Ricochet

* I caught a student cold for cheating. I copied his test and the one he copied from - then gave them the copies and kept the original. I talked to both students. The cheater said (Lord help me, this is verbatim) "Of course I cheated. I didn't know how to work the problems. What did you expect me to do?" Not turn in someone else's work. Pay attention when I go over this.

* A black kid (I do not teach him) looked at the lovelies who hang outside my classroom and loudly "It's a n****r hall!" He said this twice in case any of us missed it. I informed him I do not like that word. He swore he didn't say it.

* The enabler is a jock. I asked his coach (in his hearing) "Theoretically, what would you do if one of your jocks allowed someone to cheat off his test?" Why, that's still cheating! I would want to know! The jock wanted to know why I had done that. I explained that it was theoretical. This time. And I hadn't named the student. This time.

* Lost a student. Two months left in this year, he dropped out.

* Another student says she has major health issues. There are a few inconsistencies which may be because of her age. I hope she overcomes this.

* Report cards come out this week. I gave out progress reports. Two boys immediately started dictating what I needed to do for them so their grade will go up - nope, that's what I do when I have free time.

* Had to do a vocabulary lesson in another class. It is not a big ass rock, it is a large rock. He was not a fucking moron, he made me livid. He did not start taking his shit off, he removed his clothes. At least the boy laughed because I really didn't want to write him up. (And I had the first phrases written down.)

* A teacher called a parent yesterday and said "I am going to write him up for XYZ. I didn't see him do XYZ but I know he did." That one won't fly. I have told this teacher (new) that he is going to have to learn to laugh at the kids. He is in a pissing contest with them, and he is going to lose.

Next week is conference week. I have a high failure rate (the students will not turn things in, costing most about 20 easy points, will not listen to reviews or lessons - well, you know) but the parents don't care.

I have several who are trying to get their kids to drop out - yeah, that's a solution.

One dropped out last week because the teachers in this week offer no support (I have 8 tutoring sessions scheduled a week - they just have to come). He is now in jail, arrested for selling drugs 2 days after dropping out. He had a 19 for me.

These are depressing times. When I feel I make no difference. I keep telling myself, I cannot save them all. I work on the ones I can save.

My 6th period class found the pages from my binder - granted this is the most expensive part. The binder is gone. I emailed the parents because the student who took it still stole it.

I gave the test on transformations - the area I felt I had taught so thoroughly. They don't know any of it - the parent graphs, how to graph, what a transformation is. So I will reteach and retest.