Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Spitting Games

Today we played a staff vs. student kickball game during lunch. So, during 2nd period I ran into my coworker's room and whispered "I don't know how to play kickball!" Needless to say it has probably been 12 years since the last time I've played kickball. It was fun, the students won. (Which is NOT a given.. we won the staff vs. students volleyball game.. which was against the girls varsity volleyball team!) But my point today is that I'm kind of proud of my ability to think quick, a skill which has been honed down over the past few months working with my kids.

After missing a catch while covering first base, my kids started yelling "Ms. Chew you suck!!" So I ran over to them, pointed at each and yelled "F! F! F! F! F! I haven't put in grades yet you know? Oops I think I lost all your papers! Zero!!!"

Still later, I missed another catch (yeah, I know. Twelve years, I told you!) And of course again they cheered "Ms. Chew you suck!!" (Sportmanship is not one of their fortes.) This time all I had to say was "Hey, that's not fair, I don't make fun of you while you're failing my tests!"

Touché!!

Monday, March 10, 2008

Well, the good news is..

..I still have a job. Which, given the state of education in the state of California is no small feat. According to my union (yeah, I'm unionized. No, I don't know how to feel about that)..
Today, the SFUSD sent out at least 534 layoff notices to San Francisco teachers and administrators, because of the $4.8 billion in education cuts proposed by the Governor.

That damned governator. So on top of huge budget cuts for the state, we also have declining enrollment at our school (less students enrolling in each incoming freshman class, partly b/c the other "better" schools in the district have no enrollment caps and more kids=more money). So.. next year is looking kind of rocky. Layoffs and consolidations all around. We're losing at least one math and one English teacher for sure.

But let me not dwell on that. I don't like talking about that side of ed.

One of my boys got his girlfriend prego. Yeah. He's a senior, but she's like.. a sophomore? I'm not sure how to take that. The good news is that her family is supporting her, she's planning to finish out the school year and then have the baby. She'll keep the baby and her family will help. Jimmy White (self-given nickname) had a sonogram picture on his binder. I was like.. "who's is this?!?!!?" and he goes "mine." Eep. I'm 23 and single and my students are the ones making babies. Eep.

Another one of my boys came in during the morning to ask me to hold on to his skateboard for the day. He didn't show up to class 7th period. He came in afterschool to explain why he wasn't in class.. he found out during lunch that one of his best friends (who went to our school last year) was shot and killed the night before.

I'm tired. But I'm at the point where I know I'm going to be here next year and I'm ok with that. I'm happy I get to be around another year, even. So.. there's that. I apologize b/c my thoughts are kind of scattered right now. But I figured I was due an update.