"We're going to the pig race! How about you?" reads the piece of paper I found in my mailbox at school this morning. Greaaaaaat. Can you tell I am so thrilled with this prospect?
Our school fundraiser (magazine sale) started last Friday and the first turn-in date was on Tuesday. For classes that reach 100% of their sales goals, they get a Mr. Bacon pig that they can do anything to (other than re-wire it or do anything to its legs). My kids last year shaved the pig and colored it MN Twins colors with Sharpie markers.
It took multiple turn-in dates for my class to meet their 100% goal last year. This year? It took ONE turn-in date. Only ONE!!!
I was really hoping my class this year wouldn't make the goal. I hate that darn pig race. It is so dang loud in that gym and the kids just get so wound up with it. It's practically impossible to get the kids to focus on their work after the races.
Granted, if our pig wins, we get $60 for a class party. I wouldn't mind that. That'd be pretty darn cool, in all honesty. They're one of my best classes.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Here...
I have bus duty Tuesday afternoons.
I stand outside in the middle of the road, watching kids run across to the parking lot to get to their buses, run back across when they've forgot something in the building, and run across yet again to hopefully catch their bus before it leaves. Why in the middle of the road? To make sure cars don't go through and mow the kids down. Because it's better to have a teacher hit than a kid. Just kidding.
As the buses began to depart today, a few stragglers came running out of the building trying to catch their bus before it rolled out of the lot. I stood on the sidewalk near the school while my bus duty partner stood across the road from me, waiting to help stall the buses in order to let the kids cross.
One of the last buses slowed down and stopped with its doors right in front of me. As the driver opened the doors, I walked towards the bus, thinking that he was looking for a kid or he had a question. Instead, he says "Here..." and tosses me something. I catch it and look down: a grape Tootsie Pop! I smiled and said thanks as the driver closed the doors and went on his way to deliver the kids to their stops.
Now...How does that fit in with our new district Wellness Policy? ;)
I stand outside in the middle of the road, watching kids run across to the parking lot to get to their buses, run back across when they've forgot something in the building, and run across yet again to hopefully catch their bus before it leaves. Why in the middle of the road? To make sure cars don't go through and mow the kids down. Because it's better to have a teacher hit than a kid. Just kidding.
As the buses began to depart today, a few stragglers came running out of the building trying to catch their bus before it rolled out of the lot. I stood on the sidewalk near the school while my bus duty partner stood across the road from me, waiting to help stall the buses in order to let the kids cross.
One of the last buses slowed down and stopped with its doors right in front of me. As the driver opened the doors, I walked towards the bus, thinking that he was looking for a kid or he had a question. Instead, he says "Here..." and tosses me something. I catch it and look down: a grape Tootsie Pop! I smiled and said thanks as the driver closed the doors and went on his way to deliver the kids to their stops.
Now...How does that fit in with our new district Wellness Policy? ;)
Monday, September 17, 2007
The Woes of Coaching
So I coached our school's Math Team last year and was willing to do it this year again. It's not so bad, now that I know what I'm doing.
And then again, it's no fun at all when people don't respond to e-mails for three weeks.
It's not like I e-mailed every day badgering people either. One e-mail a week, that's all. And still, I didn't hear as much as an "I don't know, I'll let you know when I do" from our division coordinator until today. Almost three full weeks from the time I first contacted him about the meet schedule for this year.
I'm glad things are finally settled, but it would have been really nice to get information out to kids like, the beginning of last week.
We'll have the informational meeting next Monday that I finally set up just to get the ball rolling. That at least gives me time to figure out bus costs and stuff between our school and the other middle school we'll be sharing buses with.
You know, I felt so on top of all this stuff three weeks ago. All ready to go with everything and the TIME to get this stuff done. Now that the school year's underway, I don't have the leisure of time anymore to get this extra stuff done.
Speaking of extra stuff...Maybe I should let our AP know that I still need to get and sign my contract for coaching Math Team this year...
And then again, it's no fun at all when people don't respond to e-mails for three weeks.
It's not like I e-mailed every day badgering people either. One e-mail a week, that's all. And still, I didn't hear as much as an "I don't know, I'll let you know when I do" from our division coordinator until today. Almost three full weeks from the time I first contacted him about the meet schedule for this year.
I'm glad things are finally settled, but it would have been really nice to get information out to kids like, the beginning of last week.
We'll have the informational meeting next Monday that I finally set up just to get the ball rolling. That at least gives me time to figure out bus costs and stuff between our school and the other middle school we'll be sharing buses with.
You know, I felt so on top of all this stuff three weeks ago. All ready to go with everything and the TIME to get this stuff done. Now that the school year's underway, I don't have the leisure of time anymore to get this extra stuff done.
Speaking of extra stuff...Maybe I should let our AP know that I still need to get and sign my contract for coaching Math Team this year...
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Blast From the Past
I checked my hotmail e-mail account after lunch like I've gotten into the habit of doing (gosh, I love Firefox). Two new e-mails: one junk and one from...my retired Kindergarten teacher!!!
We have tried to stay in touch over the years, which has become harder to do, especially once she retired and then I started teaching a few years later. Life just became too hectic and random for us to easily keep in touch. It was such a nice surprise to see an e-mail from her waiting in my inbox.
Her e-mail was short - just a few sentences in length, checking in to see what new stuff was happening with me. My response was...WAY more than a few sentences. It was at least a short novel. Written in less than half an hour. There went my prep time today. :p
It was completely worth it, though. I've got papers to go through tonight, but that shouldn't take too long.
