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and I’m happy it’s over! I have 3 groups where everything is going just fine, but in my other 2, things are not going soo smoothly. These are 2 classes of what we call “adaptation scolaire”, full of ADD students and learning diabled students. Usually, we have between 14 and 18 students and the maximum is 20, but this year, all of our classes and overflowing and we have 21 to 23 students. It is just plain crazy. That’s the 1st thing, the second is that it was decided that these 2 groups would have a career choice class instead of arts and we are now realizing that most of these kids are unable to follow this class for lack of motivation. Also, because the program asks that the students do some introspection work to learn about themselves in order to know what they like, what they are good at, what kind of jobs would be good for them, ... they are just not mature enough to go through this process and become very agitated, very fast. At least with one of these classes, I’m having a very hard time to get them to do any amount of work.

Bah! It’s Friday, let’s relax and worry about this on Monday!

Today was much easier that yesterday. First, I talked with the step mom of one of the girls that caused trouble yesterday (the lady is the boss of the breakfast program I volunteer for and she was totally supportive). Then all the learning disabled students were watching a movie and while I was watching the door to the theater, I had to make an intervention on the 2nd girl from yesterday and I think she realized she had pushed her luck yesterday and didn’t say anything and went back inside. After that, the day was easy with all the different xmas activities.
All in all, a good day.

Today was the worst day ever. I swear, the students were absolutely brutal. They were in the worst state of lazyness ever and I nearly slapped one in the face for her direspect towards me. I kept my self controle, but I swear to god I was just about to loose it, so I went out in the hall for a breather. I should have kicked her out of my class, but I was soooo tired and I feared I would loose it If she said anythong more. In the end, I just let her stay at her place, but I made sure she didn’t say a word. THANK GOD!!! when we come back from the xmas break, she will be moved to another group and I will never have to deal with her anymore.

1st, we’re all sooo tired, both teachers and kids. 2nd, a good friend (coleague) of mine lost her husband in a car crash thursday evening, just the day before our christmas staff party. Everybody was pretty down and we were all thinking about her, her daughter and how hard it must be to loosea loved one just 10 days before Christmas. The hardest thing, especially on Friday, was the kids not understanding or just not giving a damn. It was easier today, but the funerals are on Thursday and some of us will go and it will just sharpen the pain to see our friend in such a crazy time.

All our thoughts and love go to you G.

Simon

After a few hard weeks and a very hard last few days, ia had a very good day at school today and realized I really like teaching “MY” subjects. It’s the 1st time in a 9 y. career that I teach Geo/History and today, I loved it. I had to put my fist on the table, the bars on the “T’s” and the dots on the “I’s” this week, but today was a great day with all my classes.

cheers!! ;-D