Last week was the first full week I had worked, with students, since before Christmas. I realize that complaining about having to work 5 days in a row may seem whiny and ridiculous, BUT it is my firm belief that part of the reason kids get a summer off is to protect them. From what, you ask? From teacher's who have been driven crazy and might snap. For example, yesterday I had to catch myself from ripping one young gentleman's head off for spelling my name "Mortan". Innocent enough, but it was one of those things that got under my skin. And kids who I let go to the library kept leaving the door slightly cracked instead of closing it all the way. And I won't even get started on my seniors... okay, but not too much, lest my blood pressure cause blood to shoot from my eyes.
I haven't taught seniors until now, and it is very difficult. Not the content. Not the books we are reading. Them. On average, they miss 1-2 times a week, then they become indignant when you tell them their make-up work needs to be done at home, or the test made up after school. And they become completely belligerent if you give them a deadline, they miss it, and you refuse to let them turn in their work. I think what bothers me most about it all is the fact that they will be entering college and careers, and neither will let them do the things they are trying to do. I guess the best lesson comes with the life experience.
On to other things. The student quote of the week for last week is actually a teacher quote, by me. Let me give the setup so no one assumes it was real advice I was dispensing. With my beloved senior class (please note the drip, drip, drip of sarcasm oozing from that comment), we are reading
Brave New World. In this novel, there are no parents, all children are decanted, and since "everyone belongs to everyone else," promiscuousity is permissable and encouraged. Lenina, one of the central characters, is chastised in the beginning for only "having" one man multiple times for a few months. A student, who was not really comprehending the oddness of this in comparison to our culture, asked, "But with all the sex, someone has to be a mommy."
Here it comes. I, in explaining their method of birthcontrol and the emphasis on sex as a pleasurable means to placate the masses, made this simple statement:
"Sex is for fun-- not for making babies."
Snicker. Snicker. Guffaw. Full out laughter. I have had at least one student tell me they have posted that as a quote on their Facebook wall, as said by JM, so as not to incriminate me.
In stitching news, I entered the February contest on the
Sprite Stitch forums. The theme was an unlikely partnership. Since I thought a little love needed to be tied in, I created this:
Yoshi and Mario had been having problems, sure. He would be out all night with Luigi and come home with no explanation. Mario would sometime not even ride on Yoshi for days at a time. But Yoshi never saw
this coming. Mario, with a Chocobo of all creatures!
Still need to finish my Mother Clucker quilt square, but today I am focusing on creating the pattern for my Earthbound square.
