“Mr. Caruthers you should do theatre”

Twelfth day of student teaching? Rad. Good word? Oh well. Today I taught the “B” day kids. B2 is my bad class. I’m just going to put that out there. They don’t like to do work, they are a hot mess. They complain and whine so much. If you know me, then you know that I’m a friendly guy. I like to joke and kid. I do it when I teach, but if you were to come and watch me in B2 you would be very surprised. Today, I almost charged these kids up! I held it in. It bothers me when kids come to school thinking that they are not supposed to do any work. I can already tell that I’m going to keep my students BUSY. I will admit, I relish telling students things like, “Keep your voice a secret”, “I shouldn’t hear any talking right now”, and I like asking students questions like, “What part of be quiet don’t you understand?”. I stay on my B2 class. If I let up, they get to cutting up. I don’t play that! These kids quickly figured out how serious I was. How many of you reading this blog have seen me mad? See not many. Well I put a straight face on, gave talking students “The Look” and when I do this I want to laugh because they get all scared and stop what they are doing. Today during my lecture in B2 two girls were playing with a bobby pin. I walked over with my hand out, the girl said “I’m a need it” I retort “Well keep it in your hair”. She quickly puts it in her hair. I swear I want to laugh so hard. These kids saw the Mr. Hyde Caruthers today. I’m not a mean guy, I just can’t!
This one girl got an attitude because I gave them a worksheet for the video they watched today. They were like, “Why can’t we just enjoy the movie!” Ha! Yeah right. Last time I had to “babysit” them into being quiet. So this time around, I gave them a two sided worksheet full of questions on the movie. They were MAD quiet. It was funny watching their little heads look down at their worksheets in anticipation of trying to get the next answer. They have no idea how much I laughed at them. I like my kids, all of them, but they need to work. America needs to get their education up! And you know what is funny? As soon as they answered the last question they put their pencils down and talked through the last 30 seconds of the video! They wonder why I gave them worksheet!!! BAAHAHAHAHAHA.
Okay, fast forward to my last class of the day. B4. They are always rowdy, but I put the hammer down in the beginning. While I was lecturing I was talking about Valley Forge (George Washington’s winter training camp) I compared it to the movie Mulan (you know how they all train and get whipped into shape) and I started singing “Be a man you must be swift as a coursing river with all the strength of a raging fire….” And my students said, “Mr. Caruthers you should do theatre” I loved that. Not gonna lie. I really should try acting one day. Who knows?!
So far my kids have told me that I’m too loud and that I’m a nerd. It’s all good in the hood. It’s true, I am those things. Today In my B3 class my kids were like, “Mr. Caruthers you can be a radio personality because you can do your voice all cool”. I’ve been told that so many times. As you can see I’m enjoying teaching but I’m trying not to enjoy the “stage fame” aspect of it too much.
My cooperating teacher also gives me praise, she was telling me that she does not want me to leave! She said that its good that I use so many different movies, TV shows, comics, books, music, and stuff in my Power Points/Lectures. She said that she can tell that the kids enjoy it. I told her, these kids want to be entertained so I try and use what they like. (I’m a big kid). They all think I’m a movie buff as well. My days are great at this middle school, I really don’t want to go to my second site! I don’t expect the same results! But you never know right?! I need to do my blog earlier, but these past two days I’ve been a workin! Stackin my paper! Makin dat chedda!

Here is a quote, “To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.” Theodore Roosevelt. T-Roo led a group of men known as the Rough Riders. He was a cool cat. He hit it on the nail when he said this. I of course am a Christian. In the public schools I can’t push my faith on these kids. I also wouldn’t do that if I could. These kids really need to be taught morals. To just teach the core curriculum is putting our youth at a disadvantage. Having a bunch of smart people with no morals is a scary thing. It pulls our world towards “darkness”. When I talked to my kids about the Battle of Trenton. I told them that the Hessian soldiers were drunk from getting tipsy so when Washington and his men crossed the Delaware, of course they were surpised but they also lost and were captured because they were hungover! I dropped them some wisdom by saying: "You guys learn from them, you can't do your best if you're stumbling around drunk!" I know in today's society movies like the "Hangover" (very funny) convey messages that it is cute to be drunk out of your mind. It's not. Drink Responsibly or Don't drink at all. All right I'll spare you all the sermon! Have a great night! Don't be a menance to society!