Notes & thoughts on teenagers, teaching, and my day at NCAS 10-30-17

-Seniors are just as bad as freshman...or sometimes middle-schoolers

-they need to be constantly poked and prodded to complete the simplest of task

-they have to be reminded to read all the directions

-they are more attached to their phones, than their next move in life; whether job, college, next position on their mother’s couch

-where friendships are vital, but much like removing the chicken from the grease, they need to be separated for either to be any good.

-I often think of the phrase under-achieving--but some just refer to them as lazy

--they lack moral fiber, they will resort to cheating rather than being upfront and honest

-”there are very few shortcuts in life, and you can waste much of your life looking for them.”

-my goodness, is your bladder issue always that strong, or do you just need a diaper at 17

-why do you always look so surprised when eye contact is made...it’s like you’re not expecting me to survey my class

-I would like to take a poll to see how many of my students actually know the meaning of “survey”

-between the internet and netflix, the souls of our young are already decrepit

-I catch them with their phones out so much I wish their finger and thumb tips would just fall off

-sometimes they are funny, referring to their phones as their “friend” and i then have to threaten, “don’t make me take your friend”

-if they worked as hard at school, as they did on getting their hormones satisfied, there wouldn’t be an educational issue in this country.

-why does the hall smell like hot kool-aid

-credit recovery is boring, but sometimes I’m happy because it’s boring, that means students are quiet & working.

-just 6 minutes till lunch!!!!

-all of my classes are different, and the senior who sometimes wears his hat, and is allowed, now knows it.

-this is not an art class, i seriously doubt you pull out a laptop and work on credit recovery in art. so no, you can not work on that in here.

-it is sad when you give the opportunity to 3 seniors to make a good decision, but you end up having to make it for them because they can’t handle opportunities.

-i really don’t feel like doing grades tonight…

-did that child just answer his phone in my class….oh hell naw!!!!!

-at the end of the day, yes it’s worth it, but going through it, you want to cut out their tongues, snip off their fingertips, and blind them so they’ll stop looking at you crazy!  goodness, so glad monday is over!!

Instagram/Twitter Read poem on Friends

So, maybe about a week and a half ago, I posted a video of myself reading this poem.  I got one request to post it, so I'm doing that now.  It's not that great of a piece, not that bad either, but it's unedited and short. Enjoy the read.

You are not the clothes you wear, or the car you drive; You are not bad decisions or awful times You are more than the paranoia and the sum of your fears you are present you are powerful you are here. Ain't that evil that others claim ain't that conniving or crooked Don't hang your head in total shame Are creative, Are right in step, Are that energy, unable to forget Are intelligent Are on time Are total beauty, personified You make me proud You make me smile Again and Again, AM so grateful to have you Friend

Friday 13th Before Lunch....& After

Before Lunch

We ain’t doin’ time,

like convicts convicted;

Be we got

convictions like church believers

in Christ, & the Holy Trinity.

Be wise like the Father,

Fight like the Son…

Don’t just sit there

like some damn indigent

holding a sign—

I need you,

to work like

the time you complete

will clear yo’ mama’s left ventricle

of all the cholesterol she’s collected

for the last 30 years

work—

I need you to

work like

your last is your first,

& your first is like

fist of fury, flying

& blind men walkin’

all over the world are in

trouble

                   1.

I understand

how difficult it is

to focus on flat screens

from a laptop as your

teen-age hormones are

raging against the system,

And…

we ain’t even talkin’ ‘bout sex.

It’s a matter of

knowing your surroundings

vs.

knowing your place

It’s finding integrity

amongst a table full

of cheats,

it’s staying awake,

persevering &

bending just enough of

the rules

to make it through the class.

It’s fucking high-school,

in the hood,

in a cold ass room

recovering credits with a teacher

in a Negro League jersey.

(but they don’t get that last part.)

And it’s the most,

because respect, rules, limits,

and relationships

go hand in hand

to create this atmosphere,

this learning space,

this, room 118.

                   2

When they,

come in

more quiet than church mice,

I wonder if it’s because

they struggle with English

or they’re just shy.

With one, I can’t lie,

let him slide by

b/c the young man

handles his biz; kinda look

the other way when

thumb swipes @CellPhoneFace

It’s the quiet class, the chill

class, the break in my day,

I’m almost ashamed to

collect money on.

Almost—

Almost like,

my students are almost focused

Almost like

my students are almost working

Almost like

I didn’t even come close to

believing that bald faced lie,

and allowing him to leave.

That phone shit can wait if

you expect to graduate.

Almost like

damn, you’re so close, you had

so many 2^nd chances

Almost like damn;

you’re busted, you’re a cheat

Almost like damn you can’t focus.

Almost like, you almost graduated

Almost like, these students

almost impressed me.

Now it’s that shallow time when

you’ve thrown in the towel &

you’re just waiting for the bell to

ring

                   3

Fuck these kids

Fuck this school

Fuck these teachers

why does it feel like

I’m working

harder than the kids

                   4

Refresh

Re-do

Rewind

Somehow good interactions

removed all

anxiety, frustration, & pisstivity

                   5

….After Lunch

Last class,

last pass,

last time I tried

was before lunch.

So when room is

filled with hoodlums from

hood-slums, smellin’

worse than Denver’s finest—

Fuck you,

bathroom passes for everyone,

hoping that

every child bails

at 2:28pm

2 minutes before the bell rings.

Happy Friday,

Deuces

                   6

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