Is There a Full Moon??

My students were really loud and obnoxious today, across the board. I hate to have to get mean, but if I come down on them hard at the beginning of the period, I can usually maintain control for the rest of the class. Usually. Not always. I'm counting the days to retirement!

Speaking of that, I have had some students protest my retirement plans. My response to them is, "You will be in the high school next year. Why does it matter?" They say they will want to come visit me. Yeah...right. (A student suggested I should set up a Face Book account so they could keep track of me!) One youngster isn't even in my class this year. I had him last year or the year before (the years kind of run together)...and his mother works as an aide in our building. She tells me that I am her son's all-time favorite teacher, replacing his Kindergarten teacher who was on a high pedestal, and he is upset that his 7th grade sister won't get to have me next year. I always like the young man, but I had no clue he felt that way about me. I'm honored!

I wrote on Monday about Ryan biting Robin, leaving a big bruise on her arm. I had sent him to his room and was administering first aid (no blood) when Meg walked in. She took care of the rest. Last evening (Tuesday) they were wrestling around in Robin's room when the loud crying started again. (Robin cries as loud as she can in order to get her brother in trouble.) Ry had, by this time, exited to the couch. Meg got angry with both, and the kids were separated to their rooms for the night...but not before I pointed out yet another huge bite mark on Robin's arm. Apparently, Ryan had been warned that if he did that again, he would be spanked. He was, big time. Then he went to his room and slammed the door, which made a picture fall off the wall in the hallway. Meg roared back into his room. I heard a tearful, "I'm sorry, Mommy!" If Ryan gets another "note" from school, he is suspended, essentially, for the remainder of the year. The other part of that is that if he bites again OR gets a note from school, Meg will take him out of soccer (which he loves). Interestingly, he wasn't all that eager to go to school today because he wasn't sure he could be good! It all has to do with impulse control. He really is an intelligent and adorable little boy, but he hasn't figured out, yet, that there are consequences for bad behavior. I never raised a boy. Lord, save us!

Meg did my taxes online tonight. I love the Internet! It used to take me hours to play with figures. Now, whip-zing! Click! Done!

Everyone in the house is asleep but me. Guess it's my turn!