Falling Into Place

I am such a nerd that I turned last night's American Idol results into an impromptu lesson about percentages and ratios, which my 6th graders are currently studying. I am sure this was done more for me than them, as I can practically hear their voices now: Awww! Cool! American Idol! Wait, you want us to do MATH?! This is so stOOpid." My internal monologue was more like: David Cook won by 12 million votes? Hmm... I wonder what percent that is of the total number of voters...?

Although this whole situation has been shitty, and I think that I am still a little too corny for 6th graders, I'm not scared of them like I used to be. I feel slightly more comfortable with the material than I did a week ago. (Though I will admit to studying up on the math the night before a lesson because the first couple days left me staring blankly at the board not knowing how to do anything, hence I said things like, "StudentA, why don't you show the class how to solve this problem?") Less fear means more job options, so if I can find a middle school position in a good district, I'll take that now, too.

*****

I am a little nervous today because I have to meet with a former student's mom (she wants him retained because of his lack of maturity), and Boss Lady will be in on the meeting. Although she works in the same building, I have spent the last week perfecting the game of Ways to Get Places Without Passing Her Office (mostly by travelling on the second and third floor and in stairwells, similar to how a rat might sneak around an office building during the day). This will be the first time I have seen her since things went down last week and since I received her Letter. I also don't know what they told my old students' parents about the reason for the switch so late in the year. Did they even give a reason? If the mom asks me, I'm not sure how I'll answer.