Week 33, Day 2: Craziness

Testing schedule , then period 2 and 4
Graphing the top 10 elements in our bodies and calculating their weight in pounds.

I did not give any test today. We test by the students Academic Block teacher. While a teacher's AM classes were testing the PM class was hanging out with me.

After lunch I found out that most students in my period 2 class do not know how to use a protractor, an assumption I made.

Period 4 came in into the class as if they were clowns and this was a carnival, one student out of their seat then on the floor rolling and hooting and running around. A second student was spraying an aerosol and when I asked for the can, the student  looked me in the eye, put it in their bag, zipped it up and grinned at me. The bag and the student were delivered (by me) to the 8th grade office. I managed my frustration and anger and got the class going.

After all this I had a parent-student meeting in which the student showed all adults in the room that they are talk back-a-tive, and defiant and rude. 

This was my after noon.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 33, Day 1: Teacher Appreciation Week and STATE TESTING

Odd Block Schedule: same lesson as yesterday - organic chem lab, starch and lipid test.

I've got this lesson figured out after a rocky start last Friday.

State testing starts tomorrow. We have done a nice review over the past 10 days, I feel that I have fully prepared them for the state tests.

Frustration with talkative students in period 5. I had difficulty with one of them last week. This one student will not stop talking.  I had to remove this student and the one sitting beside to go fill out a TIME OUT SLIP. I have a pre-made time out slip that I can quickly check some behavior boxes to get the kids out of class quickly but make them have to answer some questions about their behavior. They usually sit out side but today I had them go to the 8th grade office.


I get a balloon delivered with a bag of candy ballast and a note saying how much I am appreciated. That was a welcome surprise.


As I prepare for tomorrow's class and the state test proctoring, our student councilor calls me to say the parent of the talkative student wants a conference. Now I'm frustrated (there were some accusations made about my professional ethics by the talkative student). I decide it's time for a walk home NOW


Warm weather. Hot walk home.
Can't focus on grading papers. I decide to call it a night early.
Not feeling very appreciated.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 31, Day 5: TGIF Seasonal Burnout

ODD block schedule: bench mark test on chemical reactions.

We were going to take both chemical reactions and periodic table benchmark tests but review went a bit long each period and I wisely elected to have students take only one.

I met my 3 students that were terribly disrespectful to me last class meeting  with light saber on my utility belt. Unlike the picture of Yoda, I didn't use my light saber, but the force was with me. One student was so mad at his new seating location that he left my class in anger to sit in the 8th grade office instead. Oh, bummer for me!  NOT!

Busy review day. Too much. I don't think kids will take much of it. We better do a mini lab next period or even the good kids may get moody.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 31, Day 4: Recovery from yesterday.

Even block schedule. Chemistry bench mark test

After yesterday's unexpected frustration from moody disrespectful students catching me off guard with my armor down, today is better. I am prepared with my metaphorical light saber at my hip.

My even period classes (we are on a block schedule) are my nice classes. A real joy to teach and less stressful than the odd period group.

I decided to use the newly made chemistry benchmark tests this year and they seem much better than the old ones we have used for 8 years.

I do not like this review-review-review for state testing.  Labs are way funner!

Notebooks STILL in the process of being scored.   11 hours I'll toil on these. Ahh.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney

Week 31, Day 3: Sucker punched

Odd block schedule. Chemistry test review.

I let 6 students ruin my day. 3 for blatant disrespect in period 5, and 3 in period 7 for being totally goofy and almost out of control.  Frustration stacking upon frustration.

I did not expect this behavior. It caught me off guard. I felt like the Jedi Knights in Star Wars episode 3 when Order 66 was issued and their soldiers turned on them.

I managed to stay professional.  My principal dropped in for a quick walk through and thought HE was going to fry from my expression and the tension the air.

A new seating chart is on the way.

I hope this helps.

Love to Teach, and Teach with Passion!

It’s not Magic, It’s Science!

RichardKinney@cusd.com

http://qp.clovisusd.k12.ca.us/rey_kinney