So, I have been wanting to get our garage cleaned out for a long time. I have this beautiful vision that someday I will actually park my car in there. Wouldn't that be amazing?
Anyhow, so last night, when our garage flooded (yeah, that was fun) it became motivation to get started, as books and clothes needed to be saved from wet boxes before they got ruined. Today, I did a lot more of it and think I may be just going through the nesting process in some way, because I am seriously on a mission here. I am holding a free garage sale to get rid of stuff. It is a fantastic feeling.
:-)
The Author
- Niki
- I am a high school English teacher, and mother of two charming little ones of my own. I teach in a high poverty urban charter school, while I live in a typical American suburb that has frequently been rated one of the safest cities in the country. It is a paradox I struggle with constantly, but it is my life.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
My kid needs his friends (and so do I)
It is a wonderful feeling to say to your child, "We are going to the park to see your friends," and to hear him sing a song of "Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea! Yea!" (literally). When we got to the park, he ran towards the playground yelling, "I'm here! I'm here! Hi everybody! I'm here!"
He was so excited because he knew that a bunch of his friends from our playgroup would be there. He has been talking about seeing these friends, particularly "Sean with the red hair," for weeks. It was a very sweet reunion, both for Vinny and for me. We had a wonderful time at the park, as well as afterward at an impromptu McDonalds lunch with one of Vinny's most favorite friends that he missed so much. :-) They played for literally hours.
See, this group is very dear to my heart. They have become sort of, well, a family to me in a way, and even though I hadn't seen some of them in months, I was reminded of what a special group of people they are and how unique it is for my child to have long-term friends when he is not even quite 4 years old. When Vinny was about 7 months old, in 2007, we joined this sort of mommy support group. It was one of the best decisions we ever made. They have been there for me, and I have tried to be there for them. Even today, one mom, whom I remember bringing dinner to when her daughter was born 2 years ago, brought me three huge boxes of hand-me-down clothes for my upcoming arrival! I love getting hand-me-downs. Practically all of Vinny's clothes are hand-me-downs from other moms in the group. Even when I was trying to finish my student teaching and my student loan money ran out just before the last week of school, 4 different moms in the group each chipped in and took Vinny for a day so that I wouldn't have to pay for that last week of day care.
It is crazy, I was thinking about it today... they were all such babies when it began, and they are all so big now. Here are some pictures from that first year:
He was so excited because he knew that a bunch of his friends from our playgroup would be there. He has been talking about seeing these friends, particularly "Sean with the red hair," for weeks. It was a very sweet reunion, both for Vinny and for me. We had a wonderful time at the park, as well as afterward at an impromptu McDonalds lunch with one of Vinny's most favorite friends that he missed so much. :-) They played for literally hours.
See, this group is very dear to my heart. They have become sort of, well, a family to me in a way, and even though I hadn't seen some of them in months, I was reminded of what a special group of people they are and how unique it is for my child to have long-term friends when he is not even quite 4 years old. When Vinny was about 7 months old, in 2007, we joined this sort of mommy support group. It was one of the best decisions we ever made. They have been there for me, and I have tried to be there for them. Even today, one mom, whom I remember bringing dinner to when her daughter was born 2 years ago, brought me three huge boxes of hand-me-down clothes for my upcoming arrival! I love getting hand-me-downs. Practically all of Vinny's clothes are hand-me-downs from other moms in the group. Even when I was trying to finish my student teaching and my student loan money ran out just before the last week of school, 4 different moms in the group each chipped in and took Vinny for a day so that I wouldn't have to pay for that last week of day care.
It is crazy, I was thinking about it today... they were all such babies when it began, and they are all so big now. Here are some pictures from that first year:
Monday, June 28, 2010
A random rant of frustration
So, in writing up these units for reproduction, I am finding one really frustrating thing about trying to package and reproduce my teaching...
See, these are units/lessons that I already have that I taught last year and/or the year before, but all I am doing is taking all the resources and writing up the instructions and procedures. Here is the frustrating part....
If you are a teacher, you probably know the beauty of the internet and the millions of teaching resources that are out there. I feel no need to reinvent the wheel. I know for certain that no skill that I am teaching is new, because I teach it as a result of there being state/national standards saying that students should learn it. This means that lots of teachers before me have taught this stuff, and a lot of them have found/created great ways of doing it, so why should I bother recreating it? All I bascially do is teach it creatively the way I want and feel will work best, but for me, this usually involves the compilation of many resources that are already out there. In the teaching world today, for the most part, this isn't really seen as stealing- teachers wouldn't put their resources out there if they didn't want other people to use them- but rather sharing best practices. We are all in it for the same thing- so that the students will learn, thus, when it comes to copying and using for educational purposes, pretty much everything is fair game. If something has a copyright on it, I always leave it when I copy it, but that's pretty much all the crediting that needs to get done.
I also love to use news articles, opinion pieces, advertisements, etc., in my teaching too, and when using these things, I basically just print the page and be sure to leave on the author's name, date, website/news source, etc.
Now, however... I am finding I have to be really careful how I use these resources. I can still use them, but because the unit has a title page with my name on it, I cannot put word for word instructions from someone else's lesson in my lesson plan. That would be plagiarism. I am not really using anything word for word anyway, but there are some great handouts and stuff from NCTE's ReadWriteThink resources that I am using,so I have to be sure to give proper credit. Suddenly, I am having to really cite all of my sources, and getting it right feels so much more significant that getting it right on a college paper did. I mean, this is going to be marketed to all of the international studies schools network, so I cannot get caught plagiarizing. I really have to give credit where credit is due, and when suggesting news articles or opinion pieces for teachers to use, I actually have to be sure I have properly cited where they are from... no printing random pages.
Because this is all stuff I have done before... this means going and finding all the sources for all the stuff I already use. Time consuming and no fun.
See, these are units/lessons that I already have that I taught last year and/or the year before, but all I am doing is taking all the resources and writing up the instructions and procedures. Here is the frustrating part....
If you are a teacher, you probably know the beauty of the internet and the millions of teaching resources that are out there. I feel no need to reinvent the wheel. I know for certain that no skill that I am teaching is new, because I teach it as a result of there being state/national standards saying that students should learn it. This means that lots of teachers before me have taught this stuff, and a lot of them have found/created great ways of doing it, so why should I bother recreating it? All I bascially do is teach it creatively the way I want and feel will work best, but for me, this usually involves the compilation of many resources that are already out there. In the teaching world today, for the most part, this isn't really seen as stealing- teachers wouldn't put their resources out there if they didn't want other people to use them- but rather sharing best practices. We are all in it for the same thing- so that the students will learn, thus, when it comes to copying and using for educational purposes, pretty much everything is fair game. If something has a copyright on it, I always leave it when I copy it, but that's pretty much all the crediting that needs to get done.
I also love to use news articles, opinion pieces, advertisements, etc., in my teaching too, and when using these things, I basically just print the page and be sure to leave on the author's name, date, website/news source, etc.
