New Orleanian continued...

gotta use it: v. I need to go to the bathroom.

you heard: verbal punctuation. I just said something.

I got a new class again yesterday. My rambunctious class of 34 sixth graders will now be taught by a frustrated band teacher. They needed another 8th grade English teacher and apparently they think I am somehow capable. I am so used to being overwhelmed right now I think I have gone numb.

A boy in my (old) fourth period class wrote about how he and his dad hunted squirrels and his grandma cooked them up for them all. Apparently, they were delicious. Culture shock all.the.time.

My grandma sent me an email in which she asked if there was anything specific I needed. (Love family!) Ideas. That would be great. How can I get 11-16 year old kids who have never been interested in school excited about making their subjects and verbs agree? Who would be an influential speaker for them? How do you teach motivation? Let me know if you've got it figured out.

Now, powerade and grading sheets.