The Life of Bon: Two days in: Still alive

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Two days in: Still alive

Welcome to my classroom!

Or something.

This is me yesterday:  First day of school, you fools!





I don't do so well with the serious fashion pictures so I usually just end up making myself look like an idiot.

"Oh, stop it with the jokes, hoodlums!  You're too funny!"

This was supposed to be sexy teacher look.  It got lost somewhere along the way.

And my personal favorite- thinker woman.  My, how smart I seem!  And also so very angry.

Shirt: Chicnova (Similar here)// Undertee: Downeast// 
Skirt: Chicnova (similar here)// Shoes: H&M (similar here)
 
If you haven't checked out Chicnova yet, you seriously need to.  They have SO many great things- the pieces are completely unique and they have about every style of anything you could ever imagine.  I'm hooked line and sinker!

Here's the skinny on the first two days.  Yesterday was wild.  First period was my prep and then I had three senior classes in a row and they were bounce bouncing off the walls.  The classes got progressively worse as the day went on and by the time I was at my last class they weren't shutting up for nobody.  I don't like to pull out mean teacher Bonnie on the first day so I tried to just be cool with it all, but I wasn't cool, folks.  One kid I already had to move and make him sit by me because he just wouldn't quit it.  

And then there were the cell phones.  Oh, the cell phones!  Every year it is worse.  Those kids are attached to them like nothing I've ever seen.  They will literally stare at their phone for the entire 85 minutes of my class if I let them. I had to shut that down quick, but I know next time I see those kids I know they'll have their phones out again, tweeting texting candy crushing away.  The madness!

Today was better.  To start with, I had a first period class and the best thing about having a class first thing in the morning is they are oh so quiet.  Everyone's still tired at 7:50 am, you know?  None of that 1:30 pm crazy crap I get later in the day.  Which reinforces my theory that all high school classes should be taught before lunch.  But anyway, my first period class was a terrific group of juniors.  Oh juniors!  Nothing has a hold of my heart quite like juniors.  They are the perfect age and I love teaching American lit and they are independent and smart without being cocky and too cool to care anymore.  Give me a room full of juniors and I'll teach them for daaaaaaaaaays.

Next was a prep and then after lunch I had my AP class which I have been sweating bullets about.  Bullets, I tell you!  Eight 17 year olds have got me scared out of my mind.  They were sweet as can be and smart and seemed so eager to please and maybe my calling in life is to teach AP?  One more class of rowdy seniors ended my day, but not nearly as rowdy as my groups from yesterday so after two days and having seen all of my students I hereby declare I have met the beast and the beast shall be tamed!

Even with the stress and the chaos and the 100 degree days, it wasn't hard for the old classroom feel to come right back to me and for me to remember exactly exactly why I love teaching so much.  I had students introduce themselves and I got some real gems.  The stuff you throw your head back and just laugh to until you have good and laughed.

From the skinniest, lankiest boy in the class:  "My name is Ben and you can remember my  name because I am so bootylicious."

From a very monotone boy: "My name is Allan and people think I'm a jerk."

From a boy wearing a sloth T shirt:  "I'm Jared and I am absolutely passionate about sloths.  I love them and everything about them."

From the class clown, perhaps: "I'm Sam and I'm an alcoholic."  That one got a roar of laughter from his classmates.  Doesn't get much to get those seventeen year olds going.

I stamp my approval on my classes and heartily declare it shall be another awesome school year!

29 comments:

  1. Ah, to teach high school! Crack that whip! Have you read Harry Wong's The First Days of School? It is my teacher's bible. Holy crap. I have done so well managing the classroom clowns doing what Harry Wong teaches! And conversely I had sucky semester not living the Gospel of Harry.

    I love your fashion pictures, I sympathize. I don't even try to go into the uncharted territories of posing in front of a camera in the middle of the street. LOL.

    xo,
    Ana Paula
    {Visit me at Mommyhood, PhD}

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    1. Harry Wong is my. . . favorite. Tried to think of a more exuberant word, but it's the end of the day and. . . nope.

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  2. Ha, high school! Seriously, so glad you love it! I'm an elementary school teacher through and through!

    Carly
    www.lipglossandcrayons.com

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  3. Your blog makes me want to become a high school English teacher more than anything, no joke!
    xxoo,
    Jordyn

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  4. Which AP class are you teaching? My 11th grade AP class was English Language and I just remember it being extremely hard at first but ended up being one of my favorite classes in high school!

