I can't believe it's over!

Yesterday marked my last day in my junior field experience, and it was definitely bittersweet.  All 3 periods had a party/chill day; they were allowed to bring in food and we watched the last two episodes of an online Spanish-speaking drama/educational video (Mi Vida Loca.  Look it, up it's fantastic!).  My co-op was using it as a party for me, and I have to say, I loved having a party thrown for me!  Even second period, the ones who seemed to like me the least as a class, got into it and brought in food.

First period really started the day off right, though.  When I arrived, my co-op and a few students were blowing up balloons.  I was then promptly kicked out of the room because one of the boys (Alejandro, you may remember him as the lotion boy from On a lighter note...) wanted it to be a surprise.  So I wandered off to the copy room/faculty room with strict orders not to come back until the bell.  After about 10 minutes of studying for an exam, the warning bell rang.  I figured that I should head back, but I didn't immediately walk in because I knew it was really important to them that I didn't walk in early.  So while I waited for the second bell one of my other boys, Nicolás, walked to the classroom.

First thing out of his mouth was a laugh and, "so did they kick you out of the room?"

I nodded as he walked in, before adding "find out if I can come in yet!"

After a few seconds he came back out and confirmed that I wasn't supposed to come in yet.  I could hear Alejandro directing people before I saw the door be pulled shut and the lights turned out.  He then opened the door, walked out, and said "Oh hello Señorita, are you here to teach us something today?"

I chuckled and played along, saying that yes I was there to teach them.  And when I walked in the whole class yelled sorpresa!, and two other boys jumped out from either side of the door (which really did startle me).  The had hung balloons on the chalkboard, there were streamers, and the whole back table had food. It was great!

I was really sad to see my time there come to the end.  I got lots of hugs and students making me promise to come visit, and my co-op got me a really great little bucket with Vitamin Water (to get me through finals), colored permanent markers (which I love), and a thank you card.

I'm so grateful that I got the opportunity to spend my semester at this high school with these people; as crazy as the students made me I'll really miss seeing them every day and my co-op was a huge asset.  I know that because of them I'll go far!

Want a nugget?

Today, I learned a new activity students do to make each other crazy; it seems as though "pantsing" and knocking a kid's books on the floor have been left behind for good.

Before first period one of my students was talking about "nuggeting."  I must have looked confused because he asked me if I knew what it meant (that was a big negative, all my classmates used to do was tell people that their socks were untied...).  Of course then they started talking amongst themselves about how maybe they should give me a little introduction to nuggeting.

Once they got distracted, my co-op explained to me that nuggeting is when a student takes everything out of another student's backpack, turns it inside out, and then puts everything back in.  Obviously when the bell rings the student then comes back to grab their things only to find this "nugget" of a bookbag.  Since they can't just pick it up now that the straps are inside, they're stuck hulking this big clunky sack around school until they get a chance to turn it right side out.

Now I have to admit, I did chuckle a little; the mental picture was just too funny.  But I guess students got really fast at it and it became a huge problem at the school.  It was bad enough where a student could walk across the room, come back 30 seconds later and they'd have a nugget.

Like every high school fad, this one eventually died down.  But I can't help but wonder what the students will come up with by the time I have a classroom!

Down to the wire!

Since I'm getting to the end of the semester insanity, this one is going to be short and sweet!  I can't believe I only have a week left with my students...my co-op said today that it was bittersweet, but I have to say I'm seeing it as a little more bitter.  The students make me nuts and I whined a lot about making up lessons while doing other class work, but it really has been a blast!

That being said, I got to see "imitation is the highest form of flattery" acted out today in class.  Last week, my friend and I attempted a manicure where you paint your nails one color and then use straws to paint different colored circles on them (it's harder than it sounds...or maybe it's just as hard as it sounds, depending on your level of craftiness.  I'm at level -12 so it was tough for me).  But they ended up looking really cool, so I left them for school.  So today when I went to class, I noticed one of the girls who asked me about them had tried it!

Now, I know this is something very small, but I got really excited that she tried it after seeing me do it!  Hers looked about a million times better, but it was still awesome!

Oh hello there, spring break!

This week, I get one of those extra perks of being an education student: my students' spring break.  I already had my university's spring break a couple weeks ago, and now the high school I'm teaching at has theirs.  Now, while this doesn't mean I have the whole week off (I still have those pesky college courses), it does mean that I get a whole week of being able to sleep until it's actually light outside!  For example, today I got to sleep until 9 am, which is a whole 4 extra hours of shut eye!

So all this being said, any posts for the next few days will be a little different, i.e. probably having nothing to do with teaching at all.  However, I did make this blog with the intention of having a college student's point of view, so it still works!