Now, however... I am finding I have to be really careful how I use these resources. I can still use them, but because the unit has a title page with my name on it, I cannot put word for word instructions from someone else's lesson in my lesson plan. That would be plagiarism. I am not really using anything word for word anyway, but there are some great handouts and stuff from NCTE's ReadWriteThink resources that I am using,so I have to be sure to give proper credit. Suddenly, I am having to really cite all of my sources, and getting it right feels so much more significant that getting it right on a college paper did. I mean, this is going to be marketed to all of the international studies schools network, so I cannot get caught plagiarizing. I really have to give credit where credit is due, and when suggesting news articles or opinion pieces for teachers to use, I actually have to be sure I have properly cited where they are from... no printing random pages.
Because this is all stuff I have done before... this means going and finding all the sources for all the stuff I already use. Time consuming and no fun.
Hi Tiana..
So, Tiana got to say hi to me and Vinny today. Went in for another ultrasound, probably the last one, to double check the placenta (tech wasn't supposed to say anything but told me it is much higher, so should no longer be a previa risk). Vinny was a super good boy and enjoyed seeing his little sister on the screen.
She has been making me so uncomfortable lately, and now I know why. She is, I suppose, in the process of turning, because she is semi-folded... her butt in my rib cage, feet kicking my bladder (which makes sense), and head somewhere in my left side. She is punching me there pretty regularly.
Great arm shot of my little kickboxing princess...
And here's why I feel like I have to pee every 5 seconds (although I don't really)... cute little foot, right next to my bladder (or more like in my bladder)
And last but not least... her cute little legs from below (you can kind of sort of see her little girl area in the background- at least you could on the screen, but she moved too much to get a good shot of it).
So... there you go. There's my little girl. Tech said she is as beautiful and perfect as she has seen. :-)
I would write more, but I am one unit down and one unit to go to fulfill my curriculum development contract that stated I would be due with both units today. Yeah... time to get to work.
She has been making me so uncomfortable lately, and now I know why. She is, I suppose, in the process of turning, because she is semi-folded... her butt in my rib cage, feet kicking my bladder (which makes sense), and head somewhere in my left side. She is punching me there pretty regularly.
And here's why I feel like I have to pee every 5 seconds (although I don't really)... cute little foot, right next to my bladder (or more like in my bladder)
And last but not least... her cute little legs from below (you can kind of sort of see her little girl area in the background- at least you could on the screen, but she moved too much to get a good shot of it).
So... there you go. There's my little girl. Tech said she is as beautiful and perfect as she has seen. :-)
I would write more, but I am one unit down and one unit to go to fulfill my curriculum development contract that stated I would be due with both units today. Yeah... time to get to work.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Sandwich Lesson
So, this is the most recent lesson I wrote for the unit I am creating (the one due Monday, yikes), and although I don't normally post my lessons, I really like this particular lesson, and I thought it might be fun to share what I am working on. (Note- I must admit that there is nothing new under the sun, and I don't claim to reinvent the wheel. This lesson is inspired by an Erin Gruwell lesson- citation at the bottom of the page).
INTRODUCTION
This is a creative lesson to get students metaphorically thinking about the importance of structure.
The idea of this lesson is for students to understand that a good story must be well-developed. It highlights the importance of structure and including all of the necessary elements into the story.
INSTRUCTIONS/PROCEDURE
To start the lesson, have 5 desks set up at the front of the class, or a long table with 5 places at it, facing out to the class. It can be fun to add table cloths and fancy place settings at these tables if you want to create a special atmosphere.
Choose 5 students who you know are outgoing and vocal and will enjoy being the center of attention for a little bit. Try to pick students who do not seem like they are picky eaters. Have these students sit up front. (Check for food allergies first).
Welcome your students to “Ms._________’s Sandwich Shoppe” and tell them today you have selected 5 sandwich “connoisseurs” to try your new sandwich creations. Through the connoisseurs descriptions of what they are eating, the class will decide on the best sandwich.
Have 5 sandwiches pre-prepared. You have some freedom on this obviously, but they should be approximately like this:
1. A fancy (and hopefully very tasty!) sandwich, possibly from a local deli, with several different meats, cheese, maybe a flavored spread, vegetables, spices, etc. (Note- Italian deli’s are a great choice for this).
2. A plain sandwich on plain bread. The cheaper the better. Basically just meat and bread. Go easy on the meat. NO condiments!
3. A piece of meat and cheese with mayonnaise and mustard all over it. No bread. Ideally, the student will have a hard time eating this without making a mess.
4. 2 pieces of bread. Nothing fancy and nothing in between the bread. In fact, a thicker wheat bread that doesn’t taste very good by itself is a good choice.
5. A sandwich with a little bit of everything, only sandwich ingredients, but stuff that doesn’t exactly sound good together. Think peanut butter, jelly, meat, cheese, etc. I recommend thin bread for this so that there is less to drown out the ingredients. (Note: Try to give this to that kid who is probably known for being willing to try anything and will likely at least take a bit or two).
Pass out the sandwiches to the students but tell them not to touch them yet. Have the rest of the class fold a sheet of paper into 5 columns for taking notes. Have them label each column (you can give the students up front numbers or just have them write down the students’ names) for easy note taking. Inform the class that each connoisseur will take a turn eating and describing the sandwich and the class is to take notes on the connoisseur’s reaction.
Give each student with a sandwich a turn to eat and describe. You can try a variety of orders, but I recommend leaving sandwich number one (the good one) for last. Encourage the rest of the class to write down all the reactions, even the just “Eww, I have mayonnaise all over my hands” reactions. It should take a while and be a somewhat fun process.
In the end, ask the students to, judging from the connoisseur’s descriptions, vote on the best sandwich- the one that they would most want to eat. Undoubtedly, the choice will be number one- the fancy sandwich. Then, you can ask the students to have a seat. (If there is leftover sandwich on each plate, have them leave it there for illustration purposes).
Now, explain to the students that essays or stories can be thought of like these sandwiches. Go through each sandwich and ask the students to discuss what they think this sandwich represents as far as writing goes. Some of the answers you are looking for may be like this… (but let the students be creative in their answers)
1. A well-developed literary essay or story.
2. A very basic essay or story, but sort of boring and dry.
3. A story/essay that feels really weird to read because it doesn’t really have an introduction or conclusion.
4. A story/essay that isn’t really anything more than an intro or conclusion- there is no real action or “meat” to the story.
5. A story/essay where the writer has put in TOO much detail where it is hard to tell what is necessary and it ends up just leaving a “bad taste in your mouth,” rather than a satisfying feeling.
Next, have the students pull out their “story proposal worksheet” from the prior lesson and have them look specifically at the 3rd, 4th, and 5th bullet points on the worksheet- the questions that deal with structure. Ask students to re-read their answers, thinking of this story proposal as the recipe for the “sandwich” they are building. Which sandwich does it look like it is shaping up to be? What ingredients do they need to add to the list make it more likely to come out like sandwich number one? Give students about 3-5 minutes to consider this and revise their proposal sheet.
