I'm on purple continued.

Khalil's teacher just told me that his mom accidently put a paper in his folder that was meant to go to his big brothers' school. Khalil's 11 year old brother who bullies him all day long has already been suspended from his school for fighting. School has only been in session for about a week and a half. Now I can definately see where Khalil is getting it.

Watch your back!

In the morning the kids have the opportunity to walk the track. I walk the track with them to keep an eye on them. Two fourth grade boys who were walking in front of me suddenly busted out these little trucks and started racing them on the track. I told them, "WHOA! What's going on here! Give me those trucks, you can't play with those out here." Then I pulled them aside and said to them, "Guys, come on, I was standing right behind you. When you're gonna do something bad, at least have the common sense to look around and make sure nobody's watching."

I'm on purple!

MAN! This kindergartner is TOUGH!! His name is Khalil. Apparently he has an 11 year old brother who bullies him all day and now he has come to my school and is the kindergarten bully.

The first time I met him was at an assembly in the cafeteria. He had not come to my class yet in the rotation so I didn't know who he was. He was laying on the floor and I asked him to sit up. He looked at me with this crazy look like, "who do you think you are talking to?" I told him that I was a teacher at this school and again asked him to sit up. His response was, "I need a pillow."

Yesterday he finally came to my class. He had no interest in what I was teaching. He wanted to crawl under the cuirtains, tell the other kids what to do, crawl all over the room. At one point I was trying to get him to go back to his seat on the blue square and all he kept saying was, "I'm sittin' on purple." "No, I need you to sit on the blue square." "I'm sittin' on purple." "Please, move to the blue square." "I'M SITTIN ON PURPLE!"

At least he knows his colors. At least I only have to see him once every seven days. I'm gonna keep trying. I wrote a letter to his parents and they responded with an apopogy and a phone number in case I have any more problems--I hope I only have to call them with good news.

Oh, that's why.

A brand new kindergarten class is meeting me for the first time.


One Kindergartner: Why are you so short?
Another Kindergartner: It's because he's fat.

Bend that tree!

Raylon has been at my school since kindergarten and has always been the most defiant kid in his class--EVERY YEAR--kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. I have taught him Drama during that time and we have butted heads on several occasions. I always try to approach him in a positive manner. We have had conferences with his mom a couple of times. When I say "we" I mean several teachers and an administrator in a room with his mom and we discuss what's going on. He is not defiant at home so his mom is at a loss.

Today he came to Drama for the first time as a third grader and was up to his same antics. After class I asked his teacher if I could keep him for a little while to talk to him. I took him out to the front of the school where some trees were standing. There were some little ones that had just been planted and some giant ones that had been there forever. I asked him to go up to a little tree and try to bend one of the branches. He did it easily. I asked him to try to bend one of the branches on the giant tree. Of course he couldn't do it. Then I broke one of the branches off the little tree and beat the cra--no, no--just kidding--I talked to him about how you can get a tree to grow a certain direction when it's young but it's impossible to change the tree when it's old. I told him that it's hard to break habits once you are old and how he is young like the little tree and if he wants to change his behavior the time is NOW.

There was a crack in the side of the building. I asked him, "What if one of the branches grew into that crack. What would the tree do to the building when it grows big and strong?" He said it would knock down the building. I asked him, "What would the city have to do to the tree?" He said they would have to cut it down. I then told him, "It's the same with people. If an adult is acting bad, the law has to cut them down and put them in jail!"

We will see if this ten minute conversation has an impact on his school year. I know that his teacher this year is awesome and she will work his tail off. I know that every time I see him I am gonna ask him, "How are your branches growing?" However, if he doesn't shape up, I may have to take him back out to the little tree and break off a little something special for his backside!

Disclaimer: I would never beat one of my students. I would wait until they graduated.

funniest name this year--so far

2nd grader-- Justin Case

It Has Begun!

Respect. Responsibility. Concentration. Cooperation. Sensitivity.

I am teaching these words to the kids today because it is the first day of school and I think the words will help them succeed. I had a real good chance to teach sensitivity during the kindergarten class today because during the fire drill one of the boys pee'd down his leg. Welcome back (sigh).

what have i learned this summer?

I learned that people are mean to Bob Barker! I have watched The Price is Right from the time I was born and never have I been so disgusted! People can't think for themselves anymore. Bob basicly has to beg the contestants over and over to give an answer. Meanwhile, the contestants will stand there staring at the croud with their mouths wide open. How hard is it to guess the price of a can of Hormel Chilli? STOP IGNORING BOB AND GIVE HIM AN ANSWER!!!