So here I am, sitting at It's a Grind coffee shop (free coupon: how could I resist?) updating my classroom website using the free wi-fi (take that, Starbucks: you just lost my sit-n-surf sessions, because you require a not-so-free T-Mobile account. I've been thinking hard about it, and free is better) and adjusting my PowerPoint presentation to give to parents at Back-to-School night in a couple of hours, checking for student e-mail (okay, and seeing if I have any new matches on LonelyHearts.com).
Teaching just ain't what it used to be. Pretty soon students will tele-commute to school from home to get their assignments, while I sit here at the coffee shop all day, over-caffeinating and over-sconing. Naw: the human element will continue. I'm fairly irreplaceable, I figure; at least for the immediate future.
Gotta run: it's going to be coffee, cookies and jazz in my room to welcome parents, and I have to stop by Smart & Final to buy some Columbian Supremo and set up.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
All Things Are (Really) New
New school year, new students, but it feels so different this year.
Probably because I'm not up in front of all my classes, because of the presence of the student-teacher.
It is strange sitting at my desk, grading papers or whisper-chatting with the teacher's aide, and passively observing what she's doing. I'm so used to being the person up front. Odd, that.
And my paper load is down 40%, so my weekends are unusually free right now. It's downright luxurious. I'm actually doing household projects on the weekends.
I'm not complaining, it's all good. Student-teacher is good and doesn't need anything more than a little supervision and guidance as she goes, so that's easy. The lighter load just has me off-balance for the semester. Believe me, I'll adapt!
Probably because I'm not up in front of all my classes, because of the presence of the student-teacher.
It is strange sitting at my desk, grading papers or whisper-chatting with the teacher's aide, and passively observing what she's doing. I'm so used to being the person up front. Odd, that.
And my paper load is down 40%, so my weekends are unusually free right now. It's downright luxurious. I'm actually doing household projects on the weekends.
I'm not complaining, it's all good. Student-teacher is good and doesn't need anything more than a little supervision and guidance as she goes, so that's easy. The lighter load just has me off-balance for the semester. Believe me, I'll adapt!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
And They're Off!
Wow, another year on it's way!
Too much going on to stop and write: this is just to let anyone who stops by know I'M BACK.
As soon as something happens, you'll be the first to know.
Too much going on to stop and write: this is just to let anyone who stops by know I'M BACK.
As soon as something happens, you'll be the first to know.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Like a Laser Beam
The Look is an important behavior management tool for both parents and teachers. It's usually very effective, and I like to think I've mastered its nuances. I use it all the time to control student behavior (most communication is non-verbal, we're (ironically) told).
But this fella has it down!, and could stand on my podium and quiet a class with this one move, I'll bet.
If only I had dramatic background music…
But this fella has it down!, and could stand on my podium and quiet a class with this one move, I'll bet.
If only I had dramatic background music…
The Results Are In
According to mingle2.com. This rating is based on the presence of the words pain (2x) and kill (1x).
See, one doesn't have to be crass, obscene or suggestive to be wildly entertaining!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
School's Out
SUMMER
It's arrived, and it's luxurious already.
But I just got my jury summons in the mail.
Oh, well: at least I don't have to leave a lesson plan behind when I go in!
It's arrived, and it's luxurious already.
But I just got my jury summons in the mail.
Oh, well: at least I don't have to leave a lesson plan behind when I go in!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Strikeback
I was fine today until I got up too fast, and a rush of blood went to my head. Now the screwdriver is out, & my right eye is clamped closed against the throbbing. Exhaling intensifies the pain. The same thing happened when I carried two armfuls of groceries up the stairs yesterday.
Thought I was past the danger when I woke up with a clear head.
My Rx is two Tylenol and a glass of Shiraz-Cabernet. Maybe grapes will do the trick.
Thought I was past the danger when I woke up with a clear head.
My Rx is two Tylenol and a glass of Shiraz-Cabernet. Maybe grapes will do the trick.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
No 'Grain, No Gain
Another migrane.
Woke up with the dim threat of the approaching storm. Maybe coffee will clear this up.
Nope, here he comes.
This wasn't the fall-on-the-floor, writhe and moan for two hours in a dark room, seeing fireworks explode in my skull and hearing every sound on earth migrane. Those are horrible. This was the farm team: more like someone trying to pry my right eyeball out with a large screwdriver. Tylenol actually provided some palliation, though the demon couldn't be completely exorcised: it must leave of its own accord.