This will likely bring you to the end of a one-hour class period, but if you have more time or would like to extend this lesson, one possible next step could be to have students return to the story they annotated the day before, this time looking specifically for elements of structure. They could even creatively label the story with terms like “Bread,” “Meat,” “Mayo,” etc.
RESOURCES
- This lesson was inspired by a lesson in The Freedom Writers Diary Teacher’s Guide by Erin Gruwell.
Gruwell, Erin. "Making a Sandwich." The Freedom Writers Diary: Teacher's Guide. New York: Broadway, 2007. 73-76. Print.
* If you are teaching this unit along with the Freedom Writers Diary, there are some great suggestions in this lesson on how to use specific entries from the diary to do this. Page 76 also has a fun graphic organizer that could be used in a variety of ways.
INTRODUCTION
This is a creative lesson to get students metaphorically thinking about the importance of structure.
The idea of this lesson is for students to understand that a good story must be well-developed. It highlights the importance of structure and including all of the necessary elements into the story.
INSTRUCTIONS/PROCEDURE
To start the lesson, have 5 desks set up at the front of the class, or a long table with 5 places at it, facing out to the class. It can be fun to add table cloths and fancy place settings at these tables if you want to create a special atmosphere.
Choose 5 students who you know are outgoing and vocal and will enjoy being the center of attention for a little bit. Try to pick students who do not seem like they are picky eaters. Have these students sit up front. (Check for food allergies first).
Welcome your students to “Ms._________’s Sandwich Shoppe” and tell them today you have selected 5 sandwich “connoisseurs” to try your new sandwich creations. Through the connoisseurs descriptions of what they are eating, the class will decide on the best sandwich.
Have 5 sandwiches pre-prepared. You have some freedom on this obviously, but they should be approximately like this:
1. A fancy (and hopefully very tasty!) sandwich, possibly from a local deli, with several different meats, cheese, maybe a flavored spread, vegetables, spices, etc. (Note- Italian deli’s are a great choice for this).
2. A plain sandwich on plain bread. The cheaper the better. Basically just meat and bread. Go easy on the meat. NO condiments!
3. A piece of meat and cheese with mayonnaise and mustard all over it. No bread. Ideally, the student will have a hard time eating this without making a mess.
4. 2 pieces of bread. Nothing fancy and nothing in between the bread. In fact, a thicker wheat bread that doesn’t taste very good by itself is a good choice.
5. A sandwich with a little bit of everything, only sandwich ingredients, but stuff that doesn’t exactly sound good together. Think peanut butter, jelly, meat, cheese, etc. I recommend thin bread for this so that there is less to drown out the ingredients. (Note: Try to give this to that kid who is probably known for being willing to try anything and will likely at least take a bit or two).
Pass out the sandwiches to the students but tell them not to touch them yet. Have the rest of the class fold a sheet of paper into 5 columns for taking notes. Have them label each column (you can give the students up front numbers or just have them write down the students’ names) for easy note taking. Inform the class that each connoisseur will take a turn eating and describing the sandwich and the class is to take notes on the connoisseur’s reaction.
Give each student with a sandwich a turn to eat and describe. You can try a variety of orders, but I recommend leaving sandwich number one (the good one) for last. Encourage the rest of the class to write down all the reactions, even the just “Eww, I have mayonnaise all over my hands” reactions. It should take a while and be a somewhat fun process.
In the end, ask the students to, judging from the connoisseur’s descriptions, vote on the best sandwich- the one that they would most want to eat. Undoubtedly, the choice will be number one- the fancy sandwich. Then, you can ask the students to have a seat. (If there is leftover sandwich on each plate, have them leave it there for illustration purposes).
Now, explain to the students that essays or stories can be thought of like these sandwiches. Go through each sandwich and ask the students to discuss what they think this sandwich represents as far as writing goes. Some of the answers you are looking for may be like this… (but let the students be creative in their answers)
1. A well-developed literary essay or story.
2. A very basic essay or story, but sort of boring and dry.
3. A story/essay that feels really weird to read because it doesn’t really have an introduction or conclusion.
4. A story/essay that isn’t really anything more than an intro or conclusion- there is no real action or “meat” to the story.
5. A story/essay where the writer has put in TOO much detail where it is hard to tell what is necessary and it ends up just leaving a “bad taste in your mouth,” rather than a satisfying feeling.
Next, have the students pull out their “story proposal worksheet” from the prior lesson and have them look specifically at the 3rd, 4th, and 5th bullet points on the worksheet- the questions that deal with structure. Ask students to re-read their answers, thinking of this story proposal as the recipe for the “sandwich” they are building. Which sandwich does it look like it is shaping up to be? What ingredients do they need to add to the list make it more likely to come out like sandwich number one? Give students about 3-5 minutes to consider this and revise their proposal sheet.
This will likely bring you to the end of a one-hour class period, but if you have more time or would like to extend this lesson, one possible next step could be to have students return to the story they annotated the day before, this time looking specifically for elements of structure. They could even creatively label the story with terms like “Bread,” “Meat,” “Mayo,” etc.
RESOURCES
- This lesson was inspired by a lesson in The Freedom Writers Diary Teacher’s Guide by Erin Gruwell.
Gruwell, Erin. "Making a Sandwich." The Freedom Writers Diary: Teacher's Guide. New York: Broadway, 2007. 73-76. Print.
* If you are teaching this unit along with the Freedom Writers Diary, there are some great suggestions in this lesson on how to use specific entries from the diary to do this. Page 76 also has a fun graphic organizer that could be used in a variety of ways.
I hate that I work well under pressure...
You know how some people just seem to work really well under pressure? Like when a deadline is looming, things get done with much more efficiency than ever before? Unfortunately, that is totally me. The deadline of Monday for these two units being done has been sitting heavily upon my shoulders and has meant that I have spent most of my weekend focusing on it. I was reassured that I am not the only one by the frequent updates and tip emails I was getting from the English coach (who they are due to) over the past few days. If I was the only one who hadn't turned them in yet, there certainly wouldn't be series of emails to the whole group! ;-)
So, I worked my butt off on them yesterday. I took a few breaks- trip to the farmer's market and a break to help make dinner- but other than that, I pretty much spent my day frantically typing up lessons for these units. I am like 3/4 of the way done with the first unit... but the frightening thing is that I haven't started the second unit yet, or the other part of this project, which is scoring work from the unit I piloted last year. The scoring should go fast and be a welcome break from lesson writing, and realistically, the second unit should go faster than the first, but realistically... I have today to get it all done, and I will also be going to church. This pretty much means that I will be doing only this after church today.
