On disrespect

Today I was hit by a student. In the face. For the second time.

I have a student in my class who has been trouble from the start. He’s extremely hyperactive (I mean, I know he’s five, but this kid bounces off walls), and can be very mean. He cannot stay in line with the other kids because he is bothering them. He has to hold my hand in the hallway, sit next to a teacher during assemblies, and usually has to sit with a school aide during recess.

So this student, who did not go on our field trip yesterday as his behavior had been too out of control, hit me today. He had been acting up all day, and I had to remove him from the class when they lined up for a bathroom break. He struggled with me, pulling and fighting. When we’d arrived at the hallway, he refused to continue with the class. He started kicking at my feet and fighting. He balled his hands up into fists and said he was going to hit me. At this point, I restrained him and attempted to bring him with the class. In retaliation, he hit me across the left side of my face. And I am just at a loss. I don’t know what to do with this child. Nothing works, it’s almost May, and it’s been non-stop disaster. In a class of 27 kids, I spend at least 50% of my day focused on this one. And it’s not fair to me or my students.

Fortunately, for the first time, the administration got my back. My assistant principal was livid, she would not let him come back to my class and made his mother pick him up. I think it was because this is not his first offense. I also think he might be suspended.

So right now, I’m still pretty pissed off. Yes, he’s five, it’s not like it hurt me that badly, but it was pretty emotionally jarring. It’s a violation of trust and respect. I like to think that I have some of that, even with kindergarteners. I’m upset and I’m angry. And I’m not looking forward to his return.

What is tired?

1 Field trip to the Children’s Zoo at the Bronx Zoo + 22 kids + 3 parents + 2 days without a prep + 3 days in a row of running + 1 killer hangover + 1 paper due tomorrow = 1 tired Bex.

I wish tomorrow were Friday.

Full o food (and contradictions)

Last Wednesday my dad took me out to Hatsuhana for some of the best sushi I’ve ever had in my life (granted, I say that EVERY time I go there). I tend to stick to sashimi or sushi pieces when I’m there, as the fish is so good and fresh that anything else would be a waste. Toro that melts in your mouth, fatty salmon sunomono, spanish mackeral, huge soft scallops, fatty yellowtail….and on and on, resulting in a bill of approx $200 (for 2).

One week later, DiAnne and I got cheap sushi from our 50% off place down first ave (Osaka). What classy food did we consume? Sweet potato tempura rolls. Not only is it not raw, it’s not even fish! Oh sweet sushi blasphemy, it is still so damn tasty… (and cheap! at $2.50 per roll, it can’t be beat)

PS - once I get my camera back from Canon (don’t ask, I’m bitter), I will post more pictures of food n such. Right now I’m stuck relying on others (and my cameraphone).

Happy Birthday DiAnne!

Let’s give it up for my fabulous roommate!

Brownies and fried chicken

Last night, in celebration of turning in my “CAP” and 4/20, Justin brought over some “magic” brownies that he’d made. Oh my god, I haven’t been that out of my mind in a long time! Those brownies should come with a warning label. Not only were they delicious, but extremely potent. Justin made his “famous” fried chicken, accompanied by mashed potatoes with cauliflower in them, green beans, and gravy. Delicious times and hilariously good fun was had by all, even if we didn’t make it out of my apartment as planned. To be fair, we didn’t start cooking until after 8. So when Justin tried to convince me to go out to a movie at 10 (and I was well on my way to being ripped out of my skull), I said “moving is not happening,” which we both found hilariously funny. So we watched “Snakes on a Plane.” And I fell asleep on Justin - perfectly content and full of food.

Oh shit oh shit oh HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!

Wednesday was Amanda’s 23rd birthday, and I totally forgot to put up a happy birthday blog post, so here it is!

Happy Birthday Amanda, I love you muchly!

(only appropriate that I’m putting the post up now as you sure are celebrating it this weeekend )

Done and done.

I just turned in my “Culminating Assessment Project” for grad school this afternoon.  Huzzah!  I am so relieved right now.  That project was a pain in the ass.  And seeing as how I currently hate teaching and feel like I’m not very good at it, it also felt like a great big lie.  But it’s done and done. 

Montreal

Over my spring break, Justin and I spent a weekend in Montreal. Here are some of our pictures! (Taken on Justin’s awesome camera, pre-photoshopping)

Jean-Talon Market (foodie’s paradise)

I’m all lost in the supermarket…

Sunglasses Bex

Justin gives me the drunk wink

Justin + Beer = Happy

Poutain(fries w/cheese and gravy — yuuum!)

I love to eat

Old Montreal

More Old Montreal

Justin and Bex in Old Montreal

Doesn’t the circular thing to the left look like Epcot Center?

I ponder this question

polar bear beer has all the answers

The view from Mont-Royal

Us on Mont-Royal (Justin refused to ask anyone to take our pic for us)

Creepy trees (taken from the road)

And that’s that! Hope you enjoyed our journey!

So it goes… (written the day after Vonnegut’s death)

his morning I found out that my favorite author died yesterday. Kurt Vonnegut was dark, cynical, and brilliant. I discovered him at a formative time in my life, starting with Welcome to the Monkey House and Cat’s Cradle (both of which remain two of my favorite books of all time), and relished reading every book he’s written. In college, I would distract myself from more pertinent schoolwork by purchasing a Vonnegut novel and simply enjoying his words. Living in Manhattan, it was always a secret hope of mine to hang out in his Turtle Bay hood, hoping I’d see him going for a stroll, and then somehow persuade him to let me buy him a beer. Anyway, my words don’t do his words justice, but I’m sad, even though he always wanted to die. And even though I never met him, he will be missed. So it goes.

Insomnia… (written before the first day back from Spring Break)

“With insomnia, you’re never really asleep. And you’re never really awake.”

How true, indeed.

Right now I find myself trapped in that dysfunctional sleep schedule that 10 days of vacation has induced. No doubt a time-change trip to the other coast and a road trip to Montreal (where sleep was not the top priority) have had an effect. Not that I’m complaining. But my overactive brain doesn’t help. I envy those who can drift away once their head hits the pillow, while I’m contemplating the lyrics to “Rift,” if I can squeeze in a run before grad school work, who my favorite Latino director is and whether honey mustard is better than spicy. My brain is a complicated place to be.

Tomorrow is the first day back to school, after a blissful spring break (though it felt more like winter if you ask me). So my brain is especially consumed: how to keep the kids busy, how to keep myself busy, what time do i need to wake up, will there be time for coffee, I really need to work on my CAP, I really need to find a new job, and oh shit, I have to deal with co tomorrow!

But more importantly consuming (and more importantly exciting) is something that will be occupying my brain for the next few months: my trip to Europe! After months of talking it up, putting a deposit on the AmeriCorps program, and generally being vague about my travel, I have finally purchased my ticket. I will be arriving in London July 4th, starting my Barcelona program July 19th, ending it August 3rd, and returning to the States August 21. Still vague, but at least I have a flight. So now my crazy little brain is plotting, planning, speculating on everything to be done before and in between. What should I bring? Backpack or rolly bag? Where am I going to travel? Will I be lonely? Am I insane? Will I ever sleep? (Um, and if you’re going to be in Europe during that time, or know anyone who will be, please give a shout!)

And so I lie in bed, perilously tired, but strangely awake, feeling as I will likely feel tomorrow. With insomnia, you get accustomed to that semi-lucid state of being. You get used being alone with your brain at night, noisy as it can be. In fact, sometimes you like that it talks so much, at least that means it’s alive.