What will they think of next?

Sometimes I feel like I’m constantly on the front page of a tabloid magazine. Honestly, I do not know where my kids come up with some of the stuff they swear is true about my life. What’s worse, when I hear them, I resort to my typical default reaction, which is usually laughter ~ this seems to give them all the proof they need that their fabricated ideas are truth.

Here are just a few of the interesting tidbits I’ve learned about myself from being in the All Star paparazzi:

• I’m a vegetarian (b/c I “just look like one”)
• I drive a burgundy car
• I’m dating the deputy (who’s probably twice my age)
• (Except for days when I wear skirts, and then I’m dressing up for the basketball coach)
• I was seen kissing in the parking lot at the movies
• I was a cheerleader in high school
• I have 2 kids (this I can explain ~ clearly a misjudgment of the photos I’ve plastered on my screensaver / wallpaper of my niece & nephew)
• I like to “get crunk with it” (whatever that means)
• I go clubbin’ on the weekends
• My coworker & I are best friends
• Natasha Beddingfield is my sister
• I know every scientist in each educational video I’ve shown this year

I never knew my life was this exciting. I told one class that I’d have to tell their language arts teacher to do a unit on Creative Writing next ~ these kids would ace it with flying colors.

Very curious

I think it's pretty normal that most teachers feel like their kids, at some point, aren't listening to a word they're saying. However, one student's comments made me realize that perhaps they pick up on more than I think. I recently introduced another feeble attempt to motivate my kids during 4th quarter ~ a spinoff on Extreme Makeover where I'm trying to get them to improve their grades collectively & compete against each other. So, during 4th hour as I was explaining what will await the winners, and one sweet little student sighed & commented, "Dang, Miss M ~ that's your favorite word, isn't it... prize! "

At first I was a little embarrassed, as if that was an evaluation that I treat them like elementary kids instead of teenagers. It's true, I've tried numerous positive reinforcement strategies all year long, and I try to reward the smallest accomplishments. As I heard a workshop presenter say once, "Sometimes the only positive thing you can say to a student is, 'Thank you for breathing today!' but it's worth saying." I don't really care if students think I'm wacko for handing out prizes & rewards all the time ~ it's basically recognizing their achievements, and gives me a nonverbal way of saying "Good job!"

So, if some kids think it's nutty or redundant . . . I guess I shouldn't care. At this point in the year, it's partly a selfish tactic anyway ~ I feel better about myself as a teacher if I've written nice notes, handed out Bonus Bucks, and doled out prizes (no matter how juvenile they are) instead of yelling at kids all day and letting them see me get exasperated & impatient.

On a completely unrelated note, a kid told me today (after receiving his ISS assignment a week after I wrote him up), "Why didn't you just tell me, 'Greg, chill!' That's all I need to hear." Imagine that, his misbehavior was my fault all along, since I didn't correct him properly. If only I knew the magic words for all 100+ kids.