Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Cockroaches

I have always hated bugs. Or anything small that crawls really.

I thought my hatred was at its max after my 10th grade Biology teacher made us  do an insect project. Catch, smother, stick a pin through, and label a bunch of nasty insects....I've never been so proud of a C grade in my life! Yea, I thought that was bad.

But now I am discovering the joys of Cockroaches. And by 'joys' I mean shockingly-terrifying, momentarily-paralyzing, nightmare-causing, phobia-of-every-little-sound-I-hear Joys.

It started about 15 days ago. And since then we have seen at least one a day, although lately it's been two a day (with the exception of my birthday...wishes do come true!!)

The first one was laying belly up in front of the patio door. I, of course, ignored it leaving it for one of my roommates to pick up. They naturally did the same. Who wants to pick up a cockroach! The next day when I didn't see it anymore I thought one of them had caved and moved it. I thought wrong! A day later I moved the curtains and startled the little 'friend'. Cherith and I were instantly on chairs commanding the other to kill it. Cherith ran for a neighbor while I continued to stand on the chair and babysit it. Don't judge...they. are. terrifying.

If only we had known then what was to come....

Cherith and I were watching a movie and I kept hearing a sound behind us. I couldn't take it anymore so we stopped the movie and went to the kitchen only to find a cockroach chilling on the counter- the kitchen counter!- munching on some bread crumbs. Naturally, we screamed for Megan and she came to kill him. Unfortunately he escaped behind the counter first. I didn't spend more than 10 seconds in the kitchen for three days. Also, he might still be on the loose...

I have walked into my room and the bathroom to find them belly up. But I have also found two Live ones in my room! Last night, I woke up from a dead sleep with the certain feeling that one was in my room. I debated turning on the light to look and ignoring and trying to sleep again (ignorance is bliss right?). I couldn't handle it anymore so I flipped on the light and sure enough there it was by the dresser at the foot of the bed. I grabbed one of the flip-flops I now sleep next to (for reasons such as this) and threw it at the bugger! Thankfully, I hit it!! I opted to leave the shoe and dead roach and attempted to sleep again. However, by this point I was covered in sweat and convinced the cockroach  army was preparing to come for me! I alternated between waking up because of a nightmare (cockroach related of course) or because I was violently thrashing about because the covers touched me, and one time it was because I had slapped myself so hard in the arm convinced there was something.  Needless to say, it was a long, rough night. I also left it this morning because he was still a little wiggly. I joked with Megan she could throw it away for me. When I got home I went to clean the scene and the shoe had been moved slightly and the roach was NOT there! I cannot describe the fear that ran through me. At first, Cherith and Megan denied throwing it out and I contemplated moving right then. But I could see the smirks and they finally admitted it was a joke. The most NOT funny joke Ever. Bllaah!

I suppose the only good from this real-life nightmare is that my students are loving it! I have been telling them my daily cockroach stories and how a simple house-fly was able to get all three of us on chairs and couches ready to attack (or flee for life). Their new favorite thing to say is "Miss, there's a cockroach!"...and then they giggle and point like its the funniest thing ever! Life may be rough in Apt 18, but the kids in 205 sure are enjoying it!

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Fun Facts from 2B

I have been compiling a list for quite a while now of all the little things I love about my second graders. It's a great reference to look at after a long, not-so-good day!


  • Some of them have superior imaginations. Others have none.

  • They had a party in art class, yet somehow my classroom floor was covered in popcorn.

  • They have the most advanced selective hearing abilities ever! It's astounding.

  • I only trust the girls to teach me words in Arabic. The boys purposely lie.

  • When my students want to say "octopus" it comes out as "octopiss." Every time. All of them.

  • I killed a baby cockroach and two spiders in my classroom all before 7:15 one morning. Productive, I know!

  • Saying "keep your hands to yourself" is a challenge to them. I'm convinced of it.

  • They are far too comfortable with me! I went to get a fork at lunch and came to back to find one eating my pretzels and another trying to hack into my phone...both of which were inside my lunch-bag!

  •  The days I encourage the kids to try really really hard to open their water bottles in the lunch room are really the days when the bottles are too difficult for me to open!

  • I have the cutest second-graders. (Okay, this one might be more of an opinion)

  • Soccer is more than a thing to do at recess...it is their lifeblood.

  • They are quite Unaware of each other...I watched my smallest girl carry four chairs, one at a time, across the room. A few minutes later I watched my biggest boy carry all four at once back to the same place she had moved them from.  There was no need to move the chairs in either instance.

  • They are very nosy!! They beg me to share any letter from home, they watch me like a hawk during their French class (but when I am teaching it's like I'm invisible), they make up silly things to ask just to come over to my desk and look at things, if I smile at something they will also smile even though they have no idea why I am smiling (I've tested this!) and then they will ask why I am smiling. 
  • They answer questions like this: photo.JPG 
  •  
  • They make me smile (and usually) laugh Every day!  

Spring

There are 4.5 school days left in the school year. And, even though last week felt super long, this year really has zipped by. Here's m...