Mystery

Today actually started out wonderfully. My principal walked in during homeroom and COMPLIMENTED me. Like, she said she was impressed. Wow! I guess I truly am a 12-year old, requiring constant validation...because it totally made my day.

Of course, the challenge began second period. My classes today were almost entirely good. However, during the morning, I noticed that none of the four computers in the back of the classroom would turn on. Also, there was a keyboard missing keys...oh, wait, the keys are all over the floor back here (in the back corner alcove, which I can't see from my desk).

Okay, my first guess is that the girls in my challenging class did it. On Friday, I was working on a lab with the class, and I thought they were just back there talking. It never occurred to me that they would trash my computers. Now I know. Nobody is sitting back there any more. One more lesson learned. I even went the communicate-with-principal route and told her about it, even though I have one more week left in my 90 days. She looked disappointed in me, but not terribly surprised.

And then the plot thickens. After school, I tried to fix the keyboard and computers. At this point, I noticed that someone put some serious work into this project. Some keys were missing from one keyboard, but someone had also pried the buttons off of two of the mouses(? mice?). As in, there was plastic broken off. I then noticed that every computer had every single plug pulled out. Someone had methodically pulled the plug out of the back of every computer and out of the wall. The keyboards and monitors were also unplugged. I even had to pull the table away from the wall to discover this.

So, am I that bad at managing my classroom that a few girls had the time to methodically unplug every wire of four computers in the back of my classroom in a 40-minute period? Or did someone get in my classroom when I wasn't there? The custodians promised that nobody can get in the room after school, and the school is alarmed at night. So I guess it happened when I was there? I'm suspicious.

Whatever, it's pretty much fixed (I only need two working mice when I only have two working computers out of four). And I got some really good work on SF projects today from several classes. Half a day left, and then I'm OUTTA HERE. The moment school is over, I will be on the road sitting in pre-Thanksgiving traffic on I-95. And loving every minute of it.

In less than 24 hours, I will be able to say that I made it to Thanksgiving as a first-year teacher. It almost brings me to tears. The good kind. I think.