I sat in my livingroom all day with the curtains drawn and tried to get some work and reading done on the computer, getting up every few hours to pop another pair of Tylenol. A kind of uneasy, dug-in, WWI-type war of attrition. He let me see, walk, and think; I recognized his sovereinty over my nervous system and lived in visible fear of a major offensive.
Don't think this was a picnic. When I say "lived in fear of a major offensive," I don't mean to imply that I was distant from the battle No, siree. There was constant sniping and small-caliber gunfire, the ground was constantly vibrating from the mortar shells, and an occasional rocket attack, which felt like an ice pick had been plunged into the top of my head. Try to read the news, or get off the couch with an ice pick in your head. How about a little fire, Scarecrow?
I went outside and drove two blocks to the store about 7PM. Forgot to take sunglasses, and heading west into the sunset was a mistake. In the store, I was glad I had the shopping cart to hold onto after about ten minutes. I was getting a little shaky & shuffled along as if I had an energy-draining flu. I managed. And treated myself with ice cream.
So not debilitating, but still incapacitating to a great degree, and at it for more than twelve hours, which isn't at all unusual. I don't think the pain will keep me from falling asleep, so won't have to stay up most of the night until I'm so pain-exhausted I lose consciousness, and I'm grateful for that. And if I'm fortunate, everything will be rosey by morning. That's good, because I have a lot of papers to grade that I didn't get to today.
Woke up with the dim threat of the approaching storm. Maybe coffee will clear this up.
Nope, here he comes.
This wasn't the fall-on-the-floor, writhe and moan for two hours in a dark room, seeing fireworks explode in my skull and hearing every sound on earth migrane. Those are horrible. This was the farm team: more like someone trying to pry my right eyeball out with a large screwdriver. Tylenol actually provided some palliation, though the demon couldn't be completely exorcised: it must leave of its own accord.
I sat in my livingroom all day with the curtains drawn and tried to get some work and reading done on the computer, getting up every few hours to pop another pair of Tylenol. A kind of uneasy, dug-in, WWI-type war of attrition. He let me see, walk, and think; I recognized his sovereinty over my nervous system and lived in visible fear of a major offensive.
Don't think this was a picnic. When I say "lived in fear of a major offensive," I don't mean to imply that I was distant from the battle No, siree. There was constant sniping and small-caliber gunfire, the ground was constantly vibrating from the mortar shells, and an occasional rocket attack, which felt like an ice pick had been plunged into the top of my head. Try to read the news, or get off the couch with an ice pick in your head. How about a little fire, Scarecrow?
I went outside and drove two blocks to the store about 7PM. Forgot to take sunglasses, and heading west into the sunset was a mistake. In the store, I was glad I had the shopping cart to hold onto after about ten minutes. I was getting a little shaky & shuffled along as if I had an energy-draining flu. I managed. And treated myself with ice cream.
So not debilitating, but still incapacitating to a great degree, and at it for more than twelve hours, which isn't at all unusual. I don't think the pain will keep me from falling asleep, so won't have to stay up most of the night until I'm so pain-exhausted I lose consciousness, and I'm grateful for that. And if I'm fortunate, everything will be rosey by morning. That's good, because I have a lot of papers to grade that I didn't get to today.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
To Every Thing, Turn, Turn, Turn…
It's the time of year when everyone's frustration level is high, so if the tenor of my posts gets a little cranky, please bear with me. When you look here, you're looking inside my head, after all, and sometimes it just aint' pretty.
To Each His Own Kingdom
Another teacher uses my classroom during my conference period. Nice guy.
The class is comprised of seniors. and the combination of they thinking they are above the rules and this teacher's very lenient teaching style means kids act in ways that I would never allow if I were the teacher, including:
I've given up my room three years running, and it's wearing thin. I'm going to request that they skip me next year, and find someone else's room to use during that period. Sad that we even have to have traveling teachers in the first place, and I'm sympathetic to the roamers, but fer cryin' out loud, let's share the burden.
The class is comprised of seniors. and the combination of they thinking they are above the rules and this teacher's very lenient teaching style means kids act in ways that I would never allow if I were the teacher, including:
- eating food/drinking sodas openly in the class
- asking and getting permission expressly for the purpose of walking to the vending machines to buy the food/sodas
- bringing out cell phones/sidekicks for a quick e-mail check, text message, or whatever they're doing
- sitting on desktops
- the free use of vulgar language
- loud carrying-on of various description
I've given up my room three years running, and it's wearing thin. I'm going to request that they skip me next year, and find someone else's room to use during that period. Sad that we even have to have traveling teachers in the first place, and I'm sympathetic to the roamers, but fer cryin' out loud, let's share the burden.
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