Dear Diary,
Monday, September 7, 2024
This was my first day of school, my first time at Tenafly High School. There were two girls who talked during the WHOLE class, one kid who fell asleep (maybe he was so quiet that I thought he was asleep), and three boys who kept talking about the new TikTok challenge that Ryan Reynolds started with Jason Mamoa. Is it too much to ask for them to pay attention to Shakespeare? Because, then again, Shakespeare was also a world-famous actor; the only difference is that he isn’t in one of those TikTok Edits. I tried to get my students interested by using their slang, like saying, “What’s popping!” But everyone looked at me like I was an ancient artifact.
Tuesday, October 3, 2024
Lydia Cattle, the teacher in the classroom beside me, asked me if I wanted to go to get coffee, but I told her I needed to grade tests (just so that I had an excuse not to talk to that teacher). In reality, I do not think my students are smart enough for a test; I have been teaching them about sonnets for a whole month, yet all they remember is the video I showed them about hamburgers during our brain break. To be honest, I think I need a brain break from them!
Wednesday, October 4, 2024
Back in my day, students came to class excited to learn. When I was a student we would greet our teacher nicely, we paid attention, and we did NOT talk to other students. One of my students, Spencer, walked into the classroom today, and at first, I thought he was trying to imitate a penguin or just didn’t know how to walk. His feet were barely coming off the ground. He would not bend the fronts of his shoes, only so that he would not crease his brand-new Jordans. This seemed absurd to me. It is inevitable for those kinds of shoes to turn brown and eventually become wrinkled. I really don’t understand the point of trying to preserve them.
Thursday, November 9, 2024
I decided to introduce a new seating chart for the students today. I made it in a gender-alternating arrangement to reduce the chatter, but the outcome was the complete opposite! Formerly, when I went to school, every classroom was arranged this way, and no one argued about it. As soon as I showed it to the students, chaos ensued. It was like the kids turned into uncontrollable wild animals. Even Sarah, the quietest girl in my classroom, turned into a lion when I told her she was sitting beside Jeff. The only thing they successfully rearranged was my patience level.
Friday, December 22, 2024
TGIF, right? I am not sure what it means, but I heard Mr. Johnson say this, and his classroom was lit with excitement and joy. From the moment I started saying this, I noticed the energy levels in the class rose significantly. Whatever this phrase means, it made one of the kids light up as though Christmas came early. Speaking of that kid, today, he asked me who my favorite student is in the classroom, and of course, I told him I don’t have a favorite student, but who am I kidding? One thing is for sure: it’s not him.
See you soon, diary!
