Winter Break!

Today we had a "food exchange" in our classroom. This became our word for "party" because we are not supposed to have parties in the class. I still did (hee hee :)

We have one more day of class and then we have three weeks off! Can I get and AMEN!

The kids are so excited to have this time off, but what they don't realize is that teachers are 100 times more excited than they could ever be.

I know I NEED this time to make sure they become cute again. I need to have separation to make my heart grow fonder. I really do! Right now, even after only three months in school, I already have students that I wouldn't mind never seeing again.

I already had two students move and check out of class and I have to admit, I did a little happy dance.

6th grade arrogance

This year I teach the gifted students. I have a few students that are so arrogant and conceited about their "smartness". They boast about how quickly they finish or how they can do all the work in their heads. Yet, they get many answers wrong because they are getting to a place where they can't possibly do everything in their heads or they simply are too preocuppied with finishing first they don't read the directions.
I am trying to instill in them a sense of academic humility, but it is difficult. They don't believe that arrogant people may get far in their carreers but they are often lonely.
I had one of these girls look at me in the face, after I asked her to show her work and redo the math problems she got wrong and said "I used to like math until now" with the biggest attitude.

I had to hold my tongue to not say something I would regret.
I seem to be doing that a lot his year.

Quotes for the day!

During Science class: "Ms. Torres, what is the definition for an orgasm?" student asks. "Do you mean organism?" I ask. "No orgasm! Like animals and stuff" he replies. "No sweetie! It is pronounced 'organism' and yes it is living things" No one laughed at this. I can see that this class is not as advanced as they think they are. I was happy about this!


Everyday as my students are leaving I tell them "Be good and take showers!" Afterschool today, one of my students came to class so I can check his project that is due on Monday. As he was leaving I said "Be good and take showers!" He laughed and said "you too!" and ran out. I loved it!!! ♥

Quotes by my students!

"Ms. Torres, if I have a 49% can I raise my grade to an A by the end of the semester?" I just gave him a look and said, "How do you plan on doing this in the next 18 days?" "I can do my work and do extra credit." he said. "Have I ever given extra credit?" I asked. "Never" he said. "But could I?" MY BRAIN HURTS


Today I came a little later than usual and there were about 6 boys waiting for me outside the classroom. "Ms. Torres, please let your Jellybeans in!! Jellybeans need to be in their jar!"


As we are playing around the world with multiplication facts, one student's answers for the game go like this: "3 x 4= 12, 4x 12= 48, 12 x 12= 24? 48? 100? PINEAPPLE!!!"


Two questions that I have been asked about 35 times today and will be asked a couple hundred more times in the next 23 days: 1. Why did you give me a/an ___? (fill in the blank with thier grade) and 2. Can I still raise my grade? It is amazing the concern and fear that comes into a student that has not cared much for the past 10 months.

"Ms. Torres, I got 8 and a half hours of sleep last night. Is that good? I ate breakfast this morning to be ready for the test! Is grilled cheese good for me? I used Kraft cheese!"

"Ms. Torres is tomorrow going to be the 1st of June or the 32nd of May?" a student asks. "Sweetie is there ever a 32nd of any month?" I ask. "Isn't there a 32nd in April?" He was so serious!

"How did you get so smart Ms. Torres?" a student asks. Jokingly I say "I was born this way!" He replies "Wait! That means that when you were born you knew that 2+2= 6....wait I mean 4?"