"He's White"

We had parent teacher conferences last week (Wednesday) and again, I had only about half of my students parents show up. Conferences are weird, in that, the parents that show up are most often the ones you don't need to talk with about their son or daughter.

I did have a couple parents show up that I was happy to see make it, and I was able to talk to them about their child. For most of my students, behavior in the classroom and effort (inside and outside of the classroom) are the two biggest hindrances to their success. A lot of my students are capable of doing well in school... it is just a challenge for me to get them to "want" to do well in school. That is the conversation that takes place between the students parent (or guardian in most cases) and myself (well... translator and myself in most cases).

A funny moment happened on Wednesday when an entire family (dad, three little girls, and one little boy) all came in to meet with me. I knew almost all of the family, as I had one of the little girls and the boy in science lab before moving to fifth grade. It was nice to see them and to say "hi." Once we all sat down and the girls father and I began talking I saw the littlest of the girls (the one that is not in school yet) lean over as if she was going to whisper something. I didn't have to try to hear her whisper, because shortly after she put her hand up I heard her tell her older sister "He's white!?" The father looked at me a little speechless and then said something to the little girl in Spanish. He spoke very fast so I had no way of translating or looking it up later. The girl put her hand down quickly and didn't say another word for the whole conference.

I was thinking a little after this incident. I might actually be the first "white person" this little girl has actually come in contact with. If she is three or four, she might not have left the neighborhood she lives in, and I am definitely the minority around the school. I don't think I am the first white guy she has met, but if not that, I am not really sure why the comment.

Maybe she had heard her brother and sisters talk about me and just assumed I was Hispanic, the predominate race of the neighborhood. Anyway... I thought it was interesting and worth sharing... I am not used to being referred to by race, but when you are a minority in an area it tends to happen. This is not the first time I have been referred to as being "white" or "the white guy." When your skin color is what makes you different, I guess it is easiest to describe you to others by that difference. I don't take offense at all because I don't think it is meant to be hurtful in anyway.

A New Puppy...

After school today I was walking to go and laminate my fancy, new, homemade attendance chart (enough adjectives?)... and I found a puppy!

I was a little caught off guard to find a small black puppy with white "boots" curled up on our school grounds, but then, after thinking of the number of dogs I see around the school everyday, I wasn't that surprised. It had made it through the chain-linked fence somehow and found a nice spot to lay in the corner where two "T-buildings" (the supposedly temporary buildings at our school) come together.

I named the puppy "Boots" (I thought "socks" was a little too girly... cat). I was excited to have the puppy... but reality quickly set in and I had no idea what I was going to do with boots. I live in a decent sized apartment for one person, but I don't really think I should have a dog there too. I am also very busy and not home often enough to really take care of it... I needed to find this doggy a home.

I carried boots around the school asking teachers if they needed a new puppy. Although I received many comments on how cute she was and how I should keep her, I didn't find a home. Just before it was time for me to leave for wrestling practice I made one more stop by the office.

I ran into a father with his child. The little girl reached out to pet boots so I set her down. The girl, probably 3-4 (not old enough to be in school yet as they were picking up a sibling from after school and if one stays, they usually all do), petting the puppy and smiled. I asked the man if he wanted the puppy. He looked at me confused. In broken Spanish I then asked the man something along the lines of "You. Take Puppy?" I made sure to use plenty of inflection so he knew it was a question and gestured the dog towards them.

The man replied saying something about wanting the dog in his house and smiled. I asked a student passing by to help translate to the man how I had found the puppy and that I would like him to take the dog if he would like it and take care of it. The man smiled again and said thank you. The man quickly told the little girl something is Spanish and she smiled too.

(Here are some pictures. I think she was a Border Collie mixed with Pit Bull, but really not sure. She had very soft, wiry hair, and a Pit Bull snout)

Hopefully I found Boots a good home where she is sleeping sound tonight.

Cold Weather

Over the past week the weather in Houston has been relatively cold, even for a native Minnesotan. It is pretty rare for temperatures to get below freezing in Houston, but over the last week we have seen several days where the temperature has dipped below freezing.

On Friday, temperatures were around 19 degrees. The low temperatures have been frustrating for me as the colder the temperature gets the less students come to school. I had eight students absent on Friday. The teacher who teaches my students reading, writing, and social studies said this is pretty normal for when it gets cold. He only had half of his students in class!

The effects of the cold were also felt at wrestling. On Saturday I was supposed to take nine junior varsity wrestlers to a tournament by College Station (near Texas A&M), which is about an hour an and forty-five minute drive. Three wrestlers showed up. Of the three wrestlers that showed up one got second, one got fourth, and the other got hurt and had to injury default in the championship quarterfinals. I was happy the three guys I took did a good job, but very frustrated that I drove close to four hours round trip and gave up my whole Saturday to coach when only a third of my wrestlers showed up.

Other than the cold, things are going well here. My students are seemingly better behaved this second half of the school year. Either that, or I am beginning to get used to their behavior... but I do think they are doing better, which is great. We are able to spend less time having to listen to me reprimand students and and more time learning!

Have a great week!
- Joe