Week 37: Leading

Juniors on a field trip making a meal for senior citizens

My freshmen with Ms. Minaj

Announcing the scholarship winners

This week was full of:  being the Team Leader for a week! Chaperoning a field trip with some juniors, Nicki Minaj visiting our school, fights in school breaking out, watching a gang video with J, and starting to help D, a senior, pass his online algebra class so he can graduate.  

Quotes of the Week: 

How much did being in the Get Schooled Challenge motivate you to come to school?
"What's the Get Schooled Challenge?"


During a discussion with juniors about The Fallen, a book about a boy who has to decide whether to take revenge on the guy who killed his little brother or say no to violence and break the loyalty of his friends:  
Me: "...you know, there are parts of this world where you would never have to make a decision like that.  For example, I have never seen a gun."
Juniors: "WHAT?? Never?" "You've never touched one???" "I see guns, I touch guns, I use guns...."
I was shocked by the extent of their shock.  The idea of a violence-free world is just unfathomable to them.  "But see, Ms. Lewis, in this world, on the west side, that's how we deal with things."

"It's crazy that people get killed over this."  - J, a freshmen, while teaching me how to play dice.

Joys:  Watching C, a junior, help Ms. Peaches with crafts at the senior citizen home; being IMed by one of my 4th graders from last year.