One of THOSE Days

Yep.  Today was the day.  Today was one of those days.  Today I did not like my kids. 

It was Friday, I had my lesson planned and copies made and it was about to be a three day weekend (for what? I have no idea), but not before my students drove me absolutely nuts.  Don't believe me?  My science neighbor Stetson can attest, at least for 1st period.  Now, being a TFA trained teacher I immediately think of my teacher actions that may have lead to my student actions blah blah blah.  But sometimes they are just being idiots.  And I say that in the nicest of ways.  Not idiots like lack of intelligence, but rather just lack of common sense or consideration of others I suppose.  There's this thing they do, that I have generally gotten used to, of just calling out when they are in need of something or have a problem, or a comment, or thought, related or not, but when I am already trying to deal with the fact that I got an email at 8:03 telling me I didn't have the computer lab reserved for first period (which starts at 7:30 by the way) I kind of can't handle it. 

Not only am I a teacher, I'm an improv artist as well, especially when it comes to technology.  So after writing an email about not having computers reserved (in both English & Spanish) while my students brainstormed what they knew about precipitation, I figured out a way to make the five laptops I did have in the room work.  But then they were too slow for the children and hence the whining, and complaining and the "meesus come please!" and the "eets not wooorking!" while I am actually trying to give them directions on what do do and how to fix any problems.  And this all after it took them several minutes to even listen to directions, minutes that of course were added to their "time bank".  Ugh.  Oh and then there's the boy who doesn't make it through a class without a "eeewwww meeesus" in reference to something he sees or that happens in class.  I'll give it to him the time another student accidentally drooled on his binder (I'm sorry, do I teach 7th grade or obedience school?) But today when I asked him what he could possibly be whining about it was because there was paper on the floor under his desk.  Oh, that, and a hair.  Seriously?!  SERIOUSLY?!

In general, my students like to complain and pay little attention to what they should be doing.  For example:

• "Meesus! This computer isn't working!"  Funny how when I walk over and type in your information it logs on, without all the incessant beeping.  Weird.
• "Meesus! What do we open?!" Precipitation Web Resources. Said it 7 times, and its written on the board. And the person next to you managed to find it, did you think to ask them?
• "Meesus! I can't find it! It's not here!" Are you sure? Maybe you should try looking under this week on the class site. You know, the one that is highlighted orange and says "Oct 31-Nov 6th". Might be helpful.
• "Meesus the links in the document you gave us aren't working?!"  Oh really?  See that #1 you copied from the resource list?  Yeah.  You can't paste that into the web bar and expect to get very far.  Oh and tell the five people next to you because they are having the same problem.
• "Meesus!  I don't like this computer, it's weird!"  It thinks the same of you.  You have 5 minutes left to work.

And then they pack their things and head out of class with big "Thank you meesus!" and "Bye meesus", I don't know how they do it.  I told them they were driving me nuts and acting horribly, I yell, they continue and then a thank you and cheerful goodbyes?  Weird. 

Perhaps it had just been a long week and my patience were already thin.  And maybe sometimes 7th graders act like they don't have brains.  Either way, a beer at Mr. Wings after school was much needed, and I sure am glad it's the weekend.  Three days nonetheless.