I'm not giving you my IPod!

The hell you're not!

OK I didn't say it, but it was literally at the tip of my tongue. I was taking my class to the cafeteria so they could start the preregistration for next year when I noticed a student doing the '1 earplug' thing thinking that I would not notice.

Keep in mind that not 2 minutes before I told the class that I do pay attention and that the first time I warn you to put it away and then I take it. If you're cool about it, you get it back at the end of the period. If you're a jackass about it it goes to the dean's office.

So the kid takes it out for all of 12 seconds and puts it back it. I tell him again to lose the earplugs and he ignores me. That's mistake #1, I then tell him to hand it over and he tells me that I'm not going to get his iPod. That's mistake #2. I get in front of him face to face and I tell him he can either give me the iPod or he goes to the dean and can give one of them the iPod. "I don't care, I'm not giving you my iPoid!" is his reply. Yep, strike three... I then personally escort this jackass to the dean's office and tell the secretary that he refuses to give up his iPod. The secretary then asks for it and Brainiac still won't give in, driving yet another nail in his coffin. Just then a dean walks by and she tells him what is going on and the dean holds out his hand and asks for the music player. And this time he not only refuses he tells the dean to call his dad and that he's not giving up his iPod... That would be the final nail in his coffin. He got RPCd for that one. I went back during my prep period and filled out the referral making sure that it mentioned his refusal to give it up to the dean, his secretary and last but not least to me.

Normally I'm not nasty and most kids get the hint and put the phones etc., away when I ask them to. But you break rule 3c (respect me) and you get the evil Mr. "L", and I don't do disrespect from a teenager.

Fire Alarms

You know what? I'm beginning to despise fire alarm/drills! Doing one or two a semester is OK, the alarm goes off you and the kids go to the parking lot and wait to return. No big deal, unless this is the fourth or fifth time since January 7th that you've had that particular joy. And I've had the pleasure of having two in the same flipping day! Good thing I pack aspirin in my bag because those alarms are instant headache generators, and that is supposed to be the student's job! And let's not start with the disruption to class and learning because then you have to get the students settled down again and back on task. I always tell my students that if there is a fire drill and I see less kids come back, I take roll again and if they are not present the 2nd time, they're absent. It works wonders to keep kids from taking the rest of the day off.

Hopefully this plethora of fire drills will pass and things will get back to normal, whatever that is.

Update 1/29... Yep another drill. This makes 5 since Jan 7th., maybe the fire district really likes me...

Easy Come Easy Go

So I thought I had this cool gig set up today. I just got a call from the school saying that the job had been given to someone else and thanks but no thanks. So I cancel 6 jobs for nothing. Lovely. Now I have to start all over again and even though they said they'd call me I don't know how much stock I'm going to put into that school any more. And I have to start lining up new jobs again. Now that a new semester is starting it should not be too tough but it still sucks.

It's the Shirt...

So I'm subbing at a middle school on Monday and because it's cold (for Vegas) I decided to wear my Northern Michigan University sweatshirt since it's warm and uber comfortable. One of the deans sees my shirt and strikes up a conversation with me about my shirt and Michigan in general. She asks me what class I'm subbing for and if I was ever interested in long term assignments. Silly question that one was. I reply that yes I was interested in long term assignments and that I missed the opportunity to really teach since my last one ended in December. So they take my sub number down and tell me that they'll put me on the list to call when they have openings and we part ways.

As I was looking for work last night for today and Tuesday a one day assignment pops up at that same school. I take it and today I get approached by the principal for a long term assignment teaching robotics. Now robotics is not my specialty, but the curriculum is already in place and since I know some basics about robotics I figured that I'd be able to handle the job. Plus because robotics is part of the magnet program, chances are that I won't have too many meat heads in my classroom to deal with. There will always be a few, but while the smart kids are chatty like everyone else, they are also very driven to succeed so I know that I'll get kids who actually want to be there and I'll be learning right along with them, and I love to learn. Finally they also seem to be good with me doing observation hours during my prep period for Nevada State College.

Now I've heard that it's what and who you know that will get you jobs, but what you wear? Heck I wore it because it was 40 degrees and that is one warm piece of clothing. Not to get a job, but I'll take it!

Mountains out of molehills

This article caught my eye while surfing the web and is worth talking about. Kelly Tilghman's on air gaffe regarding Tiger Woods went from a 10 second news story to a big huge freaking deal. Look saying that the players want to lynch Tiger was dumb... DUMB. But Tiger is one guy who I look at and forget that he's not white. Kelly immediately apologized on air and then to Tiger personally. That should have been the end of it, but it wasn't. Pharisee Al Sharpton got wind of this and went into attack mode. You know, calls for firing etc...

Really, she should be fired. And we expect to advance race relations how with this kind of attitude? Oh, wait... The good pharisee doesn't want to ADVANCE them, because he'd be out of a job, he wants to make them worse so he can continue to garner money and power...

Sheesh...

Rant

So I get an email from the teacher that I did the long term assignment for asking me about a lost poster from the fall. I get that settled and then get another email asking if I had lost anything else because students are swearing that they turned stuff in and that I lost it...

Needless to say I was not so thrilled by email #2. I go from looking like a capable teacher to looking like an incompetent boob. I guess I should not be surprised that the students are blaming me for their missing work but I am. Plus I'm worried about how this makes me look at that school. Is that why I've not seen any assignments from them? The last thing I need is a school that thinks I'm not worth calling back.

One more thing to worry about.

2008 and more

Well,
The two week break is over and a year awaits. Well, the break would be over if I could get a flipping gig, but so far I only have Thursday and Friday filled. The break was nice but it was without pay so our finances are hurting to say the least. It's really going to hurt if I can't find work and fast.

As far as the holidays went, it was very nice. My favorite two gifts were the Regan Dairies and the DVDs Animusic 1 & 2. I'm still reading the book and so war it simply rocks. It's not often you get to see the mind of someone in power, much less the President of the USA. One of the most moving parts is where he's in the hospital after the assassination attempt praying to God to survive when he realizes that he needs to forgive the mixed up young man who shot him. That alone was worth the price of admission. It showed me where his heart really was. If you like politics at all, get a copy of this book. Regan was the only president who kept a daily dairy of his time in the White House and it's a fascinating read.

I'm not much for plugging products but if you have a good TV and surrond sound system, you have to get Animusic 1 & 2. I just have a regular 27" TV with the stereo speakers hooked up and it rocks, so it's that much better on a HDTV etc... You can view clips and even download two of the pieces to view on your computer. It was worth the $30 to get, kids will also like it and I'm going to use it when I get my own English class to do a compare and contrast essay with.