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  5. I thought the sloths, and the alcoholic one was really funny!

    xx Denysia Yu
    http://thatlaitgirl.com

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  6. Happy first day back...? Lol . At least they keep you laughing :)

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  7. Congrats on keeping it together for the first couple of days, start hard and then get easier, always worked for me when I was teaching :-)

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  8. Yaaay! Teaching time is back! Good job on your first day, good luck on your second!
    Our Fairy Tale

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  9. Love it! In spite of their craziness, it seems like you have some good kids in your classes. Or just entertaining at least. I love juniors as well. At least in my experience they've been fun because I've known them for awhile so we've built a good relationship but they aren't on their way out yet. I do love seniors too because I LOVE hearing them dream about what they want to do with their lives and helping them prepare for college. But towards the end they can be obnoxious because a lot of them can be totally checked out and have the attitude of "I'm an adult now so you can't tell me what to do." Sigh.

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  10. OMG I just know you are going to be so great at teaching AP! Looking back to my high school days, AP Lit was my favorite! And the reason why I ended up being an English major! I'm an attorney now, but I swear, I get a little jealous every time I read your posts about teaching English!

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  11. Do'nt ya just love those ice breaker type of things? I used to hate doing them but then I love making others do them, haha!

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  13. Anonymous9:03 AM

    I love this, I always secretly wanted to take my english degree and teaching background and teach high school english. I love how much you love your job. Good luck this year! By the looks of the thinker pic - you will do great!!!

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    1. Do it! It is never to late to start. I know this is weird advice coming from a stranger but it is the most rewarding job i have ever had! I'm sure Bonnie would agree!

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  14. My year (with 8th graders) is off to a rocky start. They are SO talkative and immature. It usually takes until around late October before I feel really comfortable with them. My school does not allow cell phones in the classroom. Lockers only. Of course kids still sneak them into their pockets, but if caught with them out; the principal holds the phone for 10 days!

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  15. I always loved the first day of school. English was always one of my favorite classes too. Especially once I got to do AP. All that independent thinking and oh the glorious papers. I'm one of those rare people that loves writing papers. Oh....grad school is calling. lol

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  16. Love your first day outfit! Hope the rest of the year is less crazy!

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  17. This made me laugh so hard! I especially love the beginning classroom photoshoot. Also, cell phones in class?! Maybe I'm old school..or just old, you decide...but we couldn't even have them in class. Our teachers made us put them in a bin at the door. It was like airport security..but seriously, why are they allowed to have them!? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?!

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  18. Sorry for all the ?!...it annoys me, too.

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  19. Anonymous12:05 PM

    Oh goodness, hopefully after a week or so they will all calm down. The cell phone thing will be a struggle though. I graduated 10 years ago, but when I was in school if you got caught with a cell phone it went to the principal's office and your parent had to come and pick it up.

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  20. So did you make them say one interesting thing about themselves like in your faculty meeting? I want to hear more about your AP class! There's only 8 students in it? Have you ever tried the tactic of calling their mom or dad right in front of the class? I never did it, but I know of hs teachers that did when I taught in TN. That would always shut them up. You could say, "Hi Mrs. So and So. I have George here in class and he's having a bit of trouble in his first week of school. Would you like to talk to him?" And if they don't pick up just leave a message in front of the whole class. A totally calm message.

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  21. I love reading your blog...you make me laugh!

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  22. Bon Bon, oh my..

    Just make a bin and call it the cell phone bin. I mean come on, just let them put their cell phones in the bin in the beginning of class and pick them up whenever they leave. If they leave it with you, you are more than welcome to pry. Just kidding. No not really..

    Beaute Sombre

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  23. You seem like such a fun teacher to have! I am going to be a junior this year! Can you be my teacher?! haha

    Bailey
    baileysbulletins.blogspot.com

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  24. Agh you and your blessed posts about high school. I have so many flashbacks. And UGH THE CELLPHONES. I am a college student and it annoys ME. Straight up, I had one professor that made everyone dunk theirs in a bin before starting class. I wish I had him for EVERYTHINGGGG

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  25. Bet the kids didn't see you fooling around in front of the camera..........you know my second daughter Natasha was terrible at taking her phone to school and using it in class she didn't give a rats ass that it was not allowed.........lol

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  26. Love your sense of humor! Congrats to completing the first two days of school! it seems like you will have an interesting time with your new batch! Goodluck in taming the beasts lol

    Dee Of Ms Dee Kay

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