This morning I had breakfast with a friend. When I told her of my Friday plans to educate the students in my class without giving them homework, she said I was being subversive. Friday was our magazine sale kick-off. Our school sells magazines, so they have money for activities such as field trips, team awards, etc. My seventh graders did this last year too, so when I realized I was giving up thirty minutes of my class instead of twenty, I decided that twenty was enough for my students.
First I called the office to make sure we were to leave at 10:10 and not 10:20. Although I was sure it was 10:20 (leaving twenty minutes for the kick-off), it was indeed 10:10. I stated that our students had done this last year and only needed twenty minutes and asked to speak with the assistant principal (in charge of magazine kick-off) who wasn't available. At that point I decided to give my adolescent students a choice. They could go to the auditorium at 10:10 which would mean taking their reading home, or they could stay in my room until 10:20 and read.
As I was checking out books to the students (50%) that decided to go at 10:10, the principal came in my room to read (silently) with the students. Mr. K does this frequently, and on a normal day I would have been pleased to have him sitting in a desk with the other students reading. Yesterday his presence made me a bit nervous, so I asked, "Are you here to get me in trouble?"
"What did you do?" he questioned.
"It's not what I did; it's what I'm going to do," I replied honestly.
"Should I leave the room?" he continued.
"It would be helpful." I answered relieved.
As he was walking out the door, I asked the students, (good students) who were staying, to read quietly and leave for the auditorium at 10:20. Mr. K overheard and volunteered to stay with them! Yea! Then he asked where the rest of us were going. Oops! When I mentioned we were going to the magazine kick-off, he said everyone really needed to go. Really? I explained they chose to read and had seen "Magazine Guy" last year. He once again politely stated that they needed to go. I explained to the remaining students that I tried, but they, too, would have to check out a book.
I think subversive is a bit harsh for my trying to save students from A) an obnoxious magazine salesman and B) having extra reading homework. In this situation I should be seen as the "good guy" not subversive.
First I called the office to make sure we were to leave at 10:10 and not 10:20. Although I was sure it was 10:20 (leaving twenty minutes for the kick-off), it was indeed 10:10. I stated that our students had done this last year and only needed twenty minutes and asked to speak with the assistant principal (in charge of magazine kick-off) who wasn't available. At that point I decided to give my adolescent students a choice. They could go to the auditorium at 10:10 which would mean taking their reading home, or they could stay in my room until 10:20 and read.
As I was checking out books to the students (50%) that decided to go at 10:10, the principal came in my room to read (silently) with the students. Mr. K does this frequently, and on a normal day I would have been pleased to have him sitting in a desk with the other students reading. Yesterday his presence made me a bit nervous, so I asked, "Are you here to get me in trouble?"
"What did you do?" he questioned.
"It's not what I did; it's what I'm going to do," I replied honestly.
"Should I leave the room?" he continued.
"It would be helpful." I answered relieved.
As he was walking out the door, I asked the students, (good students) who were staying, to read quietly and leave for the auditorium at 10:20. Mr. K overheard and volunteered to stay with them! Yea! Then he asked where the rest of us were going. Oops! When I mentioned we were going to the magazine kick-off, he said everyone really needed to go. Really? I explained they chose to read and had seen "Magazine Guy" last year. He once again politely stated that they needed to go. I explained to the remaining students that I tried, but they, too, would have to check out a book.
I think subversive is a bit harsh for my trying to save students from A) an obnoxious magazine salesman and B) having extra reading homework. In this situation I should be seen as the "good guy" not subversive.
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