So much to say!!

A lot can happen in the course of a week...a lot that of trivial, non-important, non-life altering...but then again when are these posts anything less. With all this meaningless information rolling around in my head, I know not where to begin...I guess will start with today, possible stick to only today.

I was in the science lab all day today, for every class. Often times they are not my favorite days, but today it dawned on me way I often hate these days...I tend to put way too much effort into them to make sure that nothing goes wrong for the students, so that they don't get confused and frustrate. Today, however, I changed my strategy and life was much better...FOR ME. I coped my same "use your own brain cells/your own common sense" attitude and though they got irritate AGAIN, and stomped and whined, which of course I whined right back at them...which only made their attitude worse...until they realized how ridiculous I looked/THEY looked!!

So today for biology we were in the lab extracting DNA from strawberries, not the most complicated of labs, in fact I had to work to make it last the whole hour. I took attendance (3 mins), assigned partners (3 mins), gave instructions (6 mins). The instructions had a disclaimer attached to the beginning that went something like this..."I am going to read this pre-lab 'with' because I know that if I don't no one will, you will need to answer the three pre-lab questions to my satisfaction, which will be indicated by my well sought after initials, I will then explain all the materials in the middle of the room and their purposes. I will do this ONE time and ONE time only. Once I am finished you will be ON YOUR OWN, you will use your own personal brain cells, your own personal common sense, which we have discovered is a difficult yet possible task. At this point you will also be required to turn on your discretionary switches before asking me a question, which will of course be up to me as to whether or not I will be answering it...So how many times will I be explaining these materials?" In heart warming unison, "ONCE." Once again, even with a disclaimer like that, I still had valiant attempts at questions that could be answered in the procedure of the lab...therefore they just got blank stares. Frustrating for them...easier life for me!

So not only in an attempt to prolong the process but also to get them to use their brains, they had to come to me with their pre-lab questions done and I would read over them, if they were non-satisfactory then I would put a slash through them and tell them to come when their answer makes sense. It was my third lab of the day, these students were experiencing the same things as the others that went before them. There I was sitting in the front of the lab, just smiling (somewhat convincingly) and slashing their papers with comments like "What is 'it'?" "What is 'stuff'?" "This isn't an answer, it's a restatement of the question!" "Hmmm better luck next time." "Are you trying to upset me with this right now?" "Honestly, did you walk up here thinking I was going to okay this?" Then out of the corner of my eye I saw a large familiar figure standing in the doorway...yeah...the principal!!! First thought...OH CRAP...second thought...well you are trying to get fired...press on girlfriend!! We made eye contact, he came in, he motioned to me NOT to speak (OH CRAP), he asked the students standing in line "What are we doing in here today?" Praise the Lord there were students who knew what was going on, "We are getting the DNA out of strawberries." (THANK YOU JESUS) He then walked to the middle of the lab where all the materials were, and he began asking random students "What is this for? What does this do? How do you use this thing?" Every question was followed by a well stated answer! (AGAIN THANK YOU JESUS) He then joined the line at my desk, he got in line with one of my female students, he asked her "Are you feeling confident with your answers?" She looked up at him with fear in her eyes, "I guess so." "You sound kind of nervous." "Yeah I am." "Oh man well me too then!" He waited with her until it was her turn, they both stepped up to the desk, she put her paper down, I read it (this was the third time I had read her answers...thankfully this time they all made sense) I put my initials on the bottom...they BOTH let out sighs of relief...Mr. Gamble gave her a high five and he left! Mr. Gamble made a friend that day, a girl who never thought she would ever meet him..."He's a funny guy!" "Yeah, he is!"

I will end with my favorite comment of the day: "I feel like I can't see my eyebrows!!" My response: "Stop talking...you are not using your discretionary switch like I asked you...just stop talking!"