Nouns, Handcuffs

They call the first week back "the honeymoon phase." And aptly so.

I am still loving them but realities have started to hit.
Kids set off firecrackers in the stairwell on Thursday.
Someone pooped in the hallway yesterday.
One of my seventh graders is pregnant.
And I saw two of my students getting arrested yesterday. I don't know for what. I had tried to call T's mom earlier because I had to kick him out of class, he was being so disruptive. The phone was disconnected. Then I see him in bracelets, ducking into a cop car, in his middle school uniform.
I was just getting into my car myself, so I drove by and said "Really?" He just dropped his head and eyes, and said to the cop, "That's my teacher."

Ugghhhhh.....

73% of students who drop out of high school will be arrested within 5 years.
We talk about this and other statistics- blatantly, in my classes. And it is infuriating and inspiring for most of them.
Some of them are jumping the gun.


In cheerier news... this morning I recorded a song about nouns (what would my life be without garageband?). Once I figure out how to post it here I will.