One Hour, ten minutes and Counting down

It's my fifth day at Robert Hill Middle School and I am sure the kids are itchin to be gone on sprin break. I am itching to get home but not glad that sprin break is here, since I can't work when they are not in school. I am hot tired and harried. I have endured a litle over five hours of screaming children and juvenile cajoling for things a teacher wouldn't normally give them. The last class shall feel my wrath.
I was watching college hoops last night and I really feel for the kid on the Kansas St. team who traveled with 1.8 seconds to go to give Colorado the ball back in position to hit the winning basket. I am sure if I had played college ball something similar would have happened.
I am desperately thirsty. :-p

Day 4 of the Robert Hill Experiment

Yesterday I stayed late to prevent a school yard bully from pounding one of my students into a pulp when he disembarked from his bus. The principal eventually took pity on him and drove him home. I hope to have the issue resolved today.
This morning I got to school early, for only the second time in my teaching career. It was odd. I hung out briely in the teacher's lounge and eavesdropped on the conversation there: "A hundred ad sixty dollars a week for daycare! I am in the wrong business. If I didn't hate kids so much I'd start a daycare." Teachers have a interesting way of querying whose class a substitute is working in: "Who are you today?"; "He's been Ms. Soandso all week now." Subbing is nothing if not entertaining.

Day 3 of The Robert Hill Experiment

On my morning stroll from the bus stop this morning I saw a middle school girl pursued through a residential neighborhood by a police officer. I kept right on truckin'. I have since learned to ignore the protestations of young children. I am wondrously well fed today, bright-eyed, and bushy-tailed. I want to say because certain of my readers feel slighted (my roommate) that my hunger this week has bee a result of poor planning on my part. I could eat better if I'd just think ahead.
I think I am beginning to really understand how to control a classroom, which now that I have said that guarantees my seventh period class will be an absolute madhouse. Teachers in Dallas public schools displine children with threats, detention, extra homework, and referrals to the principals office. I used to write lots of referrals but I understand that referrals are like a police officer's gun. One is doing a ood job when he doesn't need to use it.

Robert Hill Middle School Day 2

If I was any more tired and hungry I think I would die. I ate sumptuously at my paren't house last night, but didn't sleep till round 2 AM this morning. I got up at 7:00 AM (late as usual) and rushed out the door. I did manage to eat a bowl of cereal in the 35 minutes it took me to shower and dress, but I feel just the same as if I had skipped breakfast. I think next time I'l have to find something higher calorie. Lunch will be worse. I didn't have the foresight to check what was available last night and all I could find in the freezer this morning were frozen non-microwavable beef pot pies. Not good at all. I can see I have a looong day ahead of me.

Bobby Knight

He's an ornery cuss, but I think one has to respect him.

Back to School

It's an odd time to be going back to school (it is the week before spring break) but I haven't substituted since Thanksgiving and it actually feels good to be doing it again. I had reams of substantive writing to do but for the life of me I can't remember what about.
My biggest worry currently is vanity. This whole model thing is going to my head. It is increasingly difficult to be objective about how I look when the job entails people constantly telling me how good I look. I must say however that I am drop dead gorgeous.
My next biggest worry is food. It would be a little easier if had money and other people weren't always buying my food but alas, I dine on my roommates supply of Snack Ramen which is very nutritious indeed. (70% of the recommended daily value for cholestrol and no protein or vitamins!) I ate a granola bar for breakfast and for lunch I grabbed a Michelina's brand microwave dinner. YUM! Maintaining a healthy diet is going to be a challenge to say the least.
This blog post was brought to you courtesy of Jesse D. Barnes who provided me with transportation to this substituting assignment.