Seventh Graders

After completing 3 days in a 7th grade Language Arts classroom I am beginning to seriously think of swearing off 7th grade. I am so tired of students arguing with me about everything.

This class has had a revolving door of substitutes for the last 3 weeks so I know that they are tired of having different teachers. The regular teacher is pregnant and has been confined to bed rest for the next 4-5 months. Today the long term substitute was going to be in the classroom so at least they will have some continuity. I probably should have told her that she needs to rest up over Thanksgiving break because it will be a long 4-5 months for her.

The funniest thing to happen while I was in the classroom occurred on Monday. I was showing a movie when I noticed a student with his face lit up in a dark room. Aha-he has a cell phone. (The rule is that a student's cell phone is to be turned off when entering the front door in the morning). As I am walking over to take the cell phone another student sitting by Mr. Glowing Face tells him I am coming so the cell phone is thrust under his leg. When I arrive I just tell Mr. Glowing Face to hand it to me and don't even bother to say "What?". The cell phone is quietly put into my hand.

After class the warning student comes to me and tells me that he has lost his cell phone and did I find one. I wasn't born yesterday so I tell him that "Oh, that must the phone that Mr. Glowing Face had and you warned him that I was walking over." Guess what-oh yes-Mr. Warning denies that he ever said anything and he didn't know someone else had it. His words were, "It must have fallen out of my pocket". Sure! I just told him to save the story for the assistant principal because he will now have to get the phone from him.

As I am walk to the assistant principal's office (only to discover he wasn't in there which was no big surprise) another teacher tells me that she will take care of the phone and hands it to one of her trusted students and tells her to take it to the office secretary. Whew-my job is done, or so I thought.

On Tuesday morning I walk into school and there sits Mr. Warner with his mother and she is not happy with him. I hear her telling him that after she pays the fine ($15 cash) and gets his phone back he better never take it out of his pocket at school again. I just keep walking.

About 15 minutes later the assistant principal, Mr. Warner and his mother appear in my room. The assistant principal is looking for the phone. I tell him about the teacher taking over the phone and I take all 3 of them to that teacher. I ask her about it and she relates that the student gave HIM the phone. The assistant principal looks bewildered and so the 3 of them leave. (I could write a lengthy post on the assistant principal and the poor job that he does).

Two hours later the assistant principal walks by my room and tells me that they found the phone. I don't know where but I have a feeling it was right where he left it on Monday. I am sure that Mr. Warner will not be taking his cell phone out of his pocket for awhile.

Liz