(excerpts, verbatim, from my 7th- and 8th-grade homework assignment last night. let's all keep in mind that my children are my children precisely because they cannot read, write, or process at a normal level.)

Question: Journal (from "The Outsiders"). Write a journal entry from the perspective of either Ponyboy or Johnny. Include three details of things that have happened to the character recently and how he feels about it. Write at least 8 sentences.

passage #1:
Johnny was so sared that He kill one of the soc. he haed to help his frinde Johnny or he cud did. I tanck they are going to go to jill. They hade run away and the have a gun. so they wont get jump or get in traboul. If I was Johnny I would be so scaer because I have kill somewon. I thanck they mat worck were there going to live and wand the get pay they pabley going to bay a house and there going to live likc the soc.

translation #1:
Johnny was so scared that he killed one of the Socs. He had to help his friend Johnny or he could die. I think they are going to go to jail. They had run away and they have a gun, so they won't get jumped or get in trouble. If I was Johnny, I would be so scared because I killed someone. I think they might work where they are going to live and when they get paid, they are probably going to buy a house and they're going to live like the Socs.

passage #2:
I would be Johnny because he is more intiresting. I would hve left to if I was him. Ponyboy do you think it was smart to lave. I think the Soda would be mad. He mite kill us. I think we should go back. No that is a bed wew! Il go to jail. We will nead more more money 50 will not be unufe.

translation #2:
I would be Johnny because he is more interesting. I would have left, too, if I was him.
"Ponyboy, do you think it was smart to leave? I think Soda would be mad. He might kill us. I think we should go back."
"No! That is a bad [wew]! I'll go to jail!"
"We will need more money. Fifty [dollars] will not be enough."

passage #3:
If I was in Johnny's plase. I would de shocked if I killed somedody. I wud do mut he did. ask dall for help. I wolb take a tran. out of the stat. I wald de happey to have a frand with me. I wold shared tow

translation #3:
If I was in Johnny's place, I would be shocked if I killed somebody. I would do what he did - ask Dally for help. I would take a train out of the state. I would be happy to have a friend with me. I would [shared tow...yeah, no idea what that one means]

um....how exactly am i expected to get these kids to pass a state test in the spring?

so, i am officially (well, unofficially, since i haven't actually filled out the paperwork yet) employed at Hilliard City Schools! i'll be working at Memorial Middle School in the resource room as a teaching assistant. basically, it's a teaching position, since it requires a teaching license, but it doesn't have any of the planning/grading/outside work and it doesn't have as good a salary. i'm pretty excited about it, because it will give me a full-time job where i know where i'm going to work every day (it's monday-thursday, but i can choose whether or not to work each friday in the building) and a steady income. i can take a three-day weekend anytime i choose, i don't have to do any planning for lessons, and basically i run crowd control and small-group tutoring during the day. for what my options were, this is definitely the best deal i could think of.

the principal pretty much told me that if i do a great job for them this year, they'll do everything they can to get me hooked up with a fulltime teaching position in the building next year.

oh, and i'm going to be an assistant tennis coach for the tennis team! i'm pretty excited about that, too. the principal (also the head coach) told me that the boys' team may be looking for a new head coach this spring, so that might be an avenue i choose to pursue down the road.

school starts tomorrow....that's ok. getting hired more than 24 hours before school starts is overrated, i think. :)