Hike to the Summit

After only 2 days of classes so far, I LOVE MY JOB!!!
I love the students. I do have to remind them to keep their language clean and respectful. I also have a new rule "No War Stories." Gang affiliations and bragging about criminal pasts are not part of our math curriculum and don't make for a positive learning environment. The shocker is that they actually listen to me! That may wear off as we get further into the year, but for now there's some respect in there.

Favorite snippets: 

One kid asked me before class, "If you go to BYU does that mean you're religious?"

On Wednesdays we are supposed to push reading, no matter our subject. I was surprised that these kids have done some good reading already. We discussed some quotes about reading, and it was a really good discussion. Like really good. They even had some good book suggestions for me.

I know that things will get really hard, but I instantly love all my students, even the punks. To be honest, they are really awesome and have real character potential.

I feel like our school emblem perfectly describes the challenges of faculty and students in overcoming huge obstacles to succeed:

Interesting Inservice

Last week I got a position teaching math part-time at Summit High School.
I'm still in shock that I got it; here's why: over 60 people applied for my type of position, including certified teachers and a district employee of the year. Out of those 60 only 4 were hired, including me.

I'm only teaching algebra so that's manageable, right? Well I'm also floored that I got the job because this isn't just any high school. My students are wards of the state in group homes, foster care, and proctor care, or termed "at-risk." Wow, um no big deal, I can do it, right? Aaauugh!
 
Fun Facts I learned at Inservice:

1. Don't have blue or red pens, notebooks, or school supplies. A shipment of personal whiteboards had to be sent back because of color association. If it's an offensive color, the students refuse to touch it.
2. I learned when and how to use an epi pen.
3. I am supposed to pay attention to which students are consecutively sick. If a student is always sick then we have to call their proctor/guardian to make sure their health needs aren't being neglected.
4. I'm supposed to integrate technology with the school's sets of Ipads and Macbooks, but I can't assign internet or computer-based homework. 
5. No Parent-Teacher Conferences. Issues are to be taken to case-workers, proctor parents, or foster parents. 
6. Kids raised in gangs, abusive homes, or such like that don't usually just give out respect. I have to earn their respect before they'll even listen to me.
7. The hardest thing about Summit, that I've been warned about, is caring too much that it swallows up my life.

The school is tiny, but I've never seen such dedicated faculty. I mean, really, these people I work with are phenomenal. Just think of those tear-jerking inspiring teacher movies, those are the people I work with! They seriously love these kids. Sometimes they are the closest thing to family for them. That bond is shared between staff members too, instead of a faculty room we have "the family room." I'm terrified that my students will eat me alive, but I know that every staff member has my back, if not they wouldn't be working at Summit. I'm so grateful to have gotten this job. Like my new principle said, "If you can teach here, you can teach anywhere." My next blog post will probably be me venting about how overwhelmed I am once things get underway. Please be patient with me if that's the case, and if you have any suggestions I'd love them!