Sick... but GO BEARS

Some stories from the Gulf Coast educational homefront:
It only took two weeks back into the school year to get sick. Nothing like teaching between drippy snot and soar throat action. I've come close but haven't quite reached the breaking point where I say, "Oh, I don't care what you do, just don't stand in the halls. And here's some sudoku for anyone who gets bored." Wait, that's not true. That's what I said to my third block (period) of the day last week on Friday, when no one knew or was given any heads up on when an awards ceremony would end and when the "in-school" soc-hop would begin. I never experienced such a place in which all the extracurricular events (except for sports) took place DURING the school day.

I have several great students, and a ton of good students. I have a couple who will test the waters of Mrs. B's Inner "B," but I've given them all jobs in class. One of my students came up to me after a lesson, when I mentioned OCD in some context. Well, it turns out, he really is, and he explained how he blinks a lot. The next day, he told me that he likes even numbers, but he doesn't like odd numbers. "So, if I blink three times, I don't feel right, and that's why I have to blink four or six times." Well, I was thrilled he knew his even from his odd numbers. He's my only Asian student, and his last name I wowed the class by being the first teacher to pronounce it correctly: Nguyen (thanks AAE!). I started to feel bad for the sweet kid who truly is a minority in the Moss Point High School environment, but that was before he stayed after class to tell me to try to give better examples. "Or maybe just try teaching it better..." "...I appreciate your honesty, San, and I'll see what I can do..." Nothing like your OCD kid who blinks a lot to keep you humble and grounded. Brian said I should have replied, "San, I told you not to blink so much or you'll miss something."

My fellow teacher friend across the hall has experienced a similar problem to the one I'm having. A particular student has been coming late to class. So, he gets written up for it right? "No, Ms. B, I was running down the hall, and you closed the door on my face, and no one else was in their seat so why you ain't mark them tardy, aw Ms. B, you're playing favorites and I told you I wasn't LATE." "...Are you finished?...what's my policy about being on time-" "But Mrs. B., I explained it to you that I wasn't late-" and I'd have to wait for him to get through his monologue again, and I'd just repeat myself. He's cut off by the third round. It's like, there's the truth, and then there's the mindset that if it's said loud enough and with enough detail, and you're angry about having been accused, then what you're saying MUST be the truth. I've caught kids red handed stealing passes, being late to class, copying answers, saying disrespectful things under their breath or sometimes above their breath, and mark my words... the student has yelled back at me, spins an entire yarn, and gets themselves in twice as much trouble. Dude. There's reality. And then there's what you're saying. (I don't say "dude," but I do explain that it's my job to help them see the light between fact and fiction... this is math class, not English).

Go Bears!

2011 Year in Review

Lunar Eclipse, Dec. 2010

With Auburn Tigers just a few seconds from taking the 2010-2011 college football season championship, with my first full year of teaching the Moss Point High Tigers, and with one student too many asking me, "Mrs. B! You got a tatoo?! What's your tatoo mean?"

...it's certainly been...

THE YEAR OF THE TIGER.



A wonderful trip to Alaska for Kim and Dave's wedding in May,

A thankful cancellation of Brian's Air Force Humanitarian/Disaster Relief trip to Chile back in March,
A blessed arrival of good friends Nick and Karen, bringing true southern comforts,

And some of the most exciting adventures never left the state of Mississippi:

-I started teaching. And have been feasting on Humble pie a la mode, al fresco, all-you-can-eat ever since (today, for only the second time since I started in Jan. 2010, I had a good day).

-Rachel started her Freshman year at Mississippi State University in the Biology dept,  with destination: med-school on the mental GPS.

-Danielle received her driver's license, look out!

 -Mom and Natalie came down to the MS Gulf Coast to help me and Brian celebrate the week before Christmas.

 Le chat du Vieux Carre