The amusing part is that I know the stuff I am producing is good quality. It is funny... I really do work better under pressure for some reason. I think it is just a certain type of person. There are students in my Honors classes who always turn papers in at the very last minute and I can tell they were up all night writing them, but then when I read them I am always really impressed. Same problem- they work better under pressure. Then there is the other vast percentage of my students whose work feels painfully rushed and half-assed when they do it last minute. I want to believe I am in the minority on this one, because I am actually really proud of the work I have done over the past few days. I kind of hate that I have subconsciously figured this out about myself, because maybe if I didn't know that I can get things done at the last minute, it wouldn't be so easy for me to let them wait until the last minute.
So, I worked my butt off on them yesterday. I took a few breaks- trip to the farmer's market and a break to help make dinner- but other than that, I pretty much spent my day frantically typing up lessons for these units. I am like 3/4 of the way done with the first unit... but the frightening thing is that I haven't started the second unit yet, or the other part of this project, which is scoring work from the unit I piloted last year. The scoring should go fast and be a welcome break from lesson writing, and realistically, the second unit should go faster than the first, but realistically... I have today to get it all done, and I will also be going to church. This pretty much means that I will be doing only this after church today.
The amusing part is that I know the stuff I am producing is good quality. It is funny... I really do work better under pressure for some reason. I think it is just a certain type of person. There are students in my Honors classes who always turn papers in at the very last minute and I can tell they were up all night writing them, but then when I read them I am always really impressed. Same problem- they work better under pressure. Then there is the other vast percentage of my students whose work feels painfully rushed and half-assed when they do it last minute. I want to believe I am in the minority on this one, because I am actually really proud of the work I have done over the past few days. I kind of hate that I have subconsciously figured this out about myself, because maybe if I didn't know that I can get things done at the last minute, it wouldn't be so easy for me to let them wait until the last minute.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
A Wonderful California Morning
Despite the fact that I have worked through much of this beautiful morning, and that I will need to work through much of the rest of this beautiful weekend to get these units done by Monday, I am in a good place mentally.
Our plumber friend came this morning to replace our water heater. This has been a much anticipated expense that the home warranty company paid for part of (the actual water heater itself), so despite the cost, I feel good knowing that we spent it wth someone I completely trust and that we would have spent ridiculously more if anyone else had done, and besides that... he is amazing and every bit of work he has done in our house has been great. What really excites me... is the thought of being able to fill an ENTIRE bathtub with hot water for a bath tonight. I haven't been able to fill the entire bathtub full since we moved into the house in April 2009. This will be fantastic.
We headed to the Farmers Market in Calabasas later this morning too, after Marc got home from swim practice. It is my second favorite part of summer. (My favorite part is the beach). There is just something about wandering around Old Towne stopping at all the little booths and trying their strawberries and peaches and plums and tomatoes and picking the tastiest ones. We got pluots, black plums, white peaches, apricots, strawberries (sweetest you have ever tasted!), potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, an artichoke, and some fresh squeezed apple peach juice that Vinny says was totally worth $6.00. I already made some strawberry lemonade and cut Vinny up some fresh fruit for lunch, and I am going to make a very yummy dinner tonight. I think we are going to barbecue. I love grilling green beans with butter and garlic.
On a side note, Vinny broke his hot food strike last night (5 days later) to eat some of my in-laws barbecued chicken and fish.
Sadly... it is back to work for me. I am only 2 out of 9 lessons into my first of two units that are due Monday.
Our plumber friend came this morning to replace our water heater. This has been a much anticipated expense that the home warranty company paid for part of (the actual water heater itself), so despite the cost, I feel good knowing that we spent it wth someone I completely trust and that we would have spent ridiculously more if anyone else had done, and besides that... he is amazing and every bit of work he has done in our house has been great. What really excites me... is the thought of being able to fill an ENTIRE bathtub with hot water for a bath tonight. I haven't been able to fill the entire bathtub full since we moved into the house in April 2009. This will be fantastic.
We headed to the Farmers Market in Calabasas later this morning too, after Marc got home from swim practice. It is my second favorite part of summer. (My favorite part is the beach). There is just something about wandering around Old Towne stopping at all the little booths and trying their strawberries and peaches and plums and tomatoes and picking the tastiest ones. We got pluots, black plums, white peaches, apricots, strawberries (sweetest you have ever tasted!), potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, an artichoke, and some fresh squeezed apple peach juice that Vinny says was totally worth $6.00. I already made some strawberry lemonade and cut Vinny up some fresh fruit for lunch, and I am going to make a very yummy dinner tonight. I think we are going to barbecue. I love grilling green beans with butter and garlic.
On a side note, Vinny broke his hot food strike last night (5 days later) to eat some of my in-laws barbecued chicken and fish.
Sadly... it is back to work for me. I am only 2 out of 9 lessons into my first of two units that are due Monday.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Wonderings
I'd like to say I made progress today. My house is much less of a disaster than it was this morning. I have been slowly wading my way through the process of cleaning out the garage this week, and it is really starting to look better. The massive pile of random sheets, blankets, towels, and clothes that had accumulated near the washing machine is (6 loads later) completely gone and mostly put away. My grandmother is in town from AZ this weekend, and she hasn't been for a visit since we bought the house, so I would like her to see it, but I really, really want to get it cleaned up first. It isn't really that bad, but a week of being at home with Vinny, on top of the crazy organizing I am trying to do, has taken its toll on the house.
Vinny was a great boy today. I needed a good day,so that was lucky.
Is it sad that I am looking forward to nothing more than going to the Farmers Market in Calabasas on Saturday? It is my favorite part of the summer, and I have had such busy Saturdays this year until this point that I haven't been able to go even once so far. I am really, really, really looking forward to it. I hope the salsa guy is there.
Vinny was a great boy today. I needed a good day,so that was lucky.
Is it sad that I am looking forward to nothing more than going to the Farmers Market in Calabasas on Saturday? It is my favorite part of the summer, and I have had such busy Saturdays this year until this point that I haven't been able to go even once so far. I am really, really, really looking forward to it. I hope the salsa guy is there.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Motivation Mountains and Valleys
Lately, I have true mountains and valleys in feeling motivated.
Motivated to do what?
Well.... anything to be honest. (Except watch a Showtime series OnDemand that Marc and I have just started working our way through in the evenings. I always want to do that).
I have a lot to do. I have work stuff to do. I have around-the-house stuff that I have been putting off. I have phone calls to make and just errands and junk to do. I feel very good about the fact that I actually made some calls for a new preschool for Vinny today, but the lamest part is that none of my calls were even fruitful- Amber is the one who finally reached the school I wanted to tour this week (we are trying to find a place locally to put our boys together; they are best friends and used to go to school together and really miss it). I also scheduled some doctor's appointments and took care of some insurance stuff today, but there is more of that type of nonsense to be done tomorrow, and I really don't feel like it.
