I Spoke Too Soon

Well, so last blog post I had written that I was trying out a new discipline plan for seventh grade, and that I was super optimistic (I thought it was going to work). Turns out I spoke too soon...my optimism is beginning to fade. So I had this whole thing...I subscribed to smartclassroommanagement.com to get articles emailed to me every week, read the book "Discipline with Dignity," listened to my dad's presentation on CHAMPS/Capturing Kids' Hearts over break, had the students help me create rules, made rules posters, made rules handouts, made consequences posters, and actually followed through with the rules and consequences. So what's my problem? Well, I comfort myself with the knowledge that it's not for lack of effort on my part.
The result of all of these rules and consequences (ok, I shouldn't say 'all of these'...don't worry, I know after all this research that any more than five rules "can be confusing and difficult for students to remember") is that I have gotten a headache staying in during my recess every day this past week watching about half of my seventh graders write action plans (that they never actually carry out during the next class), and that I have gotten in trouble with the administration for not letting the kids go to the cafeteria during recess to get a snack. Which, of course, is exactly what I need.
So I feel somewhat back to square 1 with them, although I haven't given up hope quite yet. Maybe my plan just needs more time to work? We'll see. And on the bright side, only 8 students (out of 19) failed their test on Thursday (I can't decide if I'm being sarcastic or not by saying "only"), but it is quite miraculous considering I haven't taught them anything this whole unit due to discipline issues (one student actually asked me what a pronoun was the day before the unit test on pronouns).
I really have nothing else new to report, but figured I better post (since I haven't posted in a week) lest my dad thinks I got robbed and kidnapped and am stranded somewhere in the Honduran jungle. School is going "well" (besides seventh grade), I'm essentially creating entire new curriculums for 7-12 grade because the current one bites, basketball practice starts up again this week, we went to a family friend's farm yesterday up in the mountains, I need to decide what I'm doing next year by the end of February, Justin joined a football team, Kim and I found a new coffee shop where I think they have my order memorized already (I like coffee now, ps), creepy guys continue to propose to me as I walk along the road, Carboncito pees in my room almost daily, and I learned how to make flour toritillas.
A typical week.