Just Another Manic Monday

It's Monday.  The start of the week where no one really wants to get up and go to work after their weekend.  But, I pulled myself out of bed with thoughts of being home at the end of this week propelling me.  Imagine my surprise when I show up to work only to find out they don't need me today!  Actually, to be honest, it wasn't much of a surprise because this has happened rather frequently since I've been working at this school.  Luckily, I only live 5 minutes away walking so it wasn't too much of an inconvenience.  Except for the fact that I won't get paid for today of course.  I love Mexico's laid back atmosphere but I can't get used to that kind of thinking when it comes to working.  I'm still acting as though I'm working at home where if they say we need you here at 9:30 and you stroll in at 9:30 you're late.  So I've been showing up about 15 minutes before they tell me I need to be there and I end up sitting around for at least half an hour.  And, surprisingly, it's a hard habit to break.  Like today, my class was supposed to start at 10:00 so I got there at about 9:35 thinking I'd help with recess before class started.  Too bad I didn't leave just a bit later because I walked in right as they were about to call me to tell me not to come in.  It's testing today so they have the main second grade teacher testing all the second graders.  Probably a good thing since I made four boys cry on Friday.

But that's a different story.  And I guess, in my defense, I didn't make them cry, the principal did.  But the same four boys kept acting out in class and wouldn't pay attention, listen to the instructions, stay in their seats or stay quiet.  So when the principal stopped by to check how we were doing I told her the truth.  And boy, did the disciplinarian come on full force in her.  They hadn't responded to my threats or even when I got down on their level and talked in the scary voice I'd heard my mom use growing up.  Well, it did work but only for a few minutes.  As soon as I moved away to teach or talk to another student they were right back to their old tricks again.  They don't know me yet, I've only been in their classroom for a couple of days.  But they know the principal.  And they know she doesn't mess around.  The terrified looks on their faces when they were called out into the hall showed it.  So a few minutes later, after some indistinct yelling where we could only catch a few words like "suspendido" (suspended) and "tus padres" (your parents) they came back in crying.  I was doing my best to distract the other students so they wouldn't listen in on their classmates embarrassing punishment but it was no use.  I was actually a little excited to see if they'd be scared straight and how they would behave today but looks like I won't get the chance.