Monday night, we got started on cleaning out the garage when I was on a mountain of wanting to get things done. We made progress, but a lot of it was left in limbo with more to do. Random rags and towels and clothes that had been left on the floor were washed, but now they need to be taken out of the dryer and put away, and more loads need to be done, and I have time right now, but I have reached a valley and have ZERO motivation to do it right now. I am just so... exhausted. This morning, on a motivation mountain, I began unpacking from our trip this past weekend. Now clothes need to be put away and the rest of the unpacking still needs to be done, but again, in a valley... probably not gonna do it.
This may have something to do with the phone call I got today informing me that I am, as expected, anemic again this pregnancy, and need to start taking iron. I should probably get up and do that now. Like... now. Okay, force self to get up. Vinny wants a bath. Iron pill may help. Blehhhhhhh.......
Motivated to do what?
Well.... anything to be honest. (Except watch a Showtime series OnDemand that Marc and I have just started working our way through in the evenings. I always want to do that).
I have a lot to do. I have work stuff to do. I have around-the-house stuff that I have been putting off. I have phone calls to make and just errands and junk to do. I feel very good about the fact that I actually made some calls for a new preschool for Vinny today, but the lamest part is that none of my calls were even fruitful- Amber is the one who finally reached the school I wanted to tour this week (we are trying to find a place locally to put our boys together; they are best friends and used to go to school together and really miss it). I also scheduled some doctor's appointments and took care of some insurance stuff today, but there is more of that type of nonsense to be done tomorrow, and I really don't feel like it.
Monday night, we got started on cleaning out the garage when I was on a mountain of wanting to get things done. We made progress, but a lot of it was left in limbo with more to do. Random rags and towels and clothes that had been left on the floor were washed, but now they need to be taken out of the dryer and put away, and more loads need to be done, and I have time right now, but I have reached a valley and have ZERO motivation to do it right now. I am just so... exhausted. This morning, on a motivation mountain, I began unpacking from our trip this past weekend. Now clothes need to be put away and the rest of the unpacking still needs to be done, but again, in a valley... probably not gonna do it.
This may have something to do with the phone call I got today informing me that I am, as expected, anemic again this pregnancy, and need to start taking iron. I should probably get up and do that now. Like... now. Okay, force self to get up. Vinny wants a bath. Iron pill may help. Blehhhhhhh.......
Forcing myself back to reality....
I love summer break. I have loved spending every second with my son. I have loved not grading papers or thinking about papers or school. But... reality is... I'm not the typical teacher (because apparently I am never the typical anything), and I have more responsibilities, which extend beyond the school year. They are responsibilities I took gladly and enjoy very much, but they are work nonetheless. I am part of a curriculum development team for our network of schools, and I signed a contract to write up two units for possibly being piloted in this next year. They are due on June 28th. In addition, I am part of a scoring team for the same thing, and I have to score a bunch of work that I and another teacher piloted this year. I believe it is also due then, so I really, really, really need to get it done.
I opened the first file today and started trying to get it done. I am just not in the right state of mind for this and cannot seem to get myself going with it. I am going to have to try to dedicate a certain amount of time tomorrow and Friday to get it done. Ever want something to be done so badly, but want just as badly not to have to do it? Yeah, that is how I feel right now.
I opened the first file today and started trying to get it done. I am just not in the right state of mind for this and cannot seem to get myself going with it. I am going to have to try to dedicate a certain amount of time tomorrow and Friday to get it done. Ever want something to be done so badly, but want just as badly not to have to do it? Yeah, that is how I feel right now.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The World's Greatest Kid... and a GREAT day.
I adore my almost-4-year-old son more than anything. Seriously. He is the greatest kid. I am so lucky. Here is hoping I get so lucky with #2.
We had a wonderfully awesome day today. He crawled into bed with me around 8am, we watched some t.v., and got ready for the beach. After a painfully long glucose test (an hour long drink some sugary junk and then get your blood drawn procedure to find out if I have gestational diabetest), we were on our way. Grandma took the day off to spend with me and V and we headed to Point Mugu, since we haven't been there in a while.
As I have mentioned before, I love the beach pretty much more than anything else in the whole world. Really. My son quite obviously has my genes. He just had the time of his life. From the second we got there, he was in the water. He came out to eat for a little bit, then went back in. Eventually, he came out a couple more times to make grandma take him on a walk and then to build a sand castle, but overall, he spent pretty much the entire time in the water. He is so social too... the total opposite of me as a child. I was always nervous to talk to kids I didn't know, but Vinny made friends with practically every kid on the beach (of course, he seems to always want to pick like the 8-10 year olds rather than the 2-5 year olds, but whatever). As things were winding up, he thought it might be fun to jump off the sandly ledge and roll down the sandy hill, over and over again (it was a beach with some mini dunes). Great.... he was covered in dirty black sand (the dunes are near bbq pits), but at least he was having fun.
I did my best to rinse him off in a spigot up at the top and we headed home. I made a valiant effort at trying something new- grilled pizza. I didn't want to heat the house up by putting it in the oven. I put my pizza stone on the grill and fired it up.In theory, it totally should have worked. It was getting nice and bubbly, but I walked away to use the bathroom and when I came out like no more than 90 seconds later, the bottom was black and the top was brown. How did that happen so fast? I guess it would have worked (and will when I try it again- I am not ready to give up), had I realized how quickly it was going to cook.
I was willing to eat it anyway, but Marc took one look at it and declared it a fast food night. We decided to make it a fun summer night out- what the heck, it is summer, ya know- and eat at the food court and then see Toy Story 3. It was a great night and a great movie. Plus, eating immediately before hand (actually, I was getting full fast, so I snuck most of mine into the movie) had the added benefit of saving us money at the concession stand.
On a side note, yesterday, Vinny declared that it is summer and he is not eating anything "hot." No, he does not mean spicy; he literally means anything cooked. When I took him shopping yesterday and asked what we should have for dinner, he said, "Not hot food, cold food. Cheese. Peanut butter sandwiches. Fruit." Um.... okay. Strangely enough, he has gotten away with it. Last night, he filled up on pasta salad, fruit, and cheese and didn't actually have a cheeseburger. Tonight, I let him pick at the food court. He says, "Nothing hot," and asks for a turkey sandwich from Subway. Technically, he is eating well-rounded meals, but I am finding this phase very strange. I wonder how long it will last. I had no intention of putting up with it, but because he has actually been eating well, and hasn't been requesting special meals, he has gotten away with it so far. Hmmmmmm.......
We had a wonderfully awesome day today. He crawled into bed with me around 8am, we watched some t.v., and got ready for the beach. After a painfully long glucose test (an hour long drink some sugary junk and then get your blood drawn procedure to find out if I have gestational diabetest), we were on our way. Grandma took the day off to spend with me and V and we headed to Point Mugu, since we haven't been there in a while.
