Crazy day, Sept 7

Today was Wednesday so we went to chapel as usual. Right before chapel their were passing around schedules for the high school. The only time it effects me is PE. I was talking it over with the Sub for 7th grade and we realized we couldn't take PE at 10:30 like we usually do on Wednesday. They changed the schedule around and we'd go right after chapel. I was a little frustrated because they keep changing things around. I'd just gotten it worked out to look after 7th grade from 10:30 to 11 along with my kids so Jon and Cameron wouldn't have a gap and leave 7th grade without someone to look after them. That didn't appear to be a problem today. I guess the change in schedule worked that out.

We got to PE and Zac, the Coach, was out sick so we had Dameon. We start into stretches and everything is fine. Then he starts to have them play soccer. The girls instantly run over to me and start getting all excited. I realize they are used to having a free day on Wednesday because we usually don't have a teacher. Thursday is free day. They are used to having two free days per week. I tell them that Dameon is the coach and they have to do what he says. I figure it'll be good for them to play something other than volleyball and basketball for a bit. The boys play first and it goes ok. They play a little handball because everyone out here disregards the rules of a sport and just does what they want. One kid from 7th grade spent the whole time running around the gym because he stayed in trouble with Dameon. When it was the girls turn they get out there and immediately start playing volleyball on the soccer court when Dameon throws it up to start the game. This pisses him off so he yells a bit and starts making them run laps. They get mad and start making a huge amount of noise and doing as little running as possible. The next class comes in early when the whole place is pandemonium. Boys are playing basketball, girls are running in circles, and there is no order at all. Dameon lines the guys up and us teachers take them off. He keeps the girls another 10 minutes and runs them about 20 laps around the gym. At one point two girls threw a cone up into the basketball hoop and got it stuck there. Dameon handed out a bunch of punishments and let them go.

On the way back to my class they were really angry and didn't want to do anything I said. I realized the whole day would be hell if I didn't gain control, and fast. When I got everyone in, I got everyone quiet and started into my talk. I told them, "I'm really disappointed in the way you girls acted this morning. I expected you to be much more mature than that." I used a real subdued voice and conveyed disappointment rather than anger. I knew that Dameon had been yelling at them all morning and if I yelled it would just make my day that much harder. I finished off by telling them I had a movie to watch for Social Studies, but if they didn't change the way they had been acting that I was going to call that off. They shaped right up. I had no problems with them after that.

In the afternoon we did speeches. I'm trying to get them used to speaking English clearly so that people can understand. Some of them were very hard to understand, but they made a real effort and I think it was a success. The girls did their speeches on how to cook various stuff. Several of them brought food to demonstrate and we all ate cake and donuts. Not a healthy time, but we had fun. It took the edge off their dislike for getting up in front of people and giving speeches.

Even though this day started out with the most chaos I've seen since I've been here, it ended quite well. In music class we sang Making Melodies. I was going to sit and just watch, but my girls called me out. Even though they were kidding and didn't think I'd do it, I stood up and did the motions because they asked me to and they loved it.