evacuate the bus for a tornado drill?

So....in an effort to appease people and not wait MONTHS in between posts, I am trying to write on a more consistent basis. Well...and because I kind of have a funny story today...

First off, I am losing my voice. Not sure why, it's just leaving me momentarily....anywho, today I decided that since my kids were being their typical, terrible self...I was going to FORCE them to listen to me and not by yelling. I whispered during the first 15 minutes of math meeting...it worked pretty well although who would have thought that it kind of strains your voice to try to whisper loudly for that long. Anyway, it was a change of pace and sort of fun, until they made me mad enough that I was forced to yell. One kid was falling asleep on the rug, so I made him go sit in a chair. He got up and threw a temper tantrum, literally stomping and screaming to the back of the rug. He's a crier anyway, but still....that went on for 10 painful and annoying minutes.

My kids are sometimes worse than ever...they give each other the middle finger ("gave the finger sign" they call it) they kick one another, they pinch, they hit, they are soooo mean to each other. All of this is a result of my classroom environment and not enough empathy for things like that....ugh...if I could do it all over again...

Anywho...in case you were wondering what went down last Friday during the Sweetheart Pageant...have no fear, the results are in.....KB (my class) WON the lower grade king and queen honors!! WHOOP, WHOOP. Although I was excited for them, the whole situation was mildly redic. The winners were based on the king and queen who could raise the most money for their class. They could sell snacks in our room during school (instead of buying school snacks) or sell raffle tickets for a Wal-Mart gift card or just get donations. Well, as of Thursday night we had like $75. Then, by 8 a.m. Friday morning there was more than $900 being counted on my teacher table. I was not a fan.....a.) I spent a half hour counting and recounting money.... b.)the whole competition brings out the WORST in people, although the parents I had were not obsessively competitive. They had their money turned in and they were done, thank goodness. c.) I cannot get parents to send another box of kleenex to school, where did ALL of this money come from???? Anyway, there was a big 'ole pageant in the afternoon (in fact, we ate lunch before 11 a.m. to get ready for this shin-dig) where these kids wore white formal dresses or a tux shirt and black pants. I have a couple of pictures...they are still on my camera. It was absurd.
Yesterday, in the middle of math...the secretary came over my intercom saying to line my kids up by the door for a bus/tornado drill. I had no idea what this meant...if it's a tornado drill we move to the hallway, but if it's a bus drill we are outside? Anyway...turns out we practiced what to do if you are ON the bus and a tornado is coming. So...without explaining ANYTHING to a busload of kindergartners...they open the back door to let them jump out where my principal and I are. We are semi-helping them jump out. And by 'semi' I mean, some of them left their toes on the edge of the bus and fell face first toward the ground. Again, no one told these kids to put their arms out and we could grab their one hand and under their armpit. So, it's a little scary and mildly funny when some of them put all of their trust into two people who are not 100% ready for them to jump. But...then one of my newest students (new as in November) gets to the back...mind you she is a twin and her nickname is "big mama." She is bigger than the other twin and is a bit larger in size, but she HATES when anyone uses the word 'fat' even to describe an animal. I feel bad for her, except when she spends all day running her mouth, then I don't have any sympathy for her. However, today she gets to the back of the bus and literally steps OUT of the bus towards me...completely expecting me to catch all 84 pounds of her. OMG...I caught her, well, I caught her from hitting the pavement. It wasn't a graceful landing, but at least she didn't faceplant into the ground. Because of this, the other kindergarten teacher and I are laughing HYSTERICALLY. In fact, I was laughing and crying so hard, that I could no longer help kids off the bus and was replaced. After the drill, someone came and pulled four of my kids to take pictures of them practicing this. She was at the end of the line and one they had pulled. I was like, "uh, this one's going to jump on you instead of just jumping down." Needless to say they picked another student. If you call me right now to retell the story, I will laugh until I cry...so.flippin.funny. I wish it had been on video so you could accurately see how hilarious this looked!

Moral of the story, the kids jumped off the back of the bus and went running into the school and crouched down in the hallway as if there was a tornado. I didn't get it either, but whatev. We have had 4 tornado drill practices and 1 fire drill practice...interesting.

Last story (cripes how did this get so long???)...I went down to New Orleans on Sunday morning to meet up with the SOUL group. Somehow, I made it by myself from Mike and Gretchen's house in Jackson to the French Quarter without getting lost. AND...I spent the entire day in the french quarter and my car didn't get towed OR broken into! I'd say it was a successful day!! Monday was spent painting the outside of a house in what we were told was the worst neighborhood in the nation. Catholic Charities didn't tell us that when they sent us there, but the military police that stopped later in the afternoon told us otherwise. They said we would be fine as long as we were in a group and out before dark. If that doesn't freak you out....we were safe though...and we had a good time working. I wish I could have stayed all week, it is definitely an area that can not and will not have too many volunteers. Many homes still have remains of spray paint on their doors. It's a crazy, interesting, overwhelming place...and hopefully someday I'll be back there.

PS....got another new student this week. Well, he is not brand-new. He started in my class in August, the moved to Texas and now they moved back. Current total is 24. My usual talked-about troublemaker was suspended for today and tomorrow. He came storming in from recess ahead of us and refused to open the door for me when we tried coming in (literally I was locked out of the school) and stuck his tongue out saying, "nah na-na, na-na, nah." My principal is fed up with his actions and his momma not thinking he needs to go back to the behavior center for more help. Therefore, she sends him on vacations and will continue to do so until she has enough documentation to show that he is not able to get an education because of his actions and get him back in to the treatment center.

And...now that I've wasted all of my time and yours, peace out, girl scout.