Who knew 7th graders could be so reasonable? I was once again back at the middle school where I had my horrific experience with a 6th and 7th grade Spanish class. I was exhausted this morning when I got my call but not nearly as nervous about middle school as I used to be. As I stood in the hall welcoming my homeroom I recognized some of the little monsters from the Spanish class fiasco and my nerves increased. I didn't want my reputation to follow me - I figured if they remembered my "mean" ways from before they would only act up more today. Happily they were all too wrapped up in their own worlds to remember one bad 45 minute period with a substitute!
I was a science teacher today and the students simply read their textbooks and answered questions on a worksheet. It was a physics lesson but I think an introductory one for them because they hadn't learned much terminology (you wouldn't believe how many times they asked me how to say "inertia"). The majority of the students completed their work quietly, working with the person next to them. A few clearly had some ADHD issues and caused small amounts of disruption but nothing I couldn't deal with. I don't mind a little disruption so long as they listen when I tell them to stop.
In my fourth period I had the devil child from Spanish class - the one kid who really, really pissed me off. Apparently he was not in his prime today. He didn't do much work but mostly just sulked quietly. That's A-OK with me.
In my 8th period I had a mass exodus to the bathroom. I think at least 50% of the class had to go at least once, with another 30% requiring a trip to the drinking fountain. I know I'm not supposed to cave to bathroom requests but I just don't want to make an issue of such a tiny thing. I find it ridiculous that so many kids can't hold it another 20 minutes but hey, at least they're not throwing paper wads at me.
Another irritating, recurring question was "how do I do this?" They would stare blankly at the worksheet and then shout out "Miss G" across the room. I would come over and they would want to know how to answer the questions on the worksheet. Let me back up. At the beginning of class I pointed at the assignment on the board and read it out to them. "Please read pages 22 to 30 in your science books and complete the first page of the study guide. It says Lesson 1-1 on the top. Then, once you've finished, please read pages 31 to 38 and complete Lesson 1-2 on the back of the page." Obvious, yes? And it was written on the board. So, I would walk over to the student in question and they would ask "how do I do this" and I would restrain my most sarcastic voice and repeat my instructions. LISTEN TO MY INSTRUCTIONS. READ THE BOARD. Boy do they have a ways to go before becoming self-respecting humans.
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