Nearer to Christmas

"Good Morning Mer.Coryle", (I've stop telling myself "It's COIL(silent e)"..and let the say my name however they like)..these are sweet words I hear every morning without delay as I pass students on my way to the art room. Somehow, all the students know my name, several of which I've never taught. There comes a certain fame in the elementary wing of any school when you are the art teacher. It's like you can do things other teachers can't...and no, I'm not letting them know that's not true.

Yesterday I realized that sometimes the issues,situations,conversations, and mini-wars are all too much to take in at one time. Teaching among children, 80% that live in poverty (no really, they walk from a gated and guarded projects housing neighborhood, 6 rows to be exact). ..you can imagine the things they see and hear. It's sad to look out the window and see they live there, but it's altogether entertaining to spend time with them on a daily basis. Most of my students are not fragile, they laugh and play just like any child, and brush aside all the chaos they may experience on a daily basis. We don't deal with violence here or drugs, we "deal" more with the emotional and verbal damage that the kids live with and listen to. ..but there are the things that keep you smiling, laughing, and stepping back to think "is this really my job"?

I heard a parent-conference with the assistant principal yesterday, it went something like this

Assist.Princ. "yes, I understand ma'am"

Parent "don't give me that bull*#&, why you suspended my boy, you always puttin' him out"

(parent walks off..principal yelling to "please wait ma'am", "you can't go down there")

Parent leaves to get their child from class... I'm not sure how it ended, but no one had to call the police. This is typically how the conference goes... and no I don't have many, if any at all. I may call a parent from time to time, but forget having a conference people !

Favorite phrase today: Jamon:"You makin' that statement derogatory!"
Kiana:"Nobody aks you to be bringin' derogatory over here!"


To conclude, here are some phrases I hear everyday : "gimme some candy", "yo mamma is..","bald-headed", "ole' nappy head", "girrrrr, I know you jus' didn", "Mer.Coryle-did you see that?", "you gonna make me SNAP", " you got put-out like Buckwheat"





And yes, several times a day I say to myself "what did he/she just say", "was that a bad word?"