Teenagers Amaze Me

Teenagers amaze me, they really do. The stories they come up with as excuses and how they stretch the truth so that there's really no truth left in it is really quite a sight to behold. What's even more amazing to me is that parents believe these stories! Apparently, I have been making fun of a student. I didn't know that telling students that they need to get out of bed on time and get to class was making fun of them, but apparently, in some of their eyes, that constitutes making fun of them. Amazing how that happens when they don't want to be told that what they're doing is wrong. I'm sorry, but when you are late or miss 9 out of 12 days for one class, that is a bit excessive. You can give me all the excuses in the world, but it doesn't excuse the fact that you are only missing my class, it is a chronic problem, and I am tired of having to catch you up on the stuff you missed. Teaching and learning is generally done DURING class, not after it. Sorry parents for trying to do my JOB and make sure that your students succeed, in my class and in future classes. That's why they pay me the big bucks...

We're starting our novel tomorrow! The kids have actually been very engaged and very interested in this unit. They have a lot of questions and are starting to make some connections. It's very exciting! I'm just glad that I know quite a bit about the Holocaust and WWII, otherwise I wouldn't be able to answer all of their questions.

Happy Valentine's Day! (Or, as one of my teachers put it, Happy Singles Awareness Day!) :)

Tired of Winter!

Winter can be over now. I don't need to see any more snow, and I'd really like the weather to warm up so that it's not below freezing and I can actually stand to be outside for more than 10 seconds. This is definitely one of the coldest and snowiest winters I've ever experienced. It's a good thing that I pretty much got to stay inside the whole weekend.

On a more positive note, we officially started our Holocaust unit today. I'm very interested to see how the students react to the things we're learning and the book we're reading. Again, I hope it impacts them as much as I feel like it's impacted me. I spent some time to get some more background knowledge on Passover and how to pronounce the Yiddish words with one of my friends who is Jewish. It's always interesting to get another perspective on a historical event.

I did two pirouettes that stopped on balance tonight at dance. The teacher didn't see me because he was explaining something. That's generally how it works - I can't ever seem to do anything when he's watching, but the moment he's not paying attention, I can do something amazing... Oh well. At least I know I was able to do it, and that's what really counts.

I guess the Drake Dance team may be dancing at one of the basketball games next Tuesday. I'd really like to go watch them, but we have the kick off for the Big Read here in Waukee, and they're having an actual Holocaust survivor speak. I think that may be more important to be at. It's a decision that I'll have to make, but I don't actually think it's going to be that hard.

The days after a sub...

So, I had to have a talk with my 4/5 class today due to their behavior with the substitute on Tuesday. Apparently, they refused to answer her questions when she was trying to teach them a strategy, and then when the early out announcement came over the intercom they went out of control. I didn't expect them to necessarily be perfect, but I didn't expect them to be horrible either. They got a lecture, and not one student said a word about how it was unfair or anything like that. I will say, they were glad to have me back.

Tuesday was cold and rainy. We didn't even go out to the gravesite because of the weather. It snowed like 4 inches in Wichita and all the way up to Des Moines. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get back to Des Moines by today, but eventually the roads cleared up enough that I was able to get out and get back. The roads weren't even really that bad last night; they were all cleared off by the time I got to them, which was really nice.

Tomorrow's a work day, so I had to teach one day this week! Next week will probably feel like an eternity, but I suppose I'll live. I'm glad I have time to work tomorrow and plan for next week, because I really don't know what I'm doing quite yet... I know it's more Holocaust stuff, but it's really the book, The Devil's Arithmetic, that I'm not so sure about. It will all be great, I'm sure!

It's so much easier to just be there...

It's so much easier to just be at school and be able to "wing" things and get papers cut and things taken care of. My great-grandmother died on Friday, so I had to come back to Kansas for the funeral, which is tomorrow. In order to make sure I didn't completely stress myself out, I took today through Wednesday off, so that I had plenty of time to get here and back since the weather is a bit unpredictable. However, since I did decide to do that, I had to go in yesterday to make sure that I had all of my plans, handouts, projects, etc. ready to go for the next three days. I spent 2 1/2 hours writing lesson plans. I could have been there a lot longer making sure that everything was perfect, but I was burnt out. I was tired of staring at the computer screen, and it was snowing. I guess I also didn't really expect my students to be able to get through everything, so I left the paper cutting up to my co-lab teacher and the sub. If the students really need the paper, they know where to find it.

