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2001-09-07 - 7:35 p.m. I guess I lied on my last entry when I said, "More later." Ha. I am so glad it is Friday. In any job it is a relief when Friday comes but in teaching it is like the weekend is serious recuperation. It's not just that teaching is hard, it's that you are always "on." You're always kind of performing, you can't just sit and rest. Anyway, my first week went very well and I even managed an insane drive to Portland (I probably shouldn't have done that) to go to the rehearsal dinner for Lucia's wedding. It was a two and a half hour drive each way so I left school right after the kids got out. I got home at 11:30 and had to work the next day. Anyway, I survived. Tomorrow is the actual wedding! I am so excited. I am a little worried because I am not getting my hair done or anything and I am afraid I will look bad next to the other bridesmaids. I don't know if they are doing their hair or not? I think Lucia said she wanted our hair to be down but I am not sure. I am wearing mine down because it would take too long to curl. So far I really like my students. The big news is that this girl I had last year (we'll call her "Sandy") is pregnant--due in October! I don't think anyone knew she was pregnant while she was in school and she must have been about four or five months right at the end. I was shocked when I found out. Her brother is in my class--he's one of my sophomores. The other big news is that another student is pregnant right now. She's a senior right now and I had her last year as a junior (we'll call her Leslie). (Last year I had a pregnant senior that ended up going to live with her dad). The thing about her is that she goes to church and does those youth group activities. She also is smart and cares about her grades and had planned on doing the advanced english classes and college. She started going out with this boy last year and they are still together. I just can't believe it. I have her boyfriend in my class this year too. I just hope it doesn't keep her from graduating. I announced SAT info. night in my class and I heard her say she needed to go to that. I just can't believe that so many of my students are getting pregnant, and I hope it doesn't catch on as a fad. I also had another student last year who was pregnant and got an abortion. I understand that kids are having sex but please, use some birth control! We have a school health clinic where they can get FREE birth control! Why would they not use it? I know sometimes there are accidents but that's why they should be using two forms of protection. Sometimes I wish I was a health teacher so I could go on a tirade about it. I just can't believe her timing. Just a little bit later and it wouldn't interfere with her graduating at all. I am enjoying my classes a lot. The sophomores actually got really into my assignment for them today--all three classes of them seemed to like it. You know an assignment is good when they are still talking about the subject as they walk out the door. It wasn't even originally my idea so I can't be that proud. But I like it when there are no complaints. My still-huge senior classes are still going well. We are reading Beowulf and I really like it so I sort of can get them to like it too. I am reading it out loud but we pause to discuss it and they seem to be getting it. There was a slight argument over whether Beowulf is arrogant which was fun. One of my students, "Rachel", signed up for my sixth period before that whole fiasco with the other class. She wasn't going to take the other class but wanted honors. Anyway, she has been coming to my class earlier for the time being but also coming to hang out with me during sixth period. She studies or whatever but we end up talking a lot and it has been really nice. She was one of the ones who didn't really like me at first last year but I guess she came over from the darkside and apologized. Now I feel pretty close to her. The thing that I realized is that I have been closer with a lot of the boys than the girls in the past and I want to change that. One of the other teachers totally embarrassed me today in the staff room because the new teachers were in there. Because of a nasty comment from another teacher to me yesterday (I will go into that more later) I was reminded how important it is to hear good things when you are a new teacher. So I told the new guys that I have heard nothing but good things about them so far. This is true, by the way, all the kids think they are cool. They were all pleased. Then this other guy teacher who teases me (and everyone) all the time says to them, "Well the real test of popularity will come at prom time--you'll know if you get asked to prom like Ms. Boombastic did!" Hardly any of the other teachers knew about that so everyone was all, "WHAAAAAT?!?!?" and wanted to hear about it. Last year this boy who totally loved me asked me to prom. I thought he was kidding but he was actually serious. He went to the principal and asked if it would be okay. I, of course, said that it would not be appropriate. It was really embarrassing (of course flattering). He is actually one of the ones who came by to see me the other day. When I was student teaching I had no clue that some of the kids would have crushes on me because I was with middle schoolers then. But last year I was, "Only four years older than us!" as they always reminded me and there were some boys that I guess had crushes on me. It was a really weird feeling. I have so many kids who I had their older siblings and it is interesting how unalike most of them are. A lot of the older siblings were rowdy so I expect the younger ones to be a handful too, but they aren't at all. I am so glad that Hardy got kicked off of Big Brother. I was totally cracking up the other day when Jeff from Survivor was talking about the houseguests. He was all, "If Hardy or Nicole win I am turning my TV off forever!!!" That's how I feel too. I will die. I want Will to win now. I am having a secret crush on him, to be honest. I think Shannon is not cute. I kind of wanted Nicole to get kicked out so I could see her husband that she is always talking about. Maybe next week. I can't stand her. I have never seen someone complain so much. I really don't think I would have that much trouble going on Big Brother. The only thing I would worry about is how on those reality shows they always end up talking about sex. I just don't wany my mom seeing me talking about sex on TV. And, I guess, I don't want my students either. Not like I am considering applying or anything. This guy from my high school was on Real World and I think he was in total shock because he was not on very much. Alright, going to go relax. :)
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