Already the same thing . . . .

I thought that the 2nd semester would really change for some kids. I guess I was mistaken. THe same ones who act like goofballs and knuckle-heads are still goofballs and knuckle-heads. There have been a few who have seen the light. They are few and far between however. It is sad when 13 out of 20 students in my homeroom are not meeting local promotion guidelines. A letter is going home witht eh report cards tomorrow to that effect. It requests that parents call for a conference. WIth some of these kids, we have conferenced multiple times, and there is still no change.

The new semester. . . .

The new semester started this week. That meant grades and new units to plan. Imagine having to modify 8th grade level material for an ELL who is on a third grade level in Spanish! Time to consult with the ELL teacher. Coincidentally, She is leaving for a new position in the county.

Then there is Ryan. What a student! He is not a discipline problem in class, although he has shown temper before with other teachers. We did our first assignment on percents, in the new unit, and guess who was the first to make a 100? Of course, he had already failed for the first semester, with averages of 12 and 22 for the first 2 quarters, and a 33 on the exam. Finally, I felt like I had managed to get through to him. I was so proud of him! I bragged about him to the class, as well as to the other teachers on the team and the guidance counselor. Maybe the light has started to dawn.