pantsing

Just one week from today is Christmas. I think I'm probably more excited for the break than most of my students. On the first day of school, August 28th, one of the veteran teachers sent a mass e-mail out to all of the school telling us only so many days until Christmas break (I can't remember the exact number). He also gave some advice to the newbies--"Don't smile until Christmas." At the time I thought it was absurd advice and, how dare he already have a count down to Christmas. I can safely say, however, that the time since then has flown, I've smiled daily at school, and I'm just about half way through the year.

Funny things happened today. The first thing I'm going to write about actually happened last week, but I was dang lazy by the time Friday came around, I just haven't posted it yet.

We have a "Skills for Life" class at the school, which deals with things like goal setting, helping others, etc. I have a few students in my English classes that take this skills for life class and seem to really enjoy it. Last week, the skills for life class went on a field trip to the prison. I'm still not quite sure what the purpose was of going there but I guess it went over quite well. The day before the teacher and leader of the field trip called all the students down for a little lecture on appropriate behavior and dress and prepared the students for the whole experience. On the day of the field trip, it finally came time to excuse these students to get on the bus to leave for the prison. I heard rumors (which is most likely all they were) that many students were very excited to go to see family currently residing within prison walls. The principal secretary got on the over com and said, with a chuckle, "All students going to the prison please go get on the bus, that's all students going to prison, please get on the bus." It was quite funny hearing her say this as it sounded as if she were inviting students to literally go to prison. All my students laughed. I had a teacher tell me on Friday that he had wished some of those students who "went to the prison" actually were asked to "stay at the prison." I suppose the announcement for my upcoming journalism field trip to Deseret News won't be as funny.

Today's funny thing-I witnessed my first "pantsing" of the school year. We were working on alliteration today, and I assigned students to write tongue twisters to illustrate alliteration. I gave them a brainstorming sheet to work on that had them list about 40 words that started with one letter of their choice. One student chose the letter P and went on his way making his list. Another student saw the word "pants" on his paper and at the first opportunity (unbeknownst to me, I promise) walked up behind the student and yanked on his pants. Luckily he only grabbed the kids pants and not the underwear or it would have been a major catastrophe! I couldn't help but laugh and then had a hard time disciplining them, but, I figured, they went right back to work and it didn't happen again so the punishment wasn't necessarily needed.

I sent in the December issue of the Mustang Roundup today. I'm hoping it is ready to distribute on Friday. I keep having the same problem of empty space due to irresponsible staff members. Each student has one or two assignments and all they have to do is save their work on a disk and then I insert it into the program on the computer. Each month I've had 4-5 students who fail to turn in their newspaper assignment so I have been finding random things to fill space; jokes, puzzles, recipes, etc. Finally, today I'd had it with trying to come up with things to fill in space, so I became kind of snotty and mean and this is what I did: One girl was supposed to write a 75-100 word story on the wrestling team. She has a boyfriend on the team, goes to every game, takes pictures at every game. She failed to turn her story in. So, in the place of were that story was to go it says, "There should be a story about the wrestling team here. But, the Mustang Roundup staff member who was assigned this story never turned it in. Instead, the space will be filled by Mrs. Hubert, who will list the names of all the wrestlers. Keep up the good work, wrestlers!!" Ha. I started out putting her name down, but figured that embarrassment isn't necessarily the best way to get her to do the work. Funny thing is (well, not so funny thing) with the assignments they do for the newspaper, their deadlines for yearbook, AND their current events project they do each week, I have over 40% of my journalism students FAILING!!!!! AND none of them seem to CARE!!

On Friday at school, I wore a new pair of jeans I bought and my leather coat I wear when I'm on the motorcycle with a red turtle neck underneath. I had comments all day long about that outfit. Here's a short sampling of what I heard:
"Wow, Mrs. Hubert, your coat is ugly."
"Mrs. Hubert, are you a cowgirl?" (I had no idea cowgirls wore leather coats with the British star on the back!)
"You look like one of those funky English models."
"Is that the coat you wear when you ride your pig?"
"That coat is cool. Can I have it?"
"Why does it look so old, Mrs. Hubert?" (The coat is 'distressed' which does make it look worn, not old).
"Where'd you get it? I want it!"
"You could wear that as an Elvis costume, Mrs. Hubert."
"It smells funny, like leather or something!" (A GIGANTIC DUH!)

I think the coat caused some distractions, but it sure kept me warm on a cold day!

I am in charge of the book club tomorrow after school. I am taking in my favorite Christmas children's book, "Olive, the other Reindeer." I also have to provide treats---which means I need to make a trip to the grocery store tonight!!!
Thanks for reading...happy Monday!