As I have mentioned before, I love the beach pretty much more than anything else in the whole world. Really. My son quite obviously has my genes. He just had the time of his life. From the second we got there, he was in the water. He came out to eat for a little bit, then went back in. Eventually, he came out a couple more times to make grandma take him on a walk and then to build a sand castle, but overall, he spent pretty much the entire time in the water. He is so social too... the total opposite of me as a child. I was always nervous to talk to kids I didn't know, but Vinny made friends with practically every kid on the beach (of course, he seems to always want to pick like the 8-10 year olds rather than the 2-5 year olds, but whatever). As things were winding up, he thought it might be fun to jump off the sandly ledge and roll down the sandy hill, over and over again (it was a beach with some mini dunes). Great.... he was covered in dirty black sand (the dunes are near bbq pits), but at least he was having fun.
I did my best to rinse him off in a spigot up at the top and we headed home. I made a valiant effort at trying something new- grilled pizza. I didn't want to heat the house up by putting it in the oven. I put my pizza stone on the grill and fired it up.In theory, it totally should have worked. It was getting nice and bubbly, but I walked away to use the bathroom and when I came out like no more than 90 seconds later, the bottom was black and the top was brown. How did that happen so fast? I guess it would have worked (and will when I try it again- I am not ready to give up), had I realized how quickly it was going to cook.
I was willing to eat it anyway, but Marc took one look at it and declared it a fast food night. We decided to make it a fun summer night out- what the heck, it is summer, ya know- and eat at the food court and then see Toy Story 3. It was a great night and a great movie. Plus, eating immediately before hand (actually, I was getting full fast, so I snuck most of mine into the movie) had the added benefit of saving us money at the concession stand.
On a side note, yesterday, Vinny declared that it is summer and he is not eating anything "hot." No, he does not mean spicy; he literally means anything cooked. When I took him shopping yesterday and asked what we should have for dinner, he said, "Not hot food, cold food. Cheese. Peanut butter sandwiches. Fruit." Um.... okay. Strangely enough, he has gotten away with it. Last night, he filled up on pasta salad, fruit, and cheese and didn't actually have a cheeseburger. Tonight, I let him pick at the food court. He says, "Nothing hot," and asks for a turkey sandwich from Subway. Technically, he is eating well-rounded meals, but I am finding this phase very strange. I wonder how long it will last. I had no intention of putting up with it, but because he has actually been eating well, and hasn't been requesting special meals, he has gotten away with it so far. Hmmmmmm.......
Monday, June 21, 2010
Sometimes, even I just don't get it...
People, particularly my students, assume that because I am an English teacher, I must love all literature and appreciate all the "greats" of literature.
This is far from true. It is hard for me to find books I really like, and even I sometimes have trouble getting through books. I have started All Quiet on the Western Front several times and never gotten through the first few pages. It is the same with The Scarlet Letter. I don't like them and have determined that I cannot read them. I struggled through Frankenstein the first time, but eventually, after years and years, grew to have a deep and profound appreciation for the novel.
There is one more author whom I have never understood. In Latin American literature, the "greats" include an author by the name of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He is a Nobel Laureate and apparently an amazing writer. I will admit, his style is somewhat transfixing, but other than that..... ??????? I first was exposed to him in college through a story called "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings." I totally didn't get it. I mean, literally, I understood the story. I comprehended the plot and whatnot, but the story is apparently supposed to have some intense deeper meaning that I just never really got. Part of this may be the fact that it is a genre called "magical realism" which has never really resonated with me. I like magical stories, like fairy tales, and I like realistic stories, but I just don't like when the two join together. It is an uncomfortable union for me. Like, the movie Field of Dreams sort of bothered me the first time I watched it. It grew on me, but initially my reaction was annoyance. For this reason, when some of my kids just never "get" Poe, I try to be very understanding, because I know what it means to not understand an allegory or get the literary significance of a piece, or just not to click with the genre.
Years later, I tried to read a book he wrote, which is supposed to be amazing called 100 Years of Solitude. Again, it is magical realism, but I thought I could try to enjoy it if it is a good story, but I found that the story feels as the name suggests... long and uninteresting. I couldn't connect and decided to stop reading it about 20% into the book. I don't have a lot of leisurely time to read, so I really don't waste my time with a book that isn't good that far into it, unless the author has really gained my trust (for example, John Irving's Widow for One Year was still very boring probably 35% into the book, but I got that far and realized that the remaining 65% was totally worth it, yet I only did it because he had gained my trust with The Cider House Rules and A Prayer for Owen Meany).
I had nearly given up when the title of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez book caught my eye on the bargain book shelf at Borders last week. Memories of My Melancholy Whores. Hmmm... interesting. Plus, for $5, who could go wrong? And it was large print and only a little over 100 pages, so at least it wouldn't be painfully long, right? I stood at the bookshelf and read the first few pages. Here is how it starts....
In my ninetieth year, I decided to give myself the gift of a night of love with a young virgin.I have never gone to bed with a woman I didn't pay ... by the time I was fifty there were 514 women with whom I had been at least once ... My public life, on the other hand, was lacking in interest: both parents dead, a bachelor without a future, a mediocre journalist ... and a favorite of caricaturists because of my exemplary ugliness.
Okay, it sounds trashy, but he is a nobel laureate, so it couldn't really be, right? I was hooked. Admit it... you would be too. Truly captivating, apparently not at all magical realism, and actually a seemingly good story. I bought it.
It is finally summer and I was able to read it today. It was, as I thought, a quick read. Finished it today. It was not a good story. It went nowhere. I will save you the trouble (so warning, if you still, despite my warning, want to read it, "spoilers" if they can be even called that with this book, are coming) and tell you that basically, he arranges to have a night with a young prostitute, a virgin, but he goes and finds that she is asleep when he gets to the brothel and basically won't wake up. Instead of force her awake, give up, ask for a new one, whatever... he comes back night after night for like a year to watch her sleep. It becomes totally not about having sex with her, but about watching her sleep. That's it. He watches her sleep for like a year, and then it basically just ends. She moves on, he moves on. It is over.
I am sure there is some element of literary genius in there that I am not getting. If this were for a class, I could easily choose quotes and BS my way through one hell of an essay on the significance of his inability to love a woman who is awake, and why her sleeping innocence awakens in him some element of living that he never experienced before, but realistically.... seriously.... it is a story about a 90 year old guy watching a naked teenage girl sleep every night. Creepy... and not really entertaining.
I have two more books to read, a Tobias Wolff one that seems very good and very literary in a way I will enjoy, and a cheap contemporary novel Made in the USA that probably has no literary merit whatsoever but promises to be a good story. Any other suggestions? I am picky. I like true stories when they are a good story and not just someone's pathetic attempt at being able to publish a book about his life. I like stories that surprise me. I do not like Jodi Picoult or any stories about teenagers that have depressing topics or endings (My own experiences with teenagers are depressing enough- I don't need to read fiction for that). I like fiction that is very amusing, intriguing, and will make me laugh and random points while reading, but totally doesn't need to have happy endings. I like commentaries on life if they are well written. I don't like romance. I don't like reading books that feel like essays, as I read too many of those during the year. I don't like thrillers. I do like "page turners." I do like stuff that is way below my reading level and frequently enjoy reading YA lit just to know what good books to recommend to the kids, especially when they are quick reads and captivating stories. The Giver is seriously one of my favorite books ever, except the ending, which sort of stinks.