Wow. I might be able to beat the high school rush out of the parking lot if I can leave in the next five minutes. Let's hope that works! If not, I'll be stuck here at school for another 40 minutes.
We have tried to stay in touch over the years, which has become harder to do, especially once she retired and then I started teaching a few years later. Life just became too hectic and random for us to easily keep in touch. It was such a nice surprise to see an e-mail from her waiting in my inbox.
Her e-mail was short - just a few sentences in length, checking in to see what new stuff was happening with me. My response was...WAY more than a few sentences. It was at least a short novel. Written in less than half an hour. There went my prep time today. :p
It was completely worth it, though. I've got papers to go through tonight, but that shouldn't take too long.
Wow. I might be able to beat the high school rush out of the parking lot if I can leave in the next five minutes. Let's hope that works! If not, I'll be stuck here at school for another 40 minutes.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Old Program, New Teacher
My algebra 1/2 block kids were playing games and working on their math homework during Connect Time (our school's adivsement) when the math TOSA walked into my room.
He asked me how things were going and if I was swamped with stuff in my new position. He was surprised and slightly amused when I told him it's been a breeze so far, compared to last year (six classes vs. nine; all classes with curriculum to use vs. making up all my own stuff for eight of my nine classes).
He asked if our new FOL Math teacher had talked with me about how I had set up the program (it was a new program my first year). I told him that he had and that I hoped things were going alright so far. The TOSA then said that he hadn't gotten a chance to watch the new FOL teacher teach yet, but when he does and if things aren't running smoothly (we had a new guy the last half of last year who had some...difficulties...with the program and kids), he wants the new teacher to observe me teach a lesson. The TOSA said that I have some really good strategies that work well for the kids.
I never really think about that kind of stuff. I know I should, as that's so important in teaching, but I never really do. It just kind of...comes.
One thing, though. I HATE being observed. No matter what the supervisors say to ease the pain of it, I still feel like I'm on stage, performing all my tricks to please the audience. I just hate that feeling.
It's one thing making a fool of myself in front of my students. I do that on a daily basis. It's totally another thing making a fool of myself in front of the administration.
He asked me how things were going and if I was swamped with stuff in my new position. He was surprised and slightly amused when I told him it's been a breeze so far, compared to last year (six classes vs. nine; all classes with curriculum to use vs. making up all my own stuff for eight of my nine classes).
He asked if our new FOL Math teacher had talked with me about how I had set up the program (it was a new program my first year). I told him that he had and that I hoped things were going alright so far. The TOSA then said that he hadn't gotten a chance to watch the new FOL teacher teach yet, but when he does and if things aren't running smoothly (we had a new guy the last half of last year who had some...difficulties...with the program and kids), he wants the new teacher to observe me teach a lesson. The TOSA said that I have some really good strategies that work well for the kids.
I never really think about that kind of stuff. I know I should, as that's so important in teaching, but I never really do. It just kind of...comes.
One thing, though. I HATE being observed. No matter what the supervisors say to ease the pain of it, I still feel like I'm on stage, performing all my tricks to please the audience. I just hate that feeling.
It's one thing making a fool of myself in front of my students. I do that on a daily basis. It's totally another thing making a fool of myself in front of the administration.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Apples
A student brings an apple to school and gives it to the teacher, who puts it on their desk and eats it later for lunch or a snack. What a quaint, old-fashioned view of the world, no? No one ever does that anymore. An apple to a teacher? Yeah, right.
Yeah, right!!
I was sitting at my desk after lunch, entering some student data in my laptop as our new health teacher taught his class of...six. Seventh graders were out in the halls, putting their books away and grabbing lunches from lockers, heading to lunch. My door opened and in walked one of my new students (new to the school this year).
This kid stopped in with his mom, sister, and friend the week before school started to meet his teachers and find where his classes would be. As I have him in my first class on A Days, I was the first teacher he met. He is so quiet in class, but a really good kid.
Anyway...
He quietly walked over to my desk, handed me something wrapped up in a napkin and whispered, "I brought you an apple."
Without waiting for a response, he headed back out the door to lunch.
What. A. Stinkin'. Cutie.
Yeah, right!!
I was sitting at my desk after lunch, entering some student data in my laptop as our new health teacher taught his class of...six. Seventh graders were out in the halls, putting their books away and grabbing lunches from lockers, heading to lunch. My door opened and in walked one of my new students (new to the school this year).
This kid stopped in with his mom, sister, and friend the week before school started to meet his teachers and find where his classes would be. As I have him in my first class on A Days, I was the first teacher he met. He is so quiet in class, but a really good kid.
Anyway...
He quietly walked over to my desk, handed me something wrapped up in a napkin and whispered, "I brought you an apple."
Without waiting for a response, he headed back out the door to lunch.
What. A. Stinkin'. Cutie.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Education cuts, here we come?!
Yup, those are some marching band members that my sister marches with. She's actually in the second picture. Fifty points if you can find her. ;)
This was the front page article in the Star Tribune today. The kid second from the left in the first picture goes to my church. It was funny to see all the people talking to him after church today. Instant celebrity status!
CPHS will be one of the hardest hit schools in the state if the referendum doesn't pass this year. It's a very painful reality that most people hate to think about. More money that must be paid in the form of taxes...But you know what? I personally would rather shell out the money now and see our future be well educated instead of paying for their poor education later down the road with higher end jobs going to better educated people from overseas.
Maybe that's just me, though. Maybe the majority of people don't really care who gets the good jobs or who will be deciding our future in the years to come.
Ah, the joys of being an educator.
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