Quotes: A Day in the Life of a Ninth Grade Teacher

Setting: 6th period, 39 students, PowerPoint notes on Latin America (BORING), and my dear, dear student that I talk about all the time. Keep in mind it is the 2nd day of a new semester. The classes are about 1/2 returning and 1/2 traded from my other classes. Now--at this point in the class, this dear boy has been talking constantly--not to anyone in particular, just to the air, and to me...A LOT. Lot's of random facts. LOTS of them. About a very large mixture of items. Territories, countries, duckies, the cute boys that sit next to him, his friend that is absent, the new seat.

As I lap the class as they are writing, I notice that a spoon keeps being launched to the center of the room, removed, and launched again. I ignore it twice because I know it is this child. The third time, I say, "____, get rid of it now. Hand it here." I stick out my hand (stifling my laughter) but as he approaches I get nervous. I notice that this "launched spoon" has been chewed--a LOT. I quickly dodge it as he is coming to place it in my hand and pick up a trash can. (the class is really trying to hold back giggles, though he kind of likes when people laugh at his attention getters--or get's really mad, depending on the day). He keeps talking about how he needs his chew toy and he cannot continue without it. I tell him that he can't have it. These angel children around him start asking around for gum to give him, but he doesn't want it. I give him a mint. Others start asking for them too, but I only had 2 left. They seem to understand why it was OK for me to give it to ____ and not the rest of the class.

10 minutes pass

The same voice grabs my attention (and the other 38 15-year-olds). "Miss Anderson, the other day I was eating Fritos and my feces turned orange..." "____, not now. That is not information you share with others." (I quickly proceed to cover my face with paper and walk to the corner to cover up my giggles...didn't work). Oh how I love my 6th period. The new kids transfering from other classes think 6th period is better than watching a video. Welcome to the life of a 9th grade teacher...
Setting: 7th period. This class went from my absolute worst to one I kind of (a little bit...) look forward to. Two of my favorite male students are in this class. I love them. They are sweathearts. Well one boy I talked about before (Hollister shirt with a girl in a bikini, tea, kissing a girl at a dance, just started attending released time seminary...and has lost the other three:)). Well I was talking with another male student about what classes to register for. I asked the earlier student what he was taking. He showed me seminary on his card. I told a student that he should take seminary. He shrugged his shoulders. I asked if he was Mormon and he kind of shrugged again. He doesn't ever go but apparently his dad is (was?). Well, I explained the logistical pro's and con's of taking or not taking released time seminary. The other kid (who we'll call Tyler) explained how it's really fun and how he loves it. The student was worried that it would be hard. Tyler told him how it's super easy, you play scripture games, and the only thing outside of school is reading your scriptures at night. We talked a bit more and I told him to ask his parents. He brought me his card today. Bubbled in:
x Released time seminary Semester 1
x Released times seminary Semester 2

And they say church and state are separated. Bah. :) I have a great job.