As a teacher of middle schoolers, I am obliged to take up notes from time to time.  A caveat:  I have not edited these.

A sample of present-day 13-year-old-speak
OMG Im mad at chu my stomach hurts now cause you made me eat…:(…lol…naw tho it really hurts tho. I think ima call home. gosh have you got ur phone back? I got my phone workin but I got 2 get min. Okay well g2g bye love ya…(kiss kiss!)

Just before Valentine’s Day: 13-year-old love
Hey, I’m sure I’ll like whatever you got me, but I don’t need much just you! (heart)

There’s a lot I could say about public schools, but this has got to be the greatest perk:

I’m teetering on the edge of burnout, so tired, so desperate for a relaxed moment with my husband, behind on grading, wondering how I’ll hang on until spring break, if the house will ever be clean again, if I can really wake up at 5 another morning in a row, or if I’ll ever have time to process life and all of the changes of the past year or even month!

And THEN…I turn on the 5 O’Clock News on a Tuesday night to hear: Due to illness, your school will be closed the rest of the week…and I find myself at Starbucks with a book and my journal at 9 O’Clock on a random Wednesday morning. All because I work in a public school.

A lesson in sarcasm and the middle-school mind…

Teacher: Please head your paper for Infinitives, page 491.

Student: What do we head our paper for?

Teacher: Infinitives, page 491. Now, number one to ten, skipping lines.

Student: Do we skip lines?

Other Student: What do we number to?

Teacher: Yes, skip lines and number to ten. Now, please underline the infinitive in each sentence.

Student: Do you want us to underline the infinitives?

Teacher: No, I want you to draw little puppy dog faces beside them.

(Time passes.)

Teacher: Ok, raise your hand if you’re finished.

Student: What if we’re not through drawing little puppy dog faces?