Well, today has been the typical Monday which means it has been quite  exhausting. Unfortunately, that makes for a very irritable Ms. J...

It  seemed to be a lot of knit-picking going on. As I have said in previous  blogs, I've been told that I am the best dressed amongst faculty and  stuff. Well, two weeks in a row, my hair and wardrobe has been the talk  of the school. Last week, I rocked a Mohawk. When I told people that I  was going to do it, they were concerned that it was going to look crazy.  Of course, I pulled it off with much conversation to go along with it.  This week, I am pulling off the classy bun. That again didn't happen  without the annoying "Ooh's and Ah's". But today, there was additional  annoying component because now the nagging question has been, "Ooh why  do you always have makeup on that match? Why do your accessories have to  be so perfect?" Of course, I want to scream, "Get Yo Life! And in that order!" So annoying...

Then, I had to  assign an entire class of mine study hall. It was not because they  didn't do their book report. But it was because they wrote their book  report rather than typing it and uploading it. The standard is that you  do not hand me anything handwritten but it must be typed. Well, they  tried to go around me by asking another teacher to look at my assignment  and side with them because the assignment doesn't specifically say that  it must be typed. When the teacher came to me about it, which in my  opinion was out of order, I told her that the standard academically is  that assignments are never handwritten. She swears that she wasn't aware  of this standard. My response? You are a debate teacher honey.  Therefore, you don't even assign written assignments so you wouldn't  know that. Furthermore, if they automatically know that essays must be  typed in their writing classes (which I teach) and literature classes  (which I also teach), why wouldn't they need to type this assignment?  Exactly...like GET YO LIFE!!!

Then, the home room teacher for my  lowest level critical reading class approached me because those students  were assigned study hall for not completing their book report. When he  asked if it was necessary that the students do the standard 5 paragraph  academic essay since its a book report, I just have him a blank stare  look. I then proceeded to explain that this was not an opinion essay but  rather, an academic essay because it is a BOOK REPORT. Again, GET YO  LIFE!!!

Lastly, the students actually complained today because I have already uploaded their homework for the rest of the year.

They actually said its not fair because they can no longer  use the excuse that the homework wasn't uploaded. It's shocking because  they are actually tripping about it. I find it quite funny that I  remember all of the little excuses my generation used in school and  consequently do things ahead of time to counter them; same old tricks  but a different generation.

When I considered all of the things  that took place today, as annoying as it was, I realized that all of the  ridiculous comments that I heard today stem from the fact that I truly  operate out of excellence. When I show up to school, I show up  representing not only myself, but I represent God! Why would I show up  looking broke, busted, and disgusted? I was created in the likeness and  image of God! I dare not misrepresent Him. When I am doing my work, I do  so with excellence. Therefore, I expect my students to present their  work to me in the same vein. But, I realize that not everyone is used to  being pushed to produce beyond their personal level of expectation. Be  that as it may, they may have never had a teacher that required such. To  that, I say, my students have met their first. But 25 years from now,  they will appreciate it. For that, I'm happy and satisfied that I am  doing just what I am purposed to do in their lives.

Until next time,

MJ