countering entropy

the year is building up.

a few weeks ago i drew a graph on the board for my students (i like graphs), where it charted teachers' tolerance/patience levels over the course of the school year, and a similar graph for students' discipline/focus.  i told them if we allowed the curves to intersect at ZERO, there would be an unprecedented disaster which would leave most of the class repeating the 7th grade and me sitting in a corner, holding my knees and rocking back and forth.

yeah, it's not perfect, but it gets the point across..

it helps to be aware of things. it's still happening, nevertheless.  i'm getting frustrated much more easily, and i have to admit the prospect of teaching high schoolers next year is becoming more and more appealing.

yet, there is a balance.

there have been several instances in the last few weeks that have helped counter the building exasperation and slow shift toward entropy.

after seeing a family in Chipotle, i had a conversation where the mother told me that i had given her student a genuine interest in history that had not been present before.  that's significant, especially since i can't say i had a genuine interest in history before this year.  more on that later.

the day after sand volleyball season ended, two separate groups of my players came by while i was teaching and stood outside the window of my classroom, holding a volleyball and looking sad.  though it was a small gesture, it was really sweet and definitely made me feel appreciated.

at the end of class every day, my sixth period has a 15-minute study hall.  usually i let them talk and draw on the white board or however they want to waste the time, and i have to reset the noise level several times in 15 minutes.  but, last week, i ended class and a girl raised her hand and said "Mr. McClallen, can you tell us a story? we like your stories."

that was huge.  i mean, that is voluntarily choosing to listen to a teacher talk over any other option available!  clearly it also put a lot of pressure on me, and thankfully my memory delivered. clutch.

i told them about how me and my friends used to have sleepovers in a cave on our property.  we would watch a horror movie, then go out and psyche ourselves out all night.  it was terrifying. when my brother Mark got old enough to do this with his friends, i pranked them one night.  at about 3 a.m., i hiked over to the cave and stood on the cliff above them.  then, i started a chainsaw and started screaming.

i would give a large amount of money to have a recording of Mark's reaction, but my imagination will have to suffice.  it was a great scream, too. so proud.

anyway, my students liked the story.  and i like them.