Random things to note.

*All of my students with hispanic bad names are getting a D or lower. I'm a shitty teacher. Soy una maestra mal. I'm doing what I can to help, but I can't get them to do their homework.

*Yesterday, I had the students make Post-Secret cards written from the perspective of characters in The Crucible. I said it has to be serious. Nobody is gay. Making them have a gay secret is the easy way out. One kid--a greasy kid with messy dark hair, braces, gross tennis shoes and dirty jeans--wrote on his card from the perspective of John Proctor: I am a seman donor. And then he drew a picture of a cup with some stuff in it. I told him that it was not only inappropriate for me to hang in my classroom, but also disgusting. And most importantly, that it had nothing to do with John Proctor's character. And that he spelled semen wrong.

So, he changed it. He erased the picture. Then he wrote: I am a semon donor and he took a piece of tape and hung it. The activity was near over, and I saw it. I announced loudly, in front of the class: HEY DUSTIN YOU SPELLED SEMEN WRONG AGAIN. Also. This is inappropriate, so come and take it down.

And he did.

*Next week, we have Snow Week. An activity day on Friday. I didn't get to choose which activity I want to do. I have to go sledding with a bunch of kids next Friday. No, thank you. But I have no choice. Good thing my snow pants are in Hutchinson. And I plan on purposely running over some kids.

*I love Romeo & Juliet. I love more when my kids love it and write I LOVE THIS PLAY I LOVE IT I LOVE IT all over their homework. I also love when the make jokes about the movie, such as when Friar John is supposed to deliver the letter: well, of course he didn't there on time. He's taking a donkey. ...and he's not even riding it! He's walking a donkey to go and get Romeo that letter.

*Today, I found out that a student audio-taped my class on his ipod. A teacher emailed me and said: Tyler somehow recorded your class. He and his friends were listening to it, and I overheard them laughing about something in your class. I think he recorded my class, too. This creeps me the fuck out. Why would a kid (a kid with a bad reputation, mind you, who is also failing) tape record things I say? I'm so paranoid, yet I haven't said anything that inappropriate in class. (Note that this kid is not in the same class as the "semon" kid.) Anyway. It could be cheating, and he's going to get yelled at for doing this tomorrow, but somehow I feel violated. Like in the way that you're never supposed to take pictures in a theater, of a set. Leave that shit how it is; it can only be in your memory. And don't make fun of me, you fucking students. You better only be laughing because I'm funny. But you're probably not. You're probably making fun of how awful I sound on tape or how I say "um" too much or something. Fuckers.

*Next Saturday, I have to chaperone a dance. I've asked the Good Doctor, who I am now getting along with after a year-long drought, to be my date for the dance. He said that a high school dance would be fun, so he will come. I've purchased a new dress, a vintage black number with a ruffly top. I also intend to wear opera gloves to this Snow Days dance. Why the fuck not.