Officially Technological

Ways that I have found that I'm like a 14-year-old Freshman

• I text my friends during class
• I can fall asleep on the slightest provocation
• Sometimes the bathroom CAN'T wait
• The end-of-the-school-day bell is like sweet music
• Lunch is never timely enough
• Study hall is time for me to catch up with my friends and talk about the kids in class (I "team teach" study hall with a special ed teacher, who is on the same sarcastic level as me. I think it's amazing how I can always find SOMEone like me no matter where I roam)

Reasons why I know I'm a grown up now

• I get to write on the over head and NOT get in trouble for it
• I realize that a compass is not a torture device best used to stab legs
• I don't have to go home on the bus
• I have a key to get into all the cushy bathrooms (you know, with little luxuries like toilet paper, paper towels, and profanity free walls)
• I get to drink pop during school hours (apparently, I DO need all the energy I can get)

Well, this was my first week of being a Freshman math teacher at Elmhurst High. It has certainly been an adventure. Although I must admit to really enjoying it. We're still working out the kinks. As a little background the kids have had 2 other teachers for math class. My honor's class is about 2-3 weeks behind the school district's map, and my two algebra classes are about 1-2 weeks behind map. The students ran the last guy ragged, so now they push every single button I have. They must not have found the right one yet, because I still like the little turkeys (well, most of them).

• Monday - Wrote up 2 students. One for squirting other students with his water bottle, and the other for cussing at me.
  
• Tuesday - Day went well. One student decided not to do his seat work, so he got up and threw it in the trash. I informed him that I was terribly sorry he threw it in the trash, because that was worth 40 point. He sat in his seat and pouted for 5 minutes, got up and dug it out of the trash. I'm trying not to gloat. hehe. In other news, 2 of my students got arrested at lunch for fighting in the cafeteria. One was expelled, the other spent the night in the juvenile detention center and will probably be back in a couple of weeks.
  
• Wednesday - The natives were restless. I thought I was having a noisy day, and then I bumped into the administrator responsible for the Freshman class (he's basically the freshman principal). He had a stack of referrals about 2" thick and said those were all from that day
  
• Today - Went well. I printed about a zillion little stars, and passed them out to "students portraying exemplary conduct". That worked well and put the focus on what I like to see instead of what I don't like to see. I don't know if it will always work well but it gave me a day off of screaming over 30 adolescents. I'll take it. ;)
  

That's all so far. I'll keep you informed of progress.