Anyhow... suggestions?
This is far from true. It is hard for me to find books I really like, and even I sometimes have trouble getting through books. I have started All Quiet on the Western Front several times and never gotten through the first few pages. It is the same with The Scarlet Letter. I don't like them and have determined that I cannot read them. I struggled through Frankenstein the first time, but eventually, after years and years, grew to have a deep and profound appreciation for the novel.
There is one more author whom I have never understood. In Latin American literature, the "greats" include an author by the name of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He is a Nobel Laureate and apparently an amazing writer. I will admit, his style is somewhat transfixing, but other than that..... ??????? I first was exposed to him in college through a story called "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings." I totally didn't get it. I mean, literally, I understood the story. I comprehended the plot and whatnot, but the story is apparently supposed to have some intense deeper meaning that I just never really got. Part of this may be the fact that it is a genre called "magical realism" which has never really resonated with me. I like magical stories, like fairy tales, and I like realistic stories, but I just don't like when the two join together. It is an uncomfortable union for me. Like, the movie Field of Dreams sort of bothered me the first time I watched it. It grew on me, but initially my reaction was annoyance. For this reason, when some of my kids just never "get" Poe, I try to be very understanding, because I know what it means to not understand an allegory or get the literary significance of a piece, or just not to click with the genre.
Years later, I tried to read a book he wrote, which is supposed to be amazing called 100 Years of Solitude. Again, it is magical realism, but I thought I could try to enjoy it if it is a good story, but I found that the story feels as the name suggests... long and uninteresting. I couldn't connect and decided to stop reading it about 20% into the book. I don't have a lot of leisurely time to read, so I really don't waste my time with a book that isn't good that far into it, unless the author has really gained my trust (for example, John Irving's Widow for One Year was still very boring probably 35% into the book, but I got that far and realized that the remaining 65% was totally worth it, yet I only did it because he had gained my trust with The Cider House Rules and A Prayer for Owen Meany).
I had nearly given up when the title of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez book caught my eye on the bargain book shelf at Borders last week. Memories of My Melancholy Whores. Hmmm... interesting. Plus, for $5, who could go wrong? And it was large print and only a little over 100 pages, so at least it wouldn't be painfully long, right? I stood at the bookshelf and read the first few pages. Here is how it starts....
In my ninetieth year, I decided to give myself the gift of a night of love with a young virgin.I have never gone to bed with a woman I didn't pay ... by the time I was fifty there were 514 women with whom I had been at least once ... My public life, on the other hand, was lacking in interest: both parents dead, a bachelor without a future, a mediocre journalist ... and a favorite of caricaturists because of my exemplary ugliness.
Okay, it sounds trashy, but he is a nobel laureate, so it couldn't really be, right? I was hooked. Admit it... you would be too. Truly captivating, apparently not at all magical realism, and actually a seemingly good story. I bought it.
It is finally summer and I was able to read it today. It was, as I thought, a quick read. Finished it today. It was not a good story. It went nowhere. I will save you the trouble (so warning, if you still, despite my warning, want to read it, "spoilers" if they can be even called that with this book, are coming) and tell you that basically, he arranges to have a night with a young prostitute, a virgin, but he goes and finds that she is asleep when he gets to the brothel and basically won't wake up. Instead of force her awake, give up, ask for a new one, whatever... he comes back night after night for like a year to watch her sleep. It becomes totally not about having sex with her, but about watching her sleep. That's it. He watches her sleep for like a year, and then it basically just ends. She moves on, he moves on. It is over.
I am sure there is some element of literary genius in there that I am not getting. If this were for a class, I could easily choose quotes and BS my way through one hell of an essay on the significance of his inability to love a woman who is awake, and why her sleeping innocence awakens in him some element of living that he never experienced before, but realistically.... seriously.... it is a story about a 90 year old guy watching a naked teenage girl sleep every night. Creepy... and not really entertaining.
I have two more books to read, a Tobias Wolff one that seems very good and very literary in a way I will enjoy, and a cheap contemporary novel Made in the USA that probably has no literary merit whatsoever but promises to be a good story. Any other suggestions? I am picky. I like true stories when they are a good story and not just someone's pathetic attempt at being able to publish a book about his life. I like stories that surprise me. I do not like Jodi Picoult or any stories about teenagers that have depressing topics or endings (My own experiences with teenagers are depressing enough- I don't need to read fiction for that). I like fiction that is very amusing, intriguing, and will make me laugh and random points while reading, but totally doesn't need to have happy endings. I like commentaries on life if they are well written. I don't like romance. I don't like reading books that feel like essays, as I read too many of those during the year. I don't like thrillers. I do like "page turners." I do like stuff that is way below my reading level and frequently enjoy reading YA lit just to know what good books to recommend to the kids, especially when they are quick reads and captivating stories. The Giver is seriously one of my favorite books ever, except the ending, which sort of stinks.
Anyhow... suggestions?
Sunday, June 20, 2010
TGI Summer!
It is finally summer break. Thank God! We went to Las Vegas for a swim meet this weekend, which was a great kickoff. Vinny and I are normally rather bored at Marc's swim meets, but as luck would have it, we pulled up at the park to find that this swim meet was at an aquatic facility with a mini water park. I didn't get a chance to take pictures, butit looked like this:
It worked out very well for us, until it got crazy crowded around 3:00pm, but Marc was almost done then, so we made it through the day alive. :-) It wasn't a typical trip to Vegas... not much gambling or anything. We had a deliciously wonderful buffet at the Hilton and then took Vinny to see the Volcano thing at the Mirage. It kind of freaked him out, but he has been talking about it all day, so I guess he mostly liked it.
Today's drive home was, well, painful to say the least, but that's Vegas to L.A. on a Sunday. At one point, I think Vinny was honestly delirious. After whining about the bright sun for like 20 minutes, he got really happy, slap happy, and started talking about an imaginary fish in his hand. Then, about 15 minutes later, he started sobbing and saying, "My fish is gone!" Oh boy... it was time to stop for a break.
I am so excited to have wonderful free time this weak. I have a lot to do still- 1 hour glucose test (just how I want to spend the first week of break- giving blood), finish curriculum development for summer institute, and sub plans for next semester, but I am feeling relieved and relaxed nonetheless.
:-)
It worked out very well for us, until it got crazy crowded around 3:00pm, but Marc was almost done then, so we made it through the day alive. :-) It wasn't a typical trip to Vegas... not much gambling or anything. We had a deliciously wonderful buffet at the Hilton and then took Vinny to see the Volcano thing at the Mirage. It kind of freaked him out, but he has been talking about it all day, so I guess he mostly liked it.
