The year from Haiti

So... I have had rough years before.

In fact, I think it brings joy to my counselor to know she is gonna give me a list with the name of the "tough one" because she knows that they will come out of my room a little "less rough".

Well... my "the tough one" this year does something wrong, only to cut his eyes my direction to see if I'm paying attention... and then smirks.

He knows exactly what he is doing!

...and if he was the only "tough one" I was dealing with, those smirks wouldn't get me.
Those smirks would be absorbed with no acknowledgement because I know that is exactly what he wants.

But see... he's got some fellow compadres that are pushing on my buttons as well.

I've got one that is reading on an early 1st grade reading level (in 3rd grade).
Anything we do, he sits and ignores me... and while he is ignoring me, he is making noises ...or talking ...or poking on another student ...or breaking apart erasers and throwing them ...or (insert you own annoying thing here and he probably does it!)

I realize this is because everything we do is so far above his head, but he has jumped schools so much that he has yet to be tested ...and according to my school's policy, we have to do so many rounds of interventions before we can test him.
Let me clarify for all you non-educators out there.... this means he won't be tested until Christmas (at the earliest) and knowing his moving history, he will be gone by then. But until that happens(either the testing or the moving), I have to deal with his antics.

I've also got another little girl who was in my class last year. Last year she was that kid that was lost because things were too hard for her. Her parents agreed to hold her back. It has done wonders for her... and her self-confidence... Whereas last year, I couldn't get her to open her mouth for anything, this year, I can't get her to stop talking! Even though she knows my classroom rules, she is acting like this is her first rodeo and is doing everything to get into trouble.

but the kicker...Today, my class got in trouble in PE.
PE for Pete's sake!!!
How in the world do you get in trouble in PE??

Last week, they got a zero in Music.
The most your class can earn is a 5.
The lowest I have ever heard a class earn is a 2.
My class got a freakin' zero!!!!!

I am exhausted by lunch time every day.
Days that I am not tired until mid afternoon, I consider a great day!
Today was not one of those days...

My son, Colby, ran a fever all day. My ex took off with him today.
I am taking off with him tomorrow.
Normally, I would dread being gone this early in the school year, but I can honestly say, after today, I need a break...