A Hundred or So Ways to Get an Ulcer...Year Two

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56984332011-04-21T15:58:42.813-05:00A Hundred or So Ways to Get an Ulcer...Year TwoA glimpse into the mind of a Chicago inner-city high school teacher. Email: ChicagoTeacher@hotmail.comChicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comBlogger321100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1095302296551862672004-09-15T21:26:00.000-05:002004-09-15T21:41:00.656-05:00

The Honeymoon Is Over The first week of school was a breeze. I could not believe how cooperative and attentive the little darlings had become. I got confident. I got bold. I got cocky. I strutted down the hallway as students holla-ed at me. "Yo Mr. _________!" "Damn, Mr. _____________, I wish I had you this year for English." "I miss your class!" I figured it out, I was married to my job

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1094609319833353982004-09-07T20:56:00.000-05:002004-09-08T20:08:13.586-05:00

I'm back, motherfuckers! - Jay-Z So I decided not to flee the ship. Today I returned to another year at __________ High School, a Chicago institution. I had a few other employment options, but much like a battered housewife, I have returned to my man. I mean, he could change. I could change him. I hate to speak to soon. I hate to have to eat my words (and match each word with an antacid), but

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1094608546817603052004-09-07T20:55:00.000-05:002004-09-07T20:55:46.816-05:00

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1093317129968172002004-08-23T22:10:00.000-05:002004-08-23T22:12:09.966-05:00

I will return on September 7, 2004. Thank you for checking this site over the summer. I will be back with more stories of hope and heartburn shortly.

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1087217879541446702004-06-14T07:57:00.000-05:002004-06-14T07:57:59.540-05:00

Finals week...Updates to follow.

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1086146847835816122004-06-01T21:55:00.000-05:002004-06-01T22:27:27.836-05:00

What A Long, Deranged Trip It's Been.... Just shy of three weeks left of the most ulcerating experience of my life. What do I have to show for it? The inability to deal with loud noises after 3pm. An extra eight....OK ten pounds around my mid-section. Rolaids residue on everything I own. A bar tab to rival Norm Peterson's.... Well, Not that bad...Maybe Cliff Clavin's some weeks. A few

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1084495056999795122004-05-13T19:22:00.000-05:002004-05-13T19:42:22.446-05:00

It's probably bad karma to thank God for children being suspended from school. I am probably going to hell for it. Hell of course would be the first three months of my teaching career played on a loop for eternity. Last week, there was a barrage of fights all in one day. The first fight began before the first bell of the day rang. I believe there were five fights total. Several students were

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1084155215144129952004-05-09T21:11:00.000-05:002004-05-09T21:13:35.146-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates this week. I needed my evenings and my weekend to compose myself from last week. I can already tell that the final six weeks of the year are going to be the most interesting of all.

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1083090882607187262004-04-27T13:24:00.000-05:002004-04-27T13:37:46.733-05:00

"The mouth of a fool is never closed-- The mouth of genius knows when to shut the hell up." -Mr. ___________ I put this quote on the board today before the students had entered. After the bell rang, I stood by the quote, arms folded, nodding my head at the chaos before me. I assumed that the students would get the joke eventually. I waited, and waited. I remained juxtaposed to my quote,

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1082731211810302882004-04-23T09:16:00.000-05:002004-04-23T09:43:11.716-05:00

Eight parents came to see me for parent conferences. I have close to 120 students. Of these students, I would estimate that half are failing. Only one of the parents in attendance had a student who was failing. Chicago's bi-annual Report Card Pick-Up Day is nothing like the parent/teacher conferences I had been accustomed to in my suburban high schools. RCPUD falls between first and second

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1082586869724199442004-04-21T17:33:00.000-05:002004-04-21T17:37:27.873-05:00

Parent-teacher conferences tomorrow. Massive Headache tonight.

