Diaries of a High School Math Teacher

I know I've said this before, but I love my job. Here are just a few of this weeks highlights.

1) Layton high school just got a new principal which means new policies and programs. One of the new policies is that student are not to be in the hall for any reason without a hall pass. I usually let my students have a drink break half way through the class, but because of the new policy I've had to stop. Three of my students (all boys) came to me with a diagram mapping out exactly how they were going to get to the drinking fountain without being caught. The diagram included ninja rolls, secret spy moves and a plan B (just in case). With a plan like that I had to let them go. Three minutes later, two of the three boys came running into the classroom. "Ms. Johnson we're so sorry, but we got caught. Mr. Gochberg (the assistant principal)said that we are going to get truencies, and that he is going to come talk to you about following the hall pass policy." "Where is Chris (the third boy)?" I asked, "Oh, he ran and hid in the bathroom." Are you kidding me...it was a drink break for heavens sake...doesn't the assistant principal have better things to do them get mad at students for getting a drink...ahhh! Five minutes passes, Chris comes back, but no Mr. Gochberg. 10 min...15 min...no Mr Gochberg. By this time I have figured out in my head exactly how I'm going to convince Mr. Gochberg not to give these boys truencies. 20 min...and then the bell rings. As these three boys leave one says, "Ms. Johnson, we were just kidding." ... Man I am gullible.

2) Today I gave a test on probability. The symbol "!" in math is called a factoral which means that you multiply a number by every number less than it until you get to zero. For example 5! is 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1. As I was sitting at my desk one boy came up to me and said, "Ms. Johnson, I think there is a typo on number 5. All it says is forteen!!!!!(said with an excited inflection of his voice). I looked at him and thought "is he kidding...he must be kidding...wow, I think he's serious." All I could say is "no, it's not a typo, retake test will be available after spring break"...Oh, goodness :)