First back after spring break

Today was actually pretty depressing. I was somewhat prepared for hearing about the litany of fast food and hanging out that most of the kids had done over their spring break. Some showed up with new stuff; shoes, T shirts and a couple of new tattoos. But the tone of desperation for attention surprised me. The happiest kid was one whose mom had reacted strongly to his tattoo. Mom took his phone and grounded him. But she gave the phone back after a couple of days and the reaction was over. Another, a 15 year old, had been hiding her pregnancy before break, but now showed up in a pink "Mom-t0-be" T-shirt and reported that her mom "didn't care" and did not react to her news that she was soon to be a grandmother. A boy came in with a story about a big fight he had gotten into, which apparently carried over into school because he was out, suspended before the end of first hour. I will be teaching soon, and my task for today is to plan the syllabus. I want to get to executive function, but I think I will start with multiple intelligences, a topic they may or may not have ever been introduced to before. I like it because it gives them a chance to self-evaluate and think about their own strengths.