Today I had the last of my current event presentations. Students were told they would receive extra credit if they could explain how their article was related to something we learned in Geography. Essentially all they had to do was make some sort of critical thinking inference, really not that hard.
The last girl to present asked if she would get points if she could "make something up" as she did her presentation. I told her I would give her points if what she said made sense.
Her article was about an injured Iraq war veteran. She read a very articulate summary about life after a traumatic injury and making the choice to stay positive. She then proceeded to make her attempt at the extra credit question. It started out great:
"This article shows how war can have a very serious impact on people living both inside and outside the country. This guy got hurt really bad defending people from a bad leader."
She should have stopped there. Instead she ended with...
"and also, the economy."
That was it. No explanation about how it impacts the economy, just "and also, the economy."
Friday, January 13, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
8th grade boys are...
...bad liars.
...interesting dressers.
...a variety of heights and weights.
...not worth dating (by 8th grade girls, not me. I am not Mary Kay...)
...often stinky.
and finally...
...full of farts.
...interesting dressers.
...a variety of heights and weights.
...not worth dating (by 8th grade girls, not me. I am not Mary Kay...)
...often stinky.
and finally...
...full of farts.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Double Sided is Hard
I am always amazed at the reasons my students have for not completing their homework. Take this gem from yesterday:
Student: "Mrs. Haslam, you didn't give me the crossword puzzle."
Me: "It's on the back of your worksheet, did you check?"
Student: "Yeah, I looked. It's not there."
Me: "check again."
Student: "oh, there it is."
as my dad would say, "strive me gength"
Student: "Mrs. Haslam, you didn't give me the crossword puzzle."
Me: "It's on the back of your worksheet, did you check?"
Student: "Yeah, I looked. It's not there."
Me: "check again."
Student: "oh, there it is."
as my dad would say, "strive me gength"
Lavatory
One of my favorite students, whose identity I shall protect by calling him "C.S. Lewis", is a Korean exchange student who speaks with a British accent and dresses like a 50 yr old in the early 20's (thus his nickname). He is brilliant and way too smart for his age. He is also incredibly lazy.
When I had him last year, I got so tired of his excessive "lavatory" use, that I told him he could go twice and week. I am not against student bathroom use. I am against students using the excuse of a bathroom break to simply wander the halls because they don't want to be in class. This was what CS was doing which was why I restricted him.
I have CS again this quarter in Washington State History. On Monday, he asked to use the lavatory (this is what he calls it b/c of his english training by a Brit) and as soon as he left, the following conversation occured:
friends of CS: "Can we all leave the classroom so it's empty when he comes back?"
me: " sure, go stand outside and peer in the windows"
(mass exodus of 25 kids)
upon his return, CS: "what is going on here, where is everyone?"
me: "i don't know what you are talking about."
CS: "i can see them looking in the windows."
His classmates return, we all have a good laugh. CS walks over to my desk and said "Mrs. Haslam, that had to be one of the worst pranks ever."
When I had him last year, I got so tired of his excessive "lavatory" use, that I told him he could go twice and week. I am not against student bathroom use. I am against students using the excuse of a bathroom break to simply wander the halls because they don't want to be in class. This was what CS was doing which was why I restricted him.
I have CS again this quarter in Washington State History. On Monday, he asked to use the lavatory (this is what he calls it b/c of his english training by a Brit) and as soon as he left, the following conversation occured:
friends of CS: "Can we all leave the classroom so it's empty when he comes back?"
me: " sure, go stand outside and peer in the windows"
(mass exodus of 25 kids)
upon his return, CS: "what is going on here, where is everyone?"
me: "i don't know what you are talking about."
CS: "i can see them looking in the windows."
His classmates return, we all have a good laugh. CS walks over to my desk and said "Mrs. Haslam, that had to be one of the worst pranks ever."
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Dumb Question
Student: "Mrs. Haslam, what section are we reading tomorrow?"
Me (thinking I'd inspired a love of Geography and this person wants to learn all they can): "Why?"
Student: "Because I want to know where to leave this note for whoever sits here."
Me: "Seriously, did you just ask me that?"
Student: "huh?"
Me: "do you think I think it's a good idea for you to leave notes for you friends to read during class?"
Student: "oh."
Me (thinking I'd inspired a love of Geography and this person wants to learn all they can): "Why?"
Student: "Because I want to know where to leave this note for whoever sits here."
Me: "Seriously, did you just ask me that?"
Student: "huh?"
Me: "do you think I think it's a good idea for you to leave notes for you friends to read during class?"
Student: "oh."
Jr High Fashion
observed: December 2011...
For those of you who missed it on Facebook a few weeks ago, I wrote that one of my favorite parts of teaching junior highers is that "in a sea of Juicy, Uggs and Citizen jeans, there will always be someone wearing sweatpants and dress shoes"
For those of you who missed it on Facebook a few weeks ago, I wrote that one of my favorite parts of teaching junior highers is that "in a sea of Juicy, Uggs and Citizen jeans, there will always be someone wearing sweatpants and dress shoes"
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