Mischief and Control

Monday, January 21
HAPPY Martin Luther King Day!
Day off! I slept in and chilled most of the day. Went window shopping and Pier One is having great sales. I got a light for work for $14 and a bunch of ornaments that were 90% off. I am going to hang them in my room at the center. Then went to Home Depot to get shelves to put in my class. It will be hot.

Tuesday, January 22
Started putting up my decorations in class today. It is so cool. I can’t wait for the room to be completely done. It has been a labor of love.

Wednesday, January 23
Today the boys to gang up on a girl who was only in my class for a couple of weeks. One of them threw her stuffed toy out side and she was upset. The boys wanted to go outside and I told them none of them would go until the person who did it apologized and admitted it. Needless to say we didn’t go outside. Then as I was leaving one of them wrote Fuck (girl’s name) in her cubby. I was livid.

Thursday, January 24
So given what happened yesterday when the kids arrived had them all sit at the table the minute they arrived. I told them every day we would have a class meeting and we would go over things such as tolerance, rules and regulations, and a variety of subjects about respect. Whatever I felt needed to be addressed and in turn they could ask questions and respond. The only rule is they have to sit and focus. Well a 10 minute meeting turned into 50 and I told them each day we would do the same thing and they had a choice for 10 minutes or all day. It would depend on them. I expressed how livid I was about what happened. How I never thought they would ever treat someone like that. I believed that each one of them was a good kid and apparently someone is making a bad choice. That opened up the discussion. Then I had them all stand on a line and shut their eyes. I would ask questions like “Have you ever been hurt by what someone has said to you?” and then asked them to step forward. The then could open their eyes and see that 99% of them had. Most of the questions they all stepped forward. Then to lighten up I asked “Who wants to be a superhero?” They laughed and the day went on without incident.

Friday, January 25
Day to of meeting and today’s topic was how we treat the Guinea Pig someone took him out when I went on break and when I returned he was missing. 10 minutes later we found him in a wooden box hiding. So the next time I feel that Guinea is neglected or mistreated he will go to a new room. They are learning now I am not playing games anymore.

Got home and headed to S’s. T is in Texas and the Ulrich’s headed over and we played some Guitar Hero. I called it an early night I was exhausted.

Saturday, January 26
Met S and Myam at Nora’s and after went to Amar for Indian. Then we headed back to S’s for some impromptu Yatzee.

Sunday, January 27, 2008
Called Myam and we took Cole to the dog park. It was cool kind of makes me want a dog but still don’t want the responsibility. Then went to get curtains at Pier One. They are half off and I need them for my bedroom. My bedroom is now a cave at night. I love it.

Tuesday – Thursday
I haven’t missed any work though for the past few days I should have. I have had a cough and cold for three days so I just sleep then work. The daily meetings are working I am seeing more respect for me and each other and they are starting to work more together. I have also reinstituted the observation forms to document behaviors good, bad and indifferent.

Oh and watch the debates. I am glad to say I have seen all the Democratic debates. I am going to watch Hillary’s town hall on Monday and then we will see if there are debates here in Ohio at the end of February

Friday, February 1
Feeling much better today and when I got home my W-2s were here. So after I talked to Myam for about 2 hours I have been working away and my taxes are done. Joddie is in this weekend so I plan on hooking up with her tomorrow night if she has time.