Category: middle school

Scariest Student Ever

Posted in children, firsts, high school, humor, Iowa, junior high school, memoir, middle school, Midwestern, relationships, teacher, teaching, worst1 Comment

(re-run) During my ten years of teaching public school, I had many a student that caused me grief.  The 8th grader transfer student who called me a bitch in front of the whole class on his first day.  The brilliant 7th grade boy who lit matches in the hallway and dropped them on… Continue reading Scariest Student Ever

Self-fulfilling Prophecy

Posted in dating, English, high school, Home Ec, humor, Iowa, memoir, middle school, Nebraska, problem, self-fulfilling prophecy, small town, Spanish, student, teacher, teaching, typewriters2 Comments

(re-run) It was a few days before the kids would come – 7th and 8th graders. I left my job as a high school Spanish teacher and would now be teaching English to middle schoolers.  It was a way to get out of a podunk town in Nebraska and into a big city in Iowa… Continue reading Self-fulfilling Prophecy

The Neighbors, the Pit Bull, and the Daily Pooper

Posted in animal control, antique store, California, children, confrontation, dogs, Frisbee, high school, leash, memoir, middle school, neighbors, pit bull, poop, teaching1 Comment

(re-run) We bought a house on a street that was a long court with two courts coming off of it. We were up at the top, and it was a great and safe place for my kids to walk our greyhound mix dog. Until it wasn’t. “That was a short walk,” I said when they… Continue reading The Neighbors, the Pit Bull, and the Daily Pooper

The First Day of Summer

Posted in dogs, high school, kitchen remodel, lawn chair, live music, middle school, Millennials, neighbors, police officer, relationships, shorts, swimming pool, ticket, traffic school2 Comments

(a pre-multiple-skin cancers post) Okay, it’s not really the first day of summer, but school got out yesterday, and the kids in my neighborhood are running around in their new-found freedom. I walked the big dog and saw the parking lot to the pool, at the top of the green belt, filled with cars. It… Continue reading The First Day of Summer

How my Bug Collection Changed a Generation

Posted in best, entymology, firsts, humor, insects, Iowa, junior high school, last, memoir, middle school, Midwestern, mouse, nature, parenting, relationships, science, scientist, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) When my new science teacher announced on the first day of 7th grade that no one would get an A in his class if they didn’t make an insect collection, I was like, “NOOOOOOOO! I hate bugs!” My mother hated bugs. Her mother hated bugs. They hated mice, snakes, and dog poop, too. I… Continue reading How my Bug Collection Changed a Generation

How my Bug Collection Changed a Generation

Posted in best, entymology, firsts, humor, insects, Iowa, junior high school, last, memoir, middle school, Midwestern, mouse, nature, parenting, relationships, science, scientist, worstLeave a comment

When my new science teacher announced on the first day of 7th grade that no one would get an A in his class if they didn’t make an insect collection, I was like, “NOOOOOOOO! I hate bugs!” My mother hated bugs. Her mother hated bugs. They hated mice, snakes, and dog poop, too. I walked… Continue reading How my Bug Collection Changed a Generation

The Neighbors, the Pit Bull, and the Daily Pooper

Posted in animal control, antique store, California, children, confrontation, dogs, Frisbee, high school, leash, memoir, middle school, neighbors, pit bull, poop, teaching1 Comment

(re-run) We bought a house on a street that was a long court with two courts coming off of it. We were up at the top, and it was a great and safe place for my kids to walk Penny, our greyhound-mix dog. Until it wasn’t. “That was a short walk,” I said when they… Continue reading The Neighbors, the Pit Bull, and the Daily Pooper

The Neighbors, the Loose Pitbull, and the Daily Pooper

Posted in animal control, antique store, California, children, confrontation, dogs, Frisbee, high school, leash, memoir, middle school, neighbors, pit bull, poop, teachingLeave a comment

(re-run) We bought a house on a street that was a long court with two courts coming off of it. We were up at the top, and it was a great and safe place for my kids to walk our greyhound mix dog. Until it wasn’t. “That was a short walk,” I said when they… Continue reading The Neighbors, the Loose Pitbull, and the Daily Pooper

My Twix Bar Habit

Posted in candy bar, Iowa, May Day, memoir, middle school, MIssouri, Nebraska, pimples, secretary, teacher, Twix barLeave a comment

Her name was Pat, and she ran the middle school where I taught for six and a half years in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Pat knew everything, and everything went through Pat, the principal’s secretary. Pat was all business, and so was I. We didn’t develop a rapport past simple nice-ities.  Others could get Pat to… Continue reading My Twix Bar Habit

The Neighbors, the Loose Pitbull, and the Daily Pooper

Posted in animal control, antique store, California, children, confrontation, dogs, Frisbee, high school, leash, memoir, middle school, neighbors, pit bull, poop, teachingLeave a comment

We bought a house on a street that was a long court with two courts coming off of it. We were up at the top, and it was a great and safe place for my kids to walk our greyhound mix dog. Until it wasn’t. “That was a short walk,” I said when they trooped… Continue reading The Neighbors, the Loose Pitbull, and the Daily Pooper