Bits and pieces and this and that. Last night I had a bit of a relapse to my old habit. I went the bed about 2am. I needed the alarm to wake me up. This morning it was a bit chilly. This day was like any other. The kids are in the grips of what I call, "Spring Fever". They are becoming increasingliy loud, angry, and aggressive. Oh, before I forget, I found out that another student in my class is one of seven.

I left work about 5:30. I arrived home about 6:30pm. The first thing I did was to fix my dinner. I put frozen precooked chicken and frozen spinach and ready to eat precooked rice. I microwaved my dinner for 5 minutes. I've tried the oatmeal 2 times per day did not work. I needed something a bit more solid. I have lost a few pounds. Today, one of the students in the hall commented (loudly) that I looked like Steve Urkul. I think tomorrow I will put on my 34waist pants. For the last couple of months, I've had to return to my 38 waist pants. I've been to disorganized, and tired to exercise, but I will return soon I hope. Finally, I wrote an e-mail. See below.

Another student who had been getting on my nerves all week, I decided to send his mother a sample of the kind of day I had with her son. Oh, and the mother of this child wants her son to go into a Talent Since I spent almost an hour typing up the e-mail, I decided to cut and paste the e-mail below:


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Hello Mrs. Chip,

I hope your week is going well. I am sorry to be bothering you with this. My plan was to have completed the TAG evaluation and mail it on Monday, but Chip (he laughs like a chipmunk) was not on his best behavior. Unfortunately, as the days went on, each day became progressively worst. Today, I decided that I would give you a sample of what my day was like. Normally, during each incident I am writing I would try to correct the behavior to which Chip would argue with me of how he was not doing anything. Or how it was someone else’s fault. Today I decided to not say anything to see how the day would progress. Below is just a sample, I was not able to write everything, but I think it gives you a good picture.


8:30 – Chip is still wandering around the classroom having conversations with various students. He has not completely unpacked yet. When I asked Chip to start the morning Do Now activity, his response was “Chill Out, Chill Out”. This is when I decide that I would write down everything (or as much as I could) today. As I am writing, Chip says, “Wow, like that is going to hurt me”. Then turned to talk to Jon who was on the carpet.

8:38 – I hear Chip’s voice. I look up. Chip said, “What? Why you gotta look at me like I’m stupid”. Then smiles when he continues to talk as I write.

8:50 – Sue and Larry are at Chip’s table (Jack was absent), so it was just those three.. Having a joyful conversation.

9:13 – Chip is passing his glue to Sue. I ask Sue why she and Larry at Chip's’ table. She said that they were helping him (Chip). Just to confirm what I heard, I asked Chip the same question, his response was “yes, they were helping him. The friendly conversation continued during the lesson.

9:30 – On the carpet, the “gangs of 3 were in the corner laughing and socializing. Chip is playing with his sharpener like it is a gun.

9:34 – Gang of 3 continued their friendly conversation during independent reading.

9:37 – I told the gang of 3 that they would need to separate because their conversation was disrupting others. Larry,commented that they were not a gang. So I stopped calling them the gang of 3 and started calling them the 3 Amigos. I commented that those three should not be together to begin with. That is when Chip jumped up and moved to the table by the window. Chip asked if he would get in trouble. My normal response would have been “what do you think?”, but this time, I said nothing and only continued to write as much as I could. Since I did not response, Chip got up and returned (about a minute had passed) to the table with Larry and Sue and resumed the friendly conversation.

10:09 – The math lesson has started. Sue gets up to copy her notes into her notebook. Larry called Sue to come back. When she did not come, Larry said that if she did not come back, they would not be her friend. Here I got angry and yell at Larry asking him why he would stop Sue from doing her work. Larry covers his ears and says, “Oh my god. Leave me alone. Stop bothering me”. Larry returns to his seat.

10:18 – Larry returnsed to Chip’s table, and the friendly conversation continues.

10:21 – Chip finally takes out his notebook, but continues talking to Larry.

10:27 – the conversation between Larry and Chip continues.

10:34 – Chip is making an airplane because (according to Chip) Dan asked him to make it.

11:16 – The 3 Amigos are back together laughing and talking.

11:40 – Lunchtime began at 11:35, but since so many kids were up around laughing, talking, and playing. I sat down and waited…and waited for the class to get ready. If they wanted to waste their lunchtime, I decided to let them. It is at this time, the Chip has Larry in a wrestling hold. Jane tells Chip and Larry to stop so we can go to lunch. Chip jumps in her face and shouts (and laughing as does it) we are not playing.

It is now after lunch…

12:53 – Chip is now angry with Larry. During the Social Studies lesson, Chip calls out, “why does he (Larry) have to sit here?” I reminded him that Larry was “helping him”. I then asked Chip if now he did not want Larry near him. Chip wanted Larry to go, but Sue to say. Again, I confirmed by asking Chip (I wanted to hear it from Chip's own mouth), and yes, Chip said that he wanted Larry to go, but Sue could stay. It is times like this moment when a tape recorder would have been very useful. No, I have not (nor would I) tape the students without parents permission.

1:18 – Larry has returned to Chip's table. The 3 Amigos are laughing and singing. They were asked to stop, but they did not.

1:30 to 2:20 – the students were taking a language arts assessment test. Nothing to report.

2:20 to 3:00 – Small Groups. Nothing to report.

END of e-mail ===================================

Well that took longer than planned. Now I am tired.