Good Day at Work!

Well I feel bad since I have only blogged about my bad day at work and haven't blogged about any good days. That gives an unfair representation. There have been a lot more good days than bad days and the one day I told you all about was completely out of the ordinary (thank goodness!) So I'll tell you about one of my good days. It was a conversation with one of my students. I'll call him Ryan. This is how it went:
Ryan: I love cooking, it's awesome. This is my favorite class
Me: Well i'm glad! You should definitely take Culinary Arts II next year.
Ryan: Do you teach that class?
Me: No, another teacher teaches that class.
Ryan: Well if you aren't the teacher, I don't want to take that class. Do you teach any other classes?
Me: Yes, I teach nutrition but there really isn't cooking in that class. It's a lot of facts, information, and some experiments.
Ryan: Well your my favorite teacher, so if you're teaching it, I'll take it.
Me: Thanks Ryan!

Teachers definitely need to hear things like that every once in while!

SCARY DAY AT WORK!

I kind of figured it would happen one day. I hoped it wouldn't of course, but it did. It could have been much much worse but it was still pretty scary. I have a student in my class who I will call Nate (not real name). He is a freshman, he is failing every class, he always smells like pot, and he always wants to be at my desk talking to me. He comes to my desk at the strangest times. I'll be in the middle of a lesson and he will walk up and stand at my desk and wait for me to be done so he can talk. He would talk about the strangest things. Yesterday before the incident, he talked to me about being tired. He said his energy must have transferred to someone else in the class. He said it was a spiritual thing. He clearly had issues but I didn't know what they were. Then it happened. He snapped while the class was waiting for their breakfast to finish cooking. I don't even know what happened to make him snap. He told two of the girls in his lab group that he had arranged for the to get "jumped" after school. When two of my best behaved, nicest boys heard him they told him to back off. Then Nate started yelling that he was going to kill the two boys. I told him he needs to leave my class and cool off. He ignored me and yelled profanities at the two boys and two girls. I told him I was going to call security if he didn't go to the office right away. I tried to lead him out by gently grabbing his arm but he didn't want to go and I couldn't make him. I called security and convinced the two good boys to step outside. Then Nate freaked out that I called security. He yelled at me saying "how could you do that? It's gonna be like this, then?" He then told the class that he's been to juvi. and he isn't scared to go back. He said he shot someone and that he'll shoot the boys in my class. Security was no where in sight. I kept talking to him saying he could have told me about the problem, i've always listened to him. He said no one will ever understand him. He yelled that he's been abandoned and betrayed by everyone in his life. His dad left when he was three. He didn't know where his mom was. He asked me if I know how that feels...No I don't. My heart broke for him because I have no doubt that all that was true. Then He picked up a butcher knife from one of the kitchens and gripped it. PANICK!! Still no security. Before I could even form words he came to his senses and put it down. He shoved one of the ovens. Still no security. Yelled more profanities at the girls. Finally security came. He told security it was messed up that I called and it was unnecessary. Wow, finally he was out of my room and away from my students and the kitchen knives. I was shaking slightly but at least I didn't wet my pants! My students all told me I handled it well. Thanks guys! They told me they wanted to jump out the window when he grabbed the knife...me too! I really feel sad that he can't be in my class anymore. He clearly needs someone who can help him work through his emotional problems. I really hope he gets the help he needs, and I really, really hope he stays away from the two boys and two girls in my class. Needless to say, I was glad when the bell rang that day! Hopefully that will be my one and only scary incidence in class!

Excuse me, where do you think you're going?

When I first started working at Manzano High School I thought it was funny that everyone there was mistaking me for a student. I mean it's been almost 7 years since I was in high school. I'm 25 years old and to think that people are confusing me for a14-18 year old girl is kinda funny. I have teachers tell me to get to class when I leave my room during prep. period. I've had the school police ask me for my student I.D because they thought I was ditching. When I went to take my turn proctoring a test, the teacher who went before me asked what I needed (he thought I was a student taking the practice SAT). When office aides come into my class with a note for a student they look around the class for the teacher until they give up and ask one of my students who the teacher is. So it was funny for awhile but I was getting tired of explaining who I was to everyone. It was getting to be embarrassing. I've been wanting to do an A-line haircut for over a year now but everytime I went I got scared and changed my mind. Then everyone started doing it and I like being a little different. But I realized that an A-line might look a little more sophisticated and make me look a little older so I decided to take the plunge. I don't miss my long hair at all, especially since I never have time to do it anymore. I have to wake up around 5:30 now and I wasn't willing to wake up any earlier to curl my hair. Anyways here is a not so good picture (I need to teach my husband to take a good pic.) of my new hair do!