something else. She tells it like it is and won't sugar coat anything. She has been a teacher here for 13 years. Mrs. Love was my 9th grade keyboarding teacher. It seems funny to be her co-worker now and once was her student. She gives me great advice and we are next door to each other. Great location!!! She has always been someone that I could look up to!!! I'm glad to have her because she keeps me on task the Arkansas Department of Workforce Education. That's another story!!!

Standard Based Bulletin Boards

A Standard Based Bulletin Board is something that America's Choice Design has mandated us to do. Do I like it? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Do I have to do it? YEEEEEEEEEEEEES!! These are all of the things that should be posted: the task, a rubric, student work (with comments). These people confuse me. They tell us to only put up work that meets the standards. Then they tell us to show work that is in progress. I don't know about other teachers, but when I'm finished with a section or topic, there is no going back. So how can work be in progress? I just do my own thing. This picture is an example of my Intro to Hospitality bulletin board. The students had to pretend to be a human resource mangager and create a job advertisement The only thing that I was missing was a rubric. (Now I know how to make up one, I'll do better!!) The Literacy Coach that if I do a little more detail, I will have a model classroom. GO ME!!

Trying to Catch Up!!

It has been something else for me to keep up with this blog. I don't have a computer at home so I have to go over my mother's house to get this done. We don't have public libraries in this small town. This site is blocked at school, so I was kind of doomed!!

Word Walls

At my school, we are under America's Choice. Whe have to do word walls and standard based bulletin boards. I kind of like this because it gives my students a visual. I don't like it because it really doesn't do anything for my students. I honestly think that it takes too much time and effort to keep up with. This is an example of my word wall for my Introduction to Hospitality Class. I teach 5 different classes and every word wall is color coded. It is easier for me and my students.

Mommy's Angel

Mommy’s Angel by Miasha is about drug addiction and the effects on the family. Angel is the main character and the daughter of a drug addicted mother, Carmina. The reason the mother turned to drugs is because her oldest son got killed by a drive by shooting and they had a close relationship. He was the provider of the family. Angel was fifteen years old and after her brother was murdered, she had gotten into nine fights in school because she dressed in second-hand clothes. After being thrown out of school, Angel turned to the street life so that she could leave her mother’s house because she was being raped by Carmina’s boyfriend, Marvin. She wanted to make some quick money so that she and her younger sister and younger brother could leave the situation. Angel started stripping in a club called Shake’s and started taking Extacy to perform. She saved six hundred dollars and her mother took it and bought drugs with it. The club got raided by the police and Angel got arrested for under aged drinking. She contacted her mother and Carmina wanted Angel to pay her in order to be released. After being released, Angel went to live with a friend that she met at the club named Butter. The price of staying with her friend was prostituting. Angel agreed, but did not perform. She ran away to her brother’s best friend, Antone. Angel stayed with him for a while and he took her back to Butter because Butter owed him some money. Angel was pregnant by Marvin and she hoped that it was her boyfriend Jamal. She had the baby four months premature and found out it was Marvin’s. She confronted her mother and Marvin and Carmina took Marvin’s side. Angel left the baby at the hospital and turned to drugs. Carmina saw Angel smoking and realized how she affected her child’s life. Carmina killed Angel because she didn’t want her to go through anything more.

My Two Days Off

I had two days off............................................NEED I SAY MORE?

Today was HOMECOMING!!!

Okay!!! So we had our first and last pep rally today. It was okay. The step team that I sponsor made it really good. Everyone came to see them. Earlier this week, I had another pow wow with a co-worker. I have been working with my step team for the past 3 weeks. On Wednesday, I asked the cheerleading sponsor where we were on the schedule and she told me that she needed to approve what my students were doing. I told her that I knew that she wasn't going to approve what we were doing because we have different views of what is appropriate. I'm black and she is white. She is old and I am young. I'm single and she is married to a preacher. What more do I need to say. I changed my show because I wanted everything to be appropriate. My students and their parents were mad, but it all worked out to our advantage. The cheerleaders performed before us and they did the moves that she didn't want them or my step team to do. I changed my show back to the old one because I feel that if her girls can do that, then my boys and girls can do it too. If I get reprimanded, then she better too. I don't know if that is a good attitude to have, but my kids worked too hard and too long to be toned down. I have had so many compliments on my team. I am so excited. Jonesboro, here we come!!!!

Afterburn

Afterburn by Zane is one of the best books that I have ever read. This is a true love story and the meaning behind this book is that you never know what you have until it is gone. Also, don't hesitate to go for what you want because when you do, you won't have enough time to enjoy it. Yardley Brown goes into his local bank quite often. He sees Miss Rayne Waters and wants to go out with her. He thinks that she has a man and she thinks that he has a woman. Time passes by and Yardley finally builds up the nerve to ask Rayne out. They go out and fall in love. Everything was good until Rayne was in the store buying something for Yardley to surprise him and at that particular moment in time a robber comes in and shoots her. She is dead!! Yardley gave the eulogy at her funeral. You never know what you've got until it is gone. Don't wait because it might be too late........

"HOMECOMING WEEK"

So our team is 0 and how many games they have played. They didn't have a team last year because of their grades. This week has been interesting so far. Our spirit days are not fun, but I am trying to participate . The kids get a kick out of it!! The hardest thing I have now is getting my students to stay focused. I didn't plan a lot of heavy work this week because I remember how it was when I was in school!! That was one of the only things that we looked forward to in our small town!!!

I HATE WORK!!!!

