Monday, October 27, 2008

want some gum?

gum. scene 1:
boy chewing gum in school. (You should know that this school does not allow gum.)
girl asks boy for a piece of gum.
boy says sure. gets out a square of gum.
girl holds out her hand.
boy presses gum against girl's chest. lets go. attempts to watch gum slide down her shirt.
girl catches gum before it goes down too far.
girl's face is red.

gum. scene 2.
teacher witnessed scene 1.
teacher tells boy that putting gum against girl's chest is not appropriate school behavior.
boy says, "what? I was just giving her a piece of gum."
teacher says, "ok, can I have a piece? You'll put it in my hand, right? Not against my chest?"
boy says, "yeah." looks down. feels sorry that he was caught acting rude.
girl dashes off to class, glad that the boy knows what he did was wrong.

gum. scene 3.
boy begs teacher not to call his home to discuss his behavior.
boy says he's doing really well this year and he promises to treat girls nicely.

wrap up:
boys, girls do not want you to touch their chest during school. ever. don't snap their bras. don't touch their butts either.
girls, you don't have to accept that kind of treatment. let boys know that you won't put up with them trying to look down your shirt or touch you in ways they shouldn't.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

principals are for???


Are you wondering what Principals do all day? They have big offices. They have secretaries. They can be found wandering all around the school. They come in early. They stay at school later than most people. Yeah, so why, you ask?
Think of the principal as the school manager. They are in charge of the building. Principals interview new teachers who want a job in your school. The principal makes decisions about the school schedule, lunch times, number of kids in your class and even which teachers you will have for science, math, reading and other subjects. Principals also handle lots of problems. They spend hours on the phone with parents, deal with discipline of kids, transportation issues, health emergencies and fire drills. The principal is also the boss of all the teachers. She's in charge of making sure the teachers are doing their best and following school rules and getting to work on time and filling in proper paperwork. Principals also make decisions about how the school spends it's money. They order text books, paper, computers, crayons, pencils, library books and basketballs. Think of all the supplies and furniture like chairs and desks. Principals had to choose all that stuff. Assemblies, activities, clubs, sports, and even dances have to be approved by the principal.
How can one person do all that work? Each principal has at least 2 college degrees and special training to learn how to be the leader of a school. They attend lots of meetings with other principals and school leaders to plan the best education for you. It's a big job!

Monday, October 6, 2008

what are teachers doing all day?


You know how schools have teacher in-service days? Kids stay home. Teachers work. What are they doing all day without any students? Who are they teaching? We know the kids try to sleep in, text, play, eat, hang out. Teachers are learning to be better teachers. I'm not kidding. They have meetings about how to motivate the kids who don't like school. They learn how to create better lessons. They have guest speakers from other states who teach them the best stuff that works with their kids. They listen to powerpoint presentations and take notes. They work on stuff in small groups. Sometimes teachers learn about better ways to communicate with your parents about things that happen at school. They talk about books. They are always learning and trying to do better. for YOU. Teachers also get to each lunch together without grading papers. They might even go out to a restaurant! and laugh together. on a school day. wow. That's what happens when you're not at school but the teachers are working.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

why homecoming?


What's homecoming all about, you ask? Well let's break down the word... in reverse order. coming home. That's the point. Your school is welcoming the old people who have already graduated to come home. visit. see old friends, like the 1978 state soccer champions. The graduates could be out of school just one year or lots and lots of years. The idea is to see friends, check out what's new at the school, maybe even see some old teachers. Some schools have a festival and parade and even crown a king and queen. Kids in school make posters to advertise the candidates for king and queen then vote for the winners, who are announced during a sporting event. it's usually football but there's no law about that. Each school makes it's own traditions. Think of it as a big school reunion. You should go. Eat. Smile. Bring confetti. Laugh with your friends. Watch the oldsters laugh, too. Then come back to your home after you graduate. Be an oldster. Watch the kids play. Remember the fun you had back in the day.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

clips and polish


Check the guys from tokio hotel. see nail polish? unusual hair?
Middle school students like to experiment. On themselves.
Office supplies as jewelry. Nail polish on boys. New hair colors. Black lip gloss. New kinds of outfits.
I say go for it. There are not a lot of adults who can go to work wearing paper clip earrings. Not many business men can wear purple nail polish to their meetings. American workers are not encouraged to have orange blue and green stripes in their hair. Generally shades of red and pink lip gloss are accepted, but only on the ladies.
Middle school is about the only time in our lives when we can test these things. It's all part of deciding who you are and who you want to become. Kids will let you know if your experiment is a success or a failure. Your teachers may have some input there, too. Yeah and parents might not like all the experiments either. trying on different clothes and accessories helps you decide what you actually like. It might be different from what everyone else likes right now. Each school has limits about exposed skin and "disruptive clothing that interferes with the learning process" but it's perfectly natural to want to try out other looks for yourself. If you can't dress the way you want to at school, then wait for nights and weekends. I don't want you to get suspended for disobeying the rules. Also, next time you see a kid wearing something unusual and interesting, let it go. He's just expressing his inner scientist or rock star or dancer.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

pop quiz today

It's October. There's a pop quiz today. It's about school and you can grade yourself. I hope you're feeling comfortable in your classes and around the school.
How can you tell? Try this false / true quiz!
1. I know my schedule without checking it very much. F or T
2. Teachers smile at me and know my name. F or T
3. My lunch table is fun. I usually like going to lunch. F or T
4. I have not missed any homework assignments. Well, maybe one. F or T
5. I could show a new student how to get to the nurse or library. F or T
6. My locker is pretty clean and I can find stuff in there. F or T
7. School starts early but I'm getting there on time every day. F or T
8. There are nice kids in the hallways. F or T

Add up your results. False____ True ____

0-2 false. You're off to a very good start. You have adjusted well to life in middle school. Keep making new friends. Invite a quiet kid to join your lunch table.
3-5 false. You're doing pretty well but there is some room for improvement. Are you looking at the floor or daydreaming? Sit up straight in class. Pick one thing that was false and see if you can change it to true this month. Is there a club or activity you could join to make some new friends?
6-8 false. Life in middle school can be stressful. Lots of things can distract us from having a good day at school. If you're having trouble finding anything good about your school then you should probably talk to someone about it. Parents, teachers, guidance counselor, gym teachers.. just pick someone nice and start talking about why school days are dragging you down.

We all have good days and boring days and fun days and terrible days. The secret is to learn from the bad and enjoy the good. Have a happy day tomorrow.