New Semester, New Classes

Yesterday I started a new class toward my masters degree. This semester is school law with Dr. Arbogast, superintendant of Floyd County Schools. I think this class is going to kick my butt a little because I think he's going to be challenging in class. I also think he'll be particularly hard on the ladies because he's definately a good old boy. I was dreading buying my $140 dollar textbook, but my prayers were answered when I went to go talk to our new principal. I was looking for a School Law Handbook that Dr. Arobgast said we could borrow. The principal I was speaking didn't have the handbook but he had the textbook and he let me borrow it! My head principal let me borrow the School Law Handbook, but guess what...the most current book he had was 2003. That was 7 years ago! The laws have certainly changed during all that time! I think he's opening himself up to a lawsuit if he doesn't at least have a copy of current law to refer to.

The semester is drawing to a close and I cannot wait to get a new group of kids next week. I'm tired of the ones I have (they're not as bad as last year, but I want to strangle a few) and I finally have a direction I want to go in my teaching that I'm actually excited about. Every year I think I've hit my stride, but I really feel like I'm getting to where I want to be - a teacher that talks about things that are relevant for my students and teaches literature that my students are interested in.

Top 5 Reasons I Want a New Group of Students

1. Hopefully I won't have any students who take 20 minute bathroom breaks
2. Hopefully I won't have any students who always think I'm yelling at them even when most of the time I'm not
3. Hopefully I won't have any students that are constantly suspended
4. Hopefully I won't have students trying to sell me stuff every week (beef jerky, chocolate, cookie dough...I'm on a diet!)
5. Hopefully I won't have any students who have a comment for EVERYTHING

I'll keep dreaming :-)

6. Bonus reason: hopefully I won't have any students that think I'm too stupid to catch them skipping (I'm like the FBI when it comes to skipping :-) )