We are right at the beginning of our poety/Holocaust unit. I think I kind of had them end on a "down" note on Friday because I modeled what they are supposed to do with their butterfly poems. They are going to read and analyze a poem written by a Jewish child during the Holocaust. We are then going to put the poems on butterflies, and hang them around the room. They will then share their poem - if their writer lives, we'll keep the butterfly on the ceiling. If their writer dies, the butterfly will come down and we'll put it on the bulletin board. I think that this will be a powerful visual to help them really "see" what happened during the Holocaust. I hope this unit is as powerful for them as it is for me. I guess we'll see.

Today was gorgeous, once I got into Kansas City. I think it was like 60 degrees, and it was sunny without a cloud in the sky! It was a nice way to end the drive home; esp. since I'd left Des Moines with ice pellets and lots of fog. I just hope I have fairly nice weather on my way back on Wednesday.

Tomorrow's going to be a solemn day. I know my great-grandma is in a better place, and that she was ready to go at 100 years old, but it's still hard to say good-bye.

It's Almost Friday!!!!

I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday. Today was just a really long day. It wasn't long because of the kids; it was long because of some of the people I have to work with. I am going to be so happy when I have my own room next year instead of having to share my room with people who don't respect other people's property and can't control their students. Blah. I had go talk to my principal, which was a little intimidating, but I think it's all going to turn out ok.

We are finished with the "Cinderella" unit and moving onto poetry. It's hard sometimes to figure out how to teach something that comes so naturally to me. That's one of the hard parts about teaching - figuring out how to speak in 7th grade language so it makes sense. The other day we were going over how to break down words and use context clues to figure out what the word means, one of my students said, "Wow, that helps things make sense, usually I just skip over them." It made me feel like I was making a difference for at least one student. :)

I'm almost done grading tests, projects, and study guides. That will be a great relief when it's all over!

Have a good weekend, and enjoy the SuperBowl commercials!

Warm Weather!

I think it's really sad when I think that 40 degrees is warm, but that's how it is when you live in a nice cold state. The sun is out, the snow is melting, people are out washing their cars and walking their dogs. Unfortunately, it's supposed to be cold again tomorrow with snow. It was a nice 3 days...

Some days I think that the most exhausting days are the days when I don't really do anything - like when the students are working on a project or a paper. I don't really have papers to grade or anything, but I feel like I'm just kind of wiped out. I also feel like I'm running around a bit more too - trying to make sure everyone understands what he/she is supposed to be doing and making sure that they are on task.

I have a bunch of projects coming in tomorrow. We've worked on them in class for three days, so I hope that they are of decent quality. We have a test on Wednesday and then we are going to start our Holocaust unit. It will be interesting to see how and even if that unit impacts my students. I really hope it does because it's already a hard unit for me to go over and figure out how I'm going to teach it. I hope that they "get it" and really take something home from it.

I suppose I should go make dinner before I go to dance tonight.

COLD!!

It's currently 2 degrees outside. That's how it's been for the past few days. Tomorrow's supposed to be 27, which will definately feel like a heat wave!!!

I think I have decided for now that I am just going to keep my old phone that I had before I killed my new one. AT&T won't give me a new one because my contract is too new - which is very unfortunate. I looked on ebay, but I don't really know how all of that works. My old phone works fine, and I already have a car charger for it and an ear piece, so I guess I'll just live with it until it too dies...

Tomorrow's Friday! We planned until 5:00 tonight... at least we got something done!

I've been going to the Y. My abs are going to hate me tomorrow, but I do feel a lot better since I have been doing something active. I like the classes so far. Two of my students were in the classes I tried Tuesday night and tonight, but they left because "it was embarrassing." I suppose, but I don't pay any attention to them really. I'm there to work out, not to worry about my students!

One of my friends from Drake is coming back this weekend, so I hope I get to spend some time with her!