And Then Homeroom Lasted for Three Hours

The kids got ID pictures taken today, and we were notified this morning that we would have an "extended" homeroom. We weren't told how extended...
Three hours later... the kids and I had created a paper-chain of 230 links to help us keep focused on the time we have to prepare for the LEAP test in April, a kid had decided he wanted to keep reading the Giver after all, and someone else helped me write all the students' names down on popsicle sticks.
I shared this riddle with them:
I'm going camping.
On this trip, you can bring a spoon but not a knife.
You can have a door but not a window.
You can bring apples but no bananas.
You can bring a pillow and a sheet,
but you can't bring a quilt or blanket.

One of the kids finally got it. But before that, one of my most loquacious young female students called out, "you can bring that shirt but not that skirt!" (Referring to my calf-length Gap skirt I still have from junior high. It has place names on it a-la stickers-on-old-fashioned-suitcases). She said you can tell by the way I dress I'm not from here.

Indeed.

Yesterday in my Questions and Ideas bag, I found a folded piece of paper. The outside said, in wobbly writing, "GOOD iDeA, ReAd." My smile grew as I opened it. Inside said "why don't we start an English club?" Today I posted a sign-up sheet to see how many people would be interested in designing and participating in an English club (spelling bees, book circles, tutoring, writing workshops...?)- 8 kids signed up today.

My vice-principal is wonderful. Admirably opposed to the idea of "throw-away" kids, we're talking grant-writing already. Our school is in the "academically unacceptable" category right now, which means if we don't improve, we might be shut down.

At the same time, the ripple effect of the desegregation lawsuit from the 60s is moving students around- and there are worries that they're going to have to move some teachers to other schools where class sizes are larger. (Note on the deseg. case: apparently the deal is that the district applied for some federal funds or something, but there was still an open case... leftover from Back In The Day, the loose ends had never been neatly tied. So the district had to comply before any moving-forward could occur. The funny thing is they have to comply with the regulations that were established back then when the case was filed. So, in the races-must-be-represented-as-equally-as-possible ruling, hispanic people count as white- and those of Asian origin don't count at all!

It is wild here. All over the country the gap between rich and poor is growing, but it is so obvious here. Four blocks from where I live houses go from neatly painted with full hanging baskets of flowers to buildings with porches sagging like hammocks, broken windows... At stoplight we drive through every morning the green light is burnt out; you know you can go as long as it's not yellow or red. At stoplights just around the corner, you'll find Lexuses driving past the projects. Less than a block from our school, we pass kids in blue polos waiting to be bussed to other schools. To be bussed away from Truman.

I'm reading "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" (by Sherman Alexie) to some of my classes to talk about narratives (and as a reward); they love it.

I'm teaching more than I was at institute this summer and sleeping just as little- but I am more energized. And ohmygosh: I love my Powerpoint and LCD projector.

Wow. I should probably just get of those big colorful sweaters so I can wear it over a long denim dress already. With broaches.