Is everyone allergic to bullets?

Today started off with good intentions, all the kids came in and began their morning work. We began our math review because I apparently didn't teach angles well enough the first time. This is where it began sliding downhill. I explained numerous times that we would go question by question to make sure you understand why you missed it and you'll know the answer and similar ones for next time. Well, I never said my class was blessed with patience and so this review didn't go as smoothly as it should have. I had kids yelling, "Do number 3! Do number 6! No, number 1 on the next page!" If they would have just waited, I would have done every one of them in order.

Then comes my new computer. The kids knew I was super excited about this new computer and they were excited about it as well, because this meant my old computer was now going to be available for them to use as a privilege. This disturbed any semblance of a lesson I had remaining. I thought the kids couldn't be any more distracted at this point...I thought WRONG!

My door was open today due to the computer arrival and while I was working on something with a kid, I hear, "We have a new student!" WHAT?!?!?! Did I just get one two weeks ago and 3 weeks prior to that? Seriously! Well, at least it was a girl this time. I could not have handled one more boy in my classroom. She seems sweet, while her mom could have cared less that I was her new teacher. She was texting the entire time she was standing at my door dropping her off. She didn't acknowledge me and I'm not sure if she even said bye to her daughter. I can see that this one is all about parent involvement. Getting a new kid situated is always tricky...trying to manage/control the rest of the class who have endless questions for the new kid and also making sure she knows the procedures, etc. I usually try to stop the lesson and we have a class meeting to let the new kid know about us and our class, but this week is special. I will be out 2 days and have already written my lesson plans, which means I must stay on task so that we are exactly where the sub needs to pick up.

So by now the day is shot and it's only 9:05! I definitely have high hopes for the rest of the day...but not really! The day continues with non-stop chatting, unacceptable classroom behavior, and incomplete work. It's a lot to manage and it makes me grateful that there are only 37 days of school left.

In the midst of today, I had a humorous conversation with one of my students on the way to lunch. Most of the class freaks out because there is a wasp flying around the sidewalk we are on and then one of the students asks me, "Ms. L, is everyone allergic to bullets?" In my mind, I heard bees or wasps or ants, but no...you read correctly, she said bullets! I said, "Well, you CAN'T be allergic to bullets. You can die from them, but you can't be allergic." And she turns to a friend and says, "HA!" This concerned me. She was not right in any argument and didn't know the difference. She is one of my lower performing students, but I still didn't expect this from any kid, not a second grader and definitely not a fourth grader! Maybe we'll have a discussion tomorrow about things you can actually be allergic to.