i love knowing there's no school tomorrow

I'm making progress with my room! Here is the picture I first took of my classroom in September:

And here it is now!

(I have no clue what to put on the white paper over the bulletin board - any ideas??)

Knowledge IS power.

Front board & my desk.

~

Some recent journal responses:

Question: Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?

Response: "Famous, dead, or in jail. Or just maybe still in the streets working."

Question: Finish this thought and explain: "I wish I didn't have to..."

Response: "I wish I did not have to do some things to make money. I wish I could do some good things like find a job."

Question: Tell me something about yourself.

Response A: "Mrs. Parton I'm going to tell you that at the age of 16 yrs old I moved out and started living on my own. I now have to pay rent and pay bills. I know I'm not grown but I'm close enough."

Response B: "Well I like to talk on the phone and I got shot before in my back when I was nine. I like to shop for clothes and shoes"

Response C: "I'm recently pregnant but I don't know if I should keep the baby or not."

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During my 6th period prep today, a student I didn't know knocked on my door, so I went to see what he needed. I opened the door and said, "How can I help you?" He said, "I need to tell you my problems. I'm gonna tell you my life story."

And he did. Beginning with his father being a crack dealer, to when he started stealing cars at age 12, to when he went to juvie for the first time at age 13, to this past Wednesday, when his older brother was shot and killed... right up to last night when his other older brother was shot and killed. "Two brothers in one week... I cried so much I got no tears left. I just had to talk to somebody or I thought I was gonna explode. I'm gonna come talk to you whenever I get thinkin' about it too much."

A security guard came in, wondering why there was a student sitting in front of my desk with his feet propped up on my desk, and when he asked, "I just needed to talk to someone! I can't talk to anyone else - she's the only one I can trust."

Maybe there is a reason I'm at this school...

~

Home tomorrow!!