Today's drive home was, well, painful to say the least, but that's Vegas to L.A. on a Sunday. At one point, I think Vinny was honestly delirious. After whining about the bright sun for like 20 minutes, he got really happy, slap happy, and started talking about an imaginary fish in his hand. Then, about 15 minutes later, he started sobbing and saying, "My fish is gone!" Oh boy... it was time to stop for a break.
I am so excited to have wonderful free time this weak. I have a lot to do still- 1 hour glucose test (just how I want to spend the first week of break- giving blood), finish curriculum development for summer institute, and sub plans for next semester, but I am feeling relieved and relaxed nonetheless.
:-)
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Summer break, here we come!
I don't know who is more excited for it to be break- me or Vinny. He keeps asking if it is summer yet. He has a list of things that is going to happen when it is summer, funnily enough, at the top of them is sleeping in. Some people think that all little kids are morning people, but it is just not true. Vinny loves sleeping in, and when he does get up, all he wants to do it lay around the house for a long time before getting dressed. I am really looking forward to those mornings.
Today was the last day of finals and my grades were due. Getting them all done and in on time was a nightmare. I had SO many projects to finish grading in the last few days; it was beyond exhausting. I was up until almost 2am yesterday, and I couldn't even finish. I was literally falling asleep holding papers. My mind was saying, "Must open eyes to see papers," but my body was literally just shutting down. I tried to set my alarm early to get up and finish, but I couldn't drag myself out of bed at 5am. I made it to school on time by the grace of God, and finished the rest of the papers while the students took their final.
It was a crazy day. I had all kinds of issues with the grade system (just thinking about it is giving me an anxiety attack), plus I had my toughest two classes today, and we had a demo lesson scheduled for a history teacher candidate we are considering (well, probably decided now). In addition, I am moving classrooms over the summer, so I had to finish packing. I have been working on it all week (for like the past two weeks really), but it really came down to the wire today and I did a lot. My lower back hurts so much from all the reaching up to get stuff out of cabinets and leaning down to put it in boxes. I am wiped... and there is still more to do tomorrow, but then we will be done, done, done.
I am looking forward to the beach, to the 3 new books I bought for summer reading, to swimming with my son, to shopping at the farmers market and cooking delicious meals. You know what I am looking forward to right now? Eating a big bowl of strawberries and possibly the entire container of cool whip. Yum. Okay... gonna put Vinny to bed now. Big, excitingly LAST day tomorrow. Woo hoo!
Today was the last day of finals and my grades were due. Getting them all done and in on time was a nightmare. I had SO many projects to finish grading in the last few days; it was beyond exhausting. I was up until almost 2am yesterday, and I couldn't even finish. I was literally falling asleep holding papers. My mind was saying, "Must open eyes to see papers," but my body was literally just shutting down. I tried to set my alarm early to get up and finish, but I couldn't drag myself out of bed at 5am. I made it to school on time by the grace of God, and finished the rest of the papers while the students took their final.
It was a crazy day. I had all kinds of issues with the grade system (just thinking about it is giving me an anxiety attack), plus I had my toughest two classes today, and we had a demo lesson scheduled for a history teacher candidate we are considering (well, probably decided now). In addition, I am moving classrooms over the summer, so I had to finish packing. I have been working on it all week (for like the past two weeks really), but it really came down to the wire today and I did a lot. My lower back hurts so much from all the reaching up to get stuff out of cabinets and leaning down to put it in boxes. I am wiped... and there is still more to do tomorrow, but then we will be done, done, done.
I am looking forward to the beach, to the 3 new books I bought for summer reading, to swimming with my son, to shopping at the farmers market and cooking delicious meals. You know what I am looking forward to right now? Eating a big bowl of strawberries and possibly the entire container of cool whip. Yum. Okay... gonna put Vinny to bed now. Big, excitingly LAST day tomorrow. Woo hoo!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
My Pet Peeve....
.... as a teacher, is when students just totally do not listen.
So, I am giving my final exams today. I gave very explicit instructions at the beginning of the test, and wrote them on the board. The instructions were as follows...
- When you finish with the exam, come turn it in on this table up front (point to desk).
- Take one of these "end of the year survey" papers (hold up survey).
- Complete the survey. Then, bring the survey up front.
- Turn in the survey, then take on of these packets with your summer reading project (hold up packet).
- Then take any textbooks you have left and return them to the textbook room and check out the book for the summer reading project.
- You may then return to class and sit quietly at your desk and preview the book and the project. I will happily answer any questions about the project once everyone has finished the final exam.
After explaining these instructions, I said, "Now, what do you do when you finish your final?" The whole class, as they know to do, answers back, "Bring it up there and take the survey." So they got it. Then I said, "When you finish the survey, what do you do?" They answer back, "Bring it up there and get the summer reading."
Fantastic! They understand!
So, about half an hour goes by and a student raises her hand, "Mrs. Mohr, what are we supposed to do when we finish?"
"Really?"
I said it, too. I know I am a bit too sarcastic, but COME ON.... The class kind of giggled as I looked at her to see if she seriously didn't know, before finally answering her by repeating the instructions I had just gone over 30 minutes prior.
Then, as the students came up here, another student grabs the survey and says, "Can I go return my books now?" I again had to clarify, survey first, then books. I am now making signs for the tables to tell them what to do... yet again.
Is it too much to expect that students can listen to and follow simple multi-step instructions?
So, I am giving my final exams today. I gave very explicit instructions at the beginning of the test, and wrote them on the board. The instructions were as follows...
- When you finish with the exam, come turn it in on this table up front (point to desk).
- Take one of these "end of the year survey" papers (hold up survey).
- Complete the survey. Then, bring the survey up front.
- Turn in the survey, then take on of these packets with your summer reading project (hold up packet).
- Then take any textbooks you have left and return them to the textbook room and check out the book for the summer reading project.
- You may then return to class and sit quietly at your desk and preview the book and the project. I will happily answer any questions about the project once everyone has finished the final exam.
After explaining these instructions, I said, "Now, what do you do when you finish your final?" The whole class, as they know to do, answers back, "Bring it up there and take the survey." So they got it. Then I said, "When you finish the survey, what do you do?" They answer back, "Bring it up there and get the summer reading."
Fantastic! They understand!
So, about half an hour goes by and a student raises her hand, "Mrs. Mohr, what are we supposed to do when we finish?"
"Really?"
I said it, too. I know I am a bit too sarcastic, but COME ON.... The class kind of giggled as I looked at her to see if she seriously didn't know, before finally answering her by repeating the instructions I had just gone over 30 minutes prior.
Then, as the students came up here, another student grabs the survey and says, "Can I go return my books now?" I again had to clarify, survey first, then books. I am now making signs for the tables to tell them what to do... yet again.
Is it too much to expect that students can listen to and follow simple multi-step instructions?
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