I have gotten to the point where I hate going to work. I love my students and that is why I go to work everyday. They are energetic and very lively. I don't like the fact that we have new administration and new rules. I think that if new people come in, they ought to find out what works and then fix it. This crew brought new people and new things that are a disaster. Our kids walk around sagging, skipping class, on cell phones, shirts untucked, and late to class with an excused slip. I do have to respect the fact that when you get into positions where you can make decisions, you will make them. (Even if they are wrong!!) I find myself saying on a Monday monrining, "I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL FRIDAY!!" I hate to see my school like this because I am a product from this school.

"Touch a TEACHER, go to jail!!!" I almost went that way!!!

Well on Halloween I had on my devil costume!! Boy did the devil come out. I was soooooooo irritated with one of my co-workes that I almost put my hands on her. This is the story. I have been working in this district since I graduated from there in 2002. On my breaks, I would come back an substitute. After I graduated from UAPB, I was the In School Suspension Administrator for Special Education. I took on the job of yearbook sponsor. My principal told me to do all of my interrupting classes during 8th period because it was like a study hall for all students. I knocked on the door, said "Excuxe me, may I see........" and this woman told me "No you may not, please leave." Now I was overwhelmed. This lady was so rude. I told her that we needed to have a conference and she was still getting smart. I have to be the most professional person in the world because I did not go off on her in front of the students. I waited until that bell rang and I went over there, I had tears in my eyes and she got scared. She apologized and I accepted. I thought that was the end of our little turmoil. Two years later here we are again.........We are senior sponsors and we are supposed to work together. I wrote a memo to the sponsors stating that I would like to meet with them to discuss ideas for the year so that we can be prepared in front of the students. I got the memo back and it said that "I have scheduled a meeting in my room." I sent another memo apologizing that I didn't make myself clear. I stated that I want to be professional and I don't want to go in front of the students unprepared. I went to this lady's room and she stated that she was in charge and we were going to do things her way. I politely walked out and asked my principal if she gave her that power becasue I was not going to work with anyone like that. My principal talked to her and she changed. We were working together. Until last week!!!! We don't have a common conference period or lunch and the only time that the three of us can meet is after school. She had been missing for America's Choice and I had missed becasue I was sick. I wrote a note to the sponsors on October 28th asking if we could meet that evening and have a senior meeting on the morning of the 29th. I made a committee sign up sheet for all of the activities that the seniors will be doing during the year. I don't believe in doing the work. I put it in the students' hands. If it doesn't get done, they can only blame themselves. Sponsors should be there to guide and approve activities. So I went to her after school and tried to meet with her. I tried to present her my ideas and she shot them down. She said, "If we don't do it like this, then we're not meeting." I said then we won't meet and I walked off. I went into the other sponsor's classroom because I was with a student and he wanted to know his math grade and any work that he has missed. She comes about a minute later and told him, "I told her that we were going to do it like this." I told her that I was not discussing that and she made the decision not to have a meeting. I told her that I was through and she can have it and I walked off. I went to my mother first and told her that I was about to go off on that old lady and she didn't know what I was capable of doing. When the principal came in (my mother is her secretary) I told her and she told me to go ahead with the meeting because she would be there. I did and the meeting went fine!!! The kids enjoyed themselves and got a lot accomplished. This lady did not come to school on the 30th, but returned on Halloween. I was walking down the hall and I smiled and spoke to her. She asked to speak with me and she tried to go off on me in front of students. She said, "A. I really want to work with you. B. I don't need you talking behind my back because it gets back to me. and C. If I say that I don't feel good about something, then we need to discuss it." I looked at her (Now my ghetto is about to come out.) I told her, "Let me walk off from you before I go off on you." She said something else smart and walked into her room. I walked behind her and I was about to get her. One of my first period students said, "Gone Miss Alicia!!" After she called my name and I looked in her face, I remembered that I was Miss Thomas and not Alicia. I went to my room and my kids saw me mad. I was crying because I wanted to get her. I didn't care if she was old, she disrespected me in front of students. She was very unprofessional. I left my 1st period class and went to the office. My principal was not there so I spoke with the Curriculum Coordinator. I told him that it is her or me. I can't work with her. Nobody on staff likes her. She is crazy, old and needs to retire. I am not the one. I continued to tell him that I have been doing all of the work by myself and I don't have a problem with that. I am a single parent, go to school, and work full time. I will gladly give this up and she can have it. The students don't want me to leave. They want to get rid of her. It doesn't matter. As Donna said in the summer, "Touch a kid, go to jail!!" It was different for me, "Touch a teacher, go to jail!!!" becasue I almost went that way!!!! (Jail)

"DIVERSITY LIVES IN ROOM 30!!"

Meet Shelby. Shelby is a senior. She is one of the 5 white female students that I teach. She is very creative. She loves to tell stories and she is not afraid to let you know how she feels. She loves her teacher Miss Thomas and won't let anyone talk about her. The students in her class call her "MY SPACE GANGSTA." At the beginning of the year she told the class that she told her ex-boyfriend off in a message on my space. She is wearing that smile everyday.













Meet Demarco. Demarco is a senior and is a special needs student. Demarco is a character. He is vivacious and looooooooooooooooves to dance. He is the life of all classrooms. He makes all of the pep rallys fun.



























Meet Anfernee. This is one of my brightest students. He is very gifted. He wants to be part of the cool crowd and doesn't want his friends to know that he is smart. He is very funny and very talented in football. He is a respectful young man and he is easy to teach.

Meet Gage. He is one of the two white males that I teach. He is autistic and very smart. He loves computers and enjoys puzzles. Gage has an aide that walks with him to all of his classes and he communicates by pointing and pushing buttons on a talking machine. He is very friendly and all of my students makes him feel comfortable in class.

Hello, Hi, and How are you doing? Welcome to my blog!! I am very excited. This is my second year teaching and I look forward to a very positive year. I have learned a lot over the summer and I plan to use this in my instruction.