Alternative Hypothesis

Bad moon, drawing nigh!
Beasts roar wild discordant cries.
Run, run for the hills!

I don't know if there has been a study about a correlation between a full moon and bad behavior, but I have heard administrators reference this vexing observance on numerous occasions over the years. Kendall has drawn a full organizational response. All of the adults are now fully on his case. My behavior tracking behavioral approach has gone viral. He has all of the adults' full attention, just like he wanted, although perhaps not in the form he may have wanted. His mentor, Coach Lyons, Defensive Coordinator for an undefeated State Champion high school football team, is now promising pizza and talk about matching up against future NFL stars in college.

With a bad moon rising, Kendall was difficult during the first half of 4th period, then began exhibiting increasingly positive behavior after lunch, and even asked if he and his mom could meet up with me over the weekend at McDonald's for help. I replied that if he asked his mom to email me, I would come.

Then, during remediation time, Kendall, showed up late, never stopped wandering, never refrained from putting his hands on everything, including my documentation pen which I was trying to write with, never kept instigating, and shape-shifted into the form of a fire-starting monster. Kendell kept verbally assaulting the Ulysses in my story, who remained totally focused on not descending down the path of juvenile delinquency again, not being sent back to an alternative school, and never stopped attempting to learn despite the chaos. I thanked Ulysses repeatedly for holding his fire. Kendall was unable refrain from starting metaphorical fires throughout the classroom. After the verbal assaults and in your face proximity became unbearable, sensing a counter attack was imminent, I called Ms. English for administrative help. Then, I told Kendell, when I was his age, if he had continued pushing my buttons as he had been doing, I might have jumped over 5 desk and started pounding on him, then thanked Ulysses again for maintaining his composure. Thankfully, Ms. English walked with Kendall and restored balance in the universe.

Thankfully, my first IEP meeting with Justin Chan's father received full agreement, after I dropped off the draft last night at 9:30 pm last night and his mom was able to review it. Last Sunday's conference at the Chan's house paid immediate dividends. 15 minutes. Slam dunk!

Sheen Estevez's mother, on the other hand, never responded when I replied that her slot had been taken when she had said she was unable to attend. She stormed out of the main office when I greeted Justin's dad. When I told her that I had rescheduled for Friday because she had originally told me she was unable to attend today, she became totally exasperated and stormed out of there.

I didn't have the energy to work with students after school today -- I was totally fried.

I got Mabel.

While dog walking in Accotinck without a recorded book, my mind spun this:

Tick, ticking time-bomb.
I am about to explode.
To the woods I go.

Mabel made me smile. She always does. Love that dog!