Big, Bad Teacher (I mean wolf)...

Well.... Today, I had it with my kids. They had been getting lazy with their homework and I was being nice and giving them second, third, fourth, fifth chances on getting it finished. NOT TODAY! Here's how the wonderful day of the Big, Bad Teacher (I mean wolf) started...

8:20 - I say, "Okay guys, bring your math homework back to me." I get about 13 of them and I am a little surprised with how thin the stack is. I hand out Fryar Fun Money to the 13 out of 28 students that turned it in. Any other morning, I would say, "For those of you that didn't finish it, you need to bring it back tomorrow morning." However, today I was bitten by the Big, Bad Wolf. I went up to the board and wrote: NO HOMEWORK and listed everyone who had not turned in their homework. I told them that if I did not have their homework completed by the time recess was over, they were going to S.O.A.R (Second Opportunities Are Realized aka detention). Just let me say... You could hear a pin drop in my room because there weren't any sounds coming out of those adorable little ten-year old mouths due to them being open too wide.

8:25 - The excuses start... "Mrs. Fryar, I didn't understand the assignment." "That's not fair!" "Mrs. Fryar, I was too tired after my soccer game." "Mrs. Fryar!" "Mrs. Fryar!" "Mrs. Fryar!"

8:30 - I inform them that they had 40 minutes yesterday to ask for help while they were GIVEN plenty of time to finish their assignment. I also informed them that soccer games were not an excuse. And I ALSO informed them LIFE ISN'T FAIR!

11:00 - 4 names get erased off the board because they finished the assignment during free times.

1:00 - The students come back from recess and all but 5 of them have finished the assignment. I inform the remaining 5 IRRESPONSIBLE kiddos that they will be attending S.O.A.R.

1:10 - I start calling parents to let them know that their child did not do their homework and has to go to S.O.A.R. to complete it which means that they will have to provide alternate transportation from school.

1:20 - Two parents agree that their child needs to go to S.O.A.R. One parent agrees, but is furious and wanted to schedule a conference with me at 1:00 tomorrow afternoon. And I still haven't got a hold of 2 parents.

2:50 - One parent calls back and VERY RUDELY says, "My son can't stay because I can't come get him." I VERY NICELY say,"Okay, he will be getting a zero on the assignment and will have to go to S.O.A.R on December 2."

3:10 - Last parent calls back (already sent the student home because I never got a hold of her) and apologizes for note getting back. Agrees about S.O.A.R. and wants him in it on December 2.

To say the least... I had a pretty long day... My good, responsible students informed me that I am still their favorite teacher!