D. A-B. was one of my biggest challenges first semester. She's a sophomore in Spanish II. I chased her down in the halls, wrote extensive comments encouraging her and giving her different strategies to try on everything she ever handed in (which wasn't much), tried calling home multiple times, tried all kinds of different strategies in the classroom... and still, she got kicked out of class time after time (or walked out), never turned in a homework assignment, and never passed a test or quiz. Finally, she started coming to Saturday school when it started in December. She earned a 21% for the semester. She failed 5 of her seven classes and the school moved her down an achievement level (track- there are three, basic, academic, and honors) to basic classes. This rearranged her schedule and she was no longer in my class. I was sad to see her go just when it seemed like maybe I could reach her in Saturdy school, but she continued to come every week and her absence from my 5th period meant one less strong personality to contend with.

Yesterday, during my other Spanish II class (7th period), the assistant director knocked on the door and asked to see me for a moment. With him was D, smiling sheepishly and shuffling her feet behind the door. "D. would like to be moved back to your class. She likes your style more. I just wanted to make sure that would be ok with you." "Of course! I've missed having you in class, D." She came in and I checked her schedule, asking if she was coming to 7th period now or was supposed to go back to 5th.
"Which one do you think would be better?" she asked "Where do you think I would learn more?"
"I think right here is perfect. This class is a lot smaller so we'll be able to work better." She nodded, got a copy of what the others were working on, sat down, and went stright to work, never interrupting the class once for the remaining half an hour. And I overheard her say to the curious person next to her, "I asked to move back. I wasn't learning nothing in the other class."

I've said it before and i'll say it again: relationships are the key to any success I have as a teacher. Working with D. in Saturday school in a class of 6 versus daily in a class of 29 really made the difference. I was able to spend more time one on one with her and also talk to her about things other than Spanish. I've attacked most of my major behavior problems this way (by actively seeking out connections and time to just talk to the students) and had maybe an 80% success rate. This isn't to say I don't have any misbehavior any more. Definitely not the case. But now it is much more minor talking, getting out of seats, not focusing in class, and much less major disrespect.

Another highlight (from Thursday): I was in my room before school started. The students had just been let in and there was a rush in the hallways of kids going to their lockers, shouting their good mornings, and lingering before classes. No one had come in to my room yet. With my door closed, and over all the noise from the hallway, I heard a voice singing " Yo-o, tu-as, ella-a, amos, an"-- the -ar verb conjugation song I had taught the previous week. I smiled and kept working. Then I heard it again, this time with a few more voices, and went to investigate. I poked my head out the door and looked around as they continued to sing, adding their own personality to the tune. Finally I spotted them down the hall, grooving along to my silly little spanish diddy. Totally made my day.