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1082425586188650912004-04-19T20:24:00.000-05:002004-04-19T20:49:22.483-05:00

Many a loyal fan of this site have expressed great disdain over my lack of updating. I apologize for not leaving a "Be Back in One Week" sign at my counter. I have been on a much-anticipated and richly-deserved Spring Break. As far as the situation with the girl I call "Beneatha", things have been better. She was a little reluctant to talk to me after the incident, but I had a little chat with

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1082380681832690072004-04-19T08:17:00.000-05:002004-04-19T08:20:57.873-05:00

Sorry about leaving everyone hanging. It was my spring break last week and I didn't think much about school. This week, the saga will continue.

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1081352048378466932004-04-07T10:33:00.000-05:002004-04-07T10:36:52.200-05:00

I was out yesterday. Today I checked the system and Beneatha had not been suspended. She is in school today. Eighth hour should be interesting. Details shall follow.

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1081223028287869672004-04-05T22:17:00.000-05:002004-04-05T22:46:30.623-05:00

Rock the Bells "It'd definitely going to be one of those days." The sub across the hall made this prediction shortly after the misfiring of the first period dismissal bell, twenty minutes before the end of the period. At many schools, a misfired bell early in the period means that the students will sit and wait until the end of the period to leave. Not at my school. Students bolted out the

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1080852854204495662004-04-01T14:39:00.000-06:002004-04-01T14:57:04.860-06:00

April-Act-A-Fool's-Day I had never been a big April Fool's kind of guy. I have always been a proponent of pranks and practical jokes, but I had never felt that said mischief should be relegated to one spring day. I decided to break untradition today and play a joke on my 8th block class. Unfortunately, the real fool was me. We teachers are expected to begin every block with a "bell ringer".

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1080746928716117622004-03-31T09:03:00.000-06:002004-03-31T09:31:25.513-06:00

Busy as a mug in the world's best coffeeshop. Fear not, I have for I have not abandoned this arena for pedagogical catharsis. I merely neglected it for an extended period of time. I really feel like I have gotten into the swing of things at the school. I have learned how to cope with the idle and not-so-idle threats of my students, I have learned to deal with overcrowded classrooms. I can make

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1077765771853221472004-02-25T21:22:00.000-06:002004-02-26T07:55:02.716-06:00

Throat Health Is Key Tonsil health was never stressed in my educational methodology courses in college. Not one of my profs (even those with Ed.Ds) had mentioned strong, healthy tonsils being imperative to the educational process. After today, I could write an entire textbook on how importance throat care is in the teaching world. I knew the moment I walked into school that today would not be

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1077587129495802262004-02-23T19:42:00.000-06:002004-02-23T19:47:29.733-06:00

Sorry, folks. Yes, I am indeed still maintaining this site. I have taken a short hiatus due to some real ulcerating on my tonsils. I contracted a nasty case of viral tonsillitis at one point last week. This is an unrelenting, painful, and disgusting virus that keeps even the biggest gluttons-for-punishment away from work. Hopefully I will be back at my post tomorrow and will have gory details

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1077224655888377692004-02-19T14:50:00.000-06:002004-02-19T15:07:05.856-06:00

...And then they turn on you The optimism infused in recent posts has dwindled to a tiny droplet of hope. The restlessness of the natives has increased my rate of ulceration exponentially. And I'm not just talking about the kids. In any self-contained society, is it important for the chiefs to work under an air of professionalism as to not appear weak to those governed. There needs to be a

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1075928551273683202004-02-04T14:39:00.000-06:002004-02-04T15:04:12.623-06:00

I step back, look aghast/Whose class/Not my class. So far this week I have stood in amazement at how my classes have been working. I have had very little trouble with my little ragamuffins (nee demon-hell children). They are used to me. I am almost like an actual teacher. It's hard to believe just a few short months ago, I was standing amidst total chaos, dodging foreign objects wielded by

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1075447284571052792004-01-30T01:21:00.000-06:002004-01-30T01:23:00.186-06:00

I felt the need to publish this web-log not entirely for the purpose of web-narcissism. That reason may be 5-10% of it, but truly a negligible amount. I decided to air my trials and tribulations in hopes that others in my position can compare and contrast the things that may or may not give us ulcers. I was hired in early July of 2003. I had an entire summer to stew in my fear and apprehension.

