That's my language arts class every day... a constant stream of reprimands in an effort to have some semblance of instruction.
This year I am teaching the oddest bunch of kids I have ever met, and I've taught a lot of weird ones... but this group, they are something else. It's as though they have no concept of what a classroom should and could look like. There are so many trouble makers we could put one in every classroom in the building, and somehow they're all in one grade!
But they're a different kind of trouble.They're not particularly mean. They primarily do their work (there are a large bunch that don't do their work, but they aren't trouble, just lumps in a chair). They are generally very bright. They all live on another planet.
Somehow I ended up with 4 of the little darlings in my Language Arts class (see title), and they definitely keep things interesting. We can't get through a debate without mention of "pirates" or "cheese". They think that a really good reason we shouldn't have vending machines in school is the danger of them falling on you (and they will adamantly argue this for 10 minutes, with the entire class backing them up!). They randomly SHOUT any and EVERY thought that comes into their heads.
So you think, well that's just four, that's not so bad? But no, these four are just the ones I have in my LA class, there are a whole collection in the other classes. And all these gentlemen have become the inspiration for this entire grade level, such that they ALL believe that shouting and talking are just what you do in school. We have nicknamed them the "unshushables" (read Andrew Clements "No Talking"), we even read them the book hoping they'd take a hint. They laughed, out loud, while reading, and shouted "they're crazy, I could NEVER do that..." Even the sweetest, cutest, straight A little girls, CAN'T shut up.
Nick explained to me today that he couldn't be in my PM Class too because nobody could survive an entire day of him...
Frank explained how Mrs. Ginsberg (another brave 5th grade teacher) said he gives her heartburn...
Mo does twenty laps of the gym - dancing - to start rehearsal at eight in the morning...
- It's been a long year, already.
- If it wasn't for Friday Activities like today's, I think we would all be turning in papers for early retirement. For 30 minutes a week we get to play, and they remind us why we still like them...
William Penn Idol...
And these... are my brightest, normal-est boys....
thankful for these moments.... We will survive the year...
