Callyourmomaphobic

Things are going well in the land of middle school band.  Some of the 7th and 8th graders still wish I were their old teacher, but I'm learning to just live with that unchangeable fact.  The 6th graders and I are starting to develop some really good relationships.  I can feel the harsh exoskeleton I felt I needed when I started begin to fall off and we are able to work together much better these days. 

Classroom discipline is improving.  I am trying to keep things positive, so right now I have a competition between all of the classes for a party in the courtyard during their class the day after the concert.  To earn this, they have to be the class with the highest percentage of practice cards turned in that receive a 100.  The first one that counts is due Tuesday, so we'll see then how well this will work.  Next week I'll also be starting another program that I haven't come up with a name for yet (suggestions are welcome!) where students will start the day with 5 "coins" and if I have to call them out for disrupting the class, I take 1 away.  Students can exchange the "coins" they have retained for prizes such as pencils, Silly Bandz, restroom/locker passes, and extra points on an assignment (again, always taking suggestions!).

On the practice cards, students have to get a parent to sign it for us to accept it.  This has led to many students trying to forge their parents signature.  Unfortunately, these 12 year olds have the handwriting of...well...12 year olds, so it's pretty obvious when they didn't really have a parent sign the paper.  I have managed to brave an e-mail to parents to verify their signatures, as well as a couple other times for behavior issues.  But there is 1 thing I still haven't summoned the courage to do:

Call a parent.

Thus the title of this entry.

See?

Ok.

It's nervewracking to even think of calling a parent!  What if they don't speak english?  What if they have a thick accent and I can't understand them?  What if they are convinced that anything I say is a conspirancy created by another student against their dear Johnny? 

Can I please just text parents? 

There really should be a college course in calling parents.  Or at least a seminar.  Or maybe it should be part of student teaching that you have make at least 3 phone calls home that semester.  Either way, I feel more prepared to teach Greek than to dare phone home.

I realize the day will come when I need to just bite the bullet and dial 10 digits, but hopefully it won't be today.