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1075447317878548632004-01-29T13:21:00.000-06:002004-01-30T01:23:33.483-06:00

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1075150531567914952004-01-26T14:34:00.000-06:002004-01-26T14:57:03.216-06:00

My work week ended on Saturday this past week. I volunteered to work as a judge for the Chicago Public Schools Academic Decathalon. This is an annual city-wide brains-not-brawn competition. Nine of the best and brightest from each public high school represented their peers (to an extent). This was an amazing opportunity to connect to some of our best kids. Many of you may know of this

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1074631402674293402004-01-20T14:34:00.000-06:002004-01-20T14:44:48.653-06:00

After a much needed three day weekend, I was pleasantly surprised to a day of students acting like real human beings. I had my previously-dubbed "evil kids" for my first teaching block today. They were actually really sweet. One girl told me how she asked her mother to let me adopt her. I told her that I "could not afford a child right now, and by the time I could, she would be eighteen and I

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1074049200592230562004-01-13T20:55:00.000-06:002004-01-13T21:01:19.560-06:00

This was a post from my original web-log dated November 23, 2003. New post soon, I promise. Notes from the Underbelly Another week. This week yielded one arrest and one assault at my school. Wednesday, a teacher at my school was arrested for sexing up one of his students. This accusation has yet to be proven, much like how his 14 month suspension five years ago for allegedly bringing a gun to

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1073671640126952622004-01-09T11:32:00.000-06:002004-01-09T12:09:17.950-06:00

In the foreward to the 1998 Edition Making the Second Ghetto: Race and Housing in Chicago 1940-1960, Arnold R. Hirsch opens with a quote from an interview conducted by journalist Alex Kotlowitz. Kotlowitz interviews a ten-year-old boy who lived in the South Side's Henry Horner Homes. He asked the boy what he sees for his future. The boy replied: "If I grow up, I would like to be a bus driver. "*

Chicagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03240106243536525583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1073509486088710492004-01-07T15:04:00.000-06:002004-01-07T15:05:59.606-06:00

"You only lose the war when you allow yourself to feel defeated, relishing small victories can make even a catastrophic loss worth while". --Author Unknown I earned a gold star for the day. This morning one of my "evil devil children" classes went quite well. I gave my "Jabberwocky" lesson to this class (due to block scheduling I meet classes every other day, except my "honors" class which

Maximum Distractornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1073422707961099802004-01-06T14:58:00.000-06:002004-01-06T14:59:40.560-06:00

It's a lot like going to the dentist. Everyday. It's not the routine cleaning, either. Imagine waking up every morning knowing that you were about to go to the dentist. You hit the snooze until the very last minute. You take your sweet time getting out the door. You take the scenic route to his office. You don't mind parking at the far end of the lot. The deferrment of pain does nothing. You

Maximum Distractornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1073337662679304582004-01-05T15:21:00.000-06:002004-01-05T15:22:14.076-06:00

Back to life, back to reality. Bid adieu to sweet elation, the unemployment fantasy camp known as Winter (nee Christmas) Break. I spent two whole weeks living the life of a trust-fund baby. No work, no school, no worries. I have never been so jealous of the Hilton sisters. I can see why the 'publicans want to repeal the estate tax. Not doing shit is choice. I had the opportunity to read, write,

Maximum Distractornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1071540836545861862003-12-15T20:16:00.000-06:002003-12-15T20:16:03.750-06:00

Many of you may have noticed that I placed the term "honors" firmly between a set of completely deliberate quotation marks. These marks may seem completely arbritrary, but much to my chagrin, "honors" is really a laughable term for this set of kids. , my Early in the semester, my "honors" American Literature course was getting out of hand. I was attempting to teach a short story by the American

Maximum Distractornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698433.post-1069638452614919642003-11-23T19:47:00.000-06:002003-11-23T19:48:01.233-06:00

A recent college graduate takes a position at an inner-city publc high school teaching English. He decides to sift his emotional strife through a series of ones and zeroes. He has been given the task of teaching two periods of Sophomore American Literature, one period of Sophomore "Honors" American Literature, and two periods of Junior British Literature. He also supervises a Freshman "Advisory"

Maximum Distractornoreply@blogger.com