Well, I love seventh grade. Never thought I'd see the day. Yep, seventh grade has been my favorite class this week. I've only kept students in from recess on Monday, and the other days I only wrote a few names on the board. Aaaand they were completely silent during their spelling test and no one was looking around like they usually do, aaand they didn't even complain when it was all dictation (usually I use the book tests that are like have dictation and some matching). I know, I'm shocked as well. Ok, so I have a couple theories about how this happened: Well, I would love to believe that my discipline strategies are finally working. I would looooove to think that I finally got a handle on what works and doesn't work, and that my students have been testing out the new program the last two weeks to see what happens, and that now that they understand and have dealt with the consequences in the past they are adhering to the rules. However, although I want to take all this credit for myself, I have another idea that is probably much more likely: the worst behaved kid in the class was expelled. That was a loooong time coming. He really should've been expelled long ago (one week he was just suspended...they told me he was 'expulsado' and I thought that meant expelled...turns out it's a false cognate and he was back the next week). However, this time he actually is expelled for real for the rest of the year. I wish I could say it makes me sad, that I think he could've improved, that I really wanted to help him....but the truth is that wouldn't exactly be honest. He was the kid who riled up the entire class, would be out of his seat running around and disturbing the other kids, and never doing his work. And, now, well, yes there are those other kids that run around a bit and don't do their work, but a discipline plan can reign them in. A plan could not reign this other kid in one bit (hence the expulsion -- it's not that he did anything really bad, but just that he had over 400 demerits or something crazy and you're supposed to be expelled at 150....why the delay I'm not sure). So, as I said, although I'd like to take credit for the turn around in seventh grade, I don't think that'd be accurate exactly...but I will tell myself at least that it was a combination of the expulsion and my new discipline strategies to make myself feel good. But I don't want to speak too soon either...I'm feeling great but we'll see what the next week brings.
I've also started new writing curriculums for all of my grades (essentially ones I just made up) this week, and it is going so well! (Could be another reason 7th grade is paying more attention too.) All of the kids are so much more engaged, and I like teaching it a lot better than grammar too. It's difficult because it took a ton of planning and prep, but it may have been worth it. I'm especially excited for the 10th and 11th grade unit I started on college application essays, because they seem really interested (most of them anyway). I think they are shocked that it's something other than grammar because they have never had writing before -- only the same grammar concepts every single year over and over! No wonder they don't pay attention. But I could rant on and on about my frustrations with the grammar curriculum for days...
And speaking of colleges, one of my seniors asked me to write her a recommendation letter to go to MIT!...which, I think is pretty sweet. I'm kind of excited -- but I need to figure out how to write one. And, also, wasn't I just asking my teachers to write me college recommendation letters? Crazy.
We started basketball practice up again this week, which has been a lot of fun. I got a whistle over break that I brought back and I LOVE it. Probably too much, really. I'm kind of on a power trip at practice now...
The other sports practices have started up too now (we are getting ready for the huge inter-school competition in April), and they were trying to get me to coach something else too...they suggested volleyball...hahaha. That would be hilarious -- like I know anything about volleyball. We'll see if I get roped into helping.
Other good news is that since I've been back, the power has gone out all day maybe once. And then flickered on and off a few times. IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS. That's it. It's incredible. Honestly, I can't even believe it. Apparently over break Catacamas got a new power plant, and supposedly the eletricity will not go very much anymore. Well, it's working! Kim probably thinks I'm crazy and way overexaggerated -- I kept telling her before she got here how much the electricity goes out, and since she's been here it's hardly gone out at all! It's been sooo nice.
Well, that's all for now -- Kim and I have the house more or less to ourselves for the weekend -- Marialouisa left for Cuba on Thursday for a week and a half because her daughter is graduating from med school there. Daniel went with her to the airport in San Pedro Sula so won't be back till Monday or Tuesday. So Mario and Jose Daniel are here (host brothers), but are more or less in and out of the house. So we are kind of looking forward to having the house to ourselves for a little while!
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