Yahoo!!!!

Oh Hai!

This one is for kids and teachers everywhere!

Have a great summer!

Thank You For Your Consideration,

The Graham Ten

Kids Say the Darndest Things Part III

Oh Hai!

While a student was retaking a test today he said something that is either really funny or really sad.

Is the cotton gin that thing that you drink?

Wow. Again, I have either really failed at my job or this kid is one McNugget short of his Happy Meal.

Thank You For Your Consideration,

The Graham 10

Can you drink cotton gin?

or

A Day That Cute Baby Animals Did Not Make Better

I HATE the end of the school year. Let me say that again. I HATE THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. You would think it would be a great relief that the school year is ending in 5 days. I should be looking forward to a wonderful paid break. The summer vacations are one of the blessings of being a teacher. However, before I can get to the summer vacation, I have to get through the last week of school. There is no greater hell than the last week of school. (Okay I know there are many greater hells. Its just hyperbole) The kids have checked out. They think that asking them to work is unreasonable. They want nothing to do with teachers or school. It is such a throwaway and so frustrating. Obviously I am doing something seriously wrong. I should be able to teach right from the first day to the last. I should be able to keep their interest and respect. I shouldn’t argue with them and give in whenever they whine. AHHHHHH! I am banging my head into a wall right now, and it doesn’t seem to be helping. I even cried in front of my department head and vice-principal today. Can I embarrass my self any more deeply before the year is out? Of course I can.

But of course I will be back again in September to do it all again. Every year I swear it will be different. I swear I will do better. And I cross my fingers and pray that I can be the kind of teacher that I have always wanted to be. Maybe next year it will be true. I can always hope. I really do love my job, I just get very discouraged when I don’t feel very good at it, and right now I don’t feel very good at it.

Thank You For Your Consideration,

The Graham Ten

P.S. For those of you who think teaching is easy and that we get paid way too much. Please spend a week in my shoes and you will understand why having summers off is a necessity for the sake of sanity. Teaching is certainly one of the toughest jobs you will ever love.

Kids Write the Darndest Things

Oh Hai!

In addition to teaching Social Studies and Theater I also use my legal education to teach a youth law class.  In response to a test question about assault, a student wrote the following answer:

Yes. Assault has occurred cause Micheal walked torward John with his fish up shadning it …

I don’t remember mentioning fish in my lecture, but maybe I forgot.  And, I am not at all sure what shadning is.  It apparently has something to do with assaulting people with fish.  You learn something new every day.

Assault in the Fish Degree

Thank You For Your Consideration,

The Graham 10