Anniversaries and Annals
It's been awhile! Time for a new post. All that Red Sox watching just plum limited by time to blog. Actually, there's been much more going on in my life to keep me busy than just baseball...
I just celebrated my two year anniversary this last week. Since I bought and moved into my condo, that is. I can still remember the great excitement of first moving into a new place of my own, getting things set up, etc. I loved my place then, and I love it now (still, can you believe it?) God is so good for making such a thing possible. And I even have a decent condo mate, which also helps! :-)
I've been swamped with student papers recently. Sixty or so of them. It's quite a process correcting them. And I'm doing something new this time. Trying to improve the teaching process and all that. I'm offering extra credit for students who will come in before or after school and take part in a mini, five minute or so conference with me to discuss their paper, after I have corrected it. I'm really hoping this will help me determine whether they understand what it means to write a run-on sentence, or a sentence fragement, or why I have marked something as awkward or unclear, or the difference between it's and its, their and there, and why you never want to use the first person in a formal essay. And why you never use contractions in formal writing. And the worst: "I feel this or I feel that" used to buttress their position. It almost makes me want to barf and scrawl in big red letters next to such a statement: "No one cares what you feel, so stuff it. The reader wants to know what you think, what your argument is, and why you think it. Feelings are irrelevant, you byproduct of a warm and fuzzy feeling generation who has been told that whatever you feel is fine. Your feelings are not fine here. I don't care what they are. So save them for your shrink."
Ok, I just made most of that up as I was typing. I'm kind of impressed with my off the cuff creativity. I don't really think all those things. And it would take way too long to write that anyway. So I don't. But students do need to learn to avoid such statements in formal essay writing! Anyway, these conferences, once completed in conjunction with another short writing assignment, will allow students to earn points back on their essay. I haven't done conferences like this before. Now I'm thinking it would be a good idea, since I wonder whether most students actually take the time to read the comments I make on papers, and if they do read them whether they comprehend them and learn from their writing mistakes. This conference will help them to learn, I hope.
I'm also loving school. Despite its business (or is it busyness? See what reading poor spelling in papers does to your spelling skills! Aaaagh!) Three different preps is really a LOT of work. Andrea's schedule notwithstanding, where I am this is more than the norm and thus worthy of bellyaching long and loudly about. In reality, I'm not really complaining, but making an observation. And I am kind of hoping that next year I will be down to two preps, which would help.
But despite the three preps, I pretty much love my classes. And they're sooo different in makeup and personality. Here's a taste:
First period--often dead silence at the start of class. Everyone must be half asleep. What highschooler is really awake before 9:00 A.M. anyway? And we start at 7:45! If I had pins to drop, I'm sure they could be heard and all that.
On a side note, but related to this class: I am quite sure that this class is the one to which a student in a later class was referencing when she asked a question that went something like this: "Why are your earlier classes so boring? So many people say they are boring?" I think I thanked this girl for her question and told her she had so made my day by saying such a thing. Both of my comments had a good bit of sarcasm attached to them. In fairness to her, I think she did not intend to come across as negative, because she seems to enjoy the class, and her class is really lively, so I think she was a bit surprised that earlier classes were not the same way. To deal with this alleged boredom, a couple of days later I addressed the accusation in this earlier class. I told them if they thought class was boring, they hadn't seen anything yet. They were going to get an extremely boring class that day. I then proceeded to talk in a monotone for the next few minutes, which did get some students laughing (amazing as it was, those students making some sound before 8 in the morning!), before I finally got tired of it and stopped. But I believe they got the point. Not that they don't think class is boring anymore. But at least they know what it could be like!
Ok, back to describing my classes. The second class of the day is with the brightest group of kids. They are much more talkative. One girl is an avid Patriots fan, so she often wants to discuss the game, which we frequently do before class starts. Others are solid Sox fans, so we have had some good chats about that, and the late nights it has entailed for us. One girl is probably about as conscientious a student as I have ever taught, and VERY bright, I believe as a result of her painstakingly doing all of the work asked of her in a deliberate manner. She gets stressed out about some of the work in part because she is a slow reader, so handling twenty-five pages of text for my class in addition to her other assignments can be tough. But I expect her to ace the AP exam in May with a 5. At least I have high hopes for her that way. As I do with some others, particularly a couple of guys who are quite good. And this class has two of my students from last year. I admire them for voluntarily putting up with me for an entire second year! And they have won a warm place in my heart for doing so. And they have both asked me for college recommendations, along with it seems like a dozen or so other past students. That's another thing that's keeping me busy this time of year. All those college recs.
After my second class I have quite a break from teaching, as a couple of other duties, my prep period, and my lunch period all are grouped together before I teach my last three classes at the end of the day. The next U.S. History class is unique in its wide range of skill levels. I have one girl who probably belongs in a higher level class. Sweet, quiet, solid. I had her for a semester class last year, and I'm really happy she's in my class again. Then I have some guys in there who are at the other end of the spectrum, who are close to or are failing, and do not have much of a clue about many things. But they are nice. A quick, laugh out loud funny story follows. Funny in a "Oh my word, I can't believe it's that bad" sort of way.
We were looking at a diary entry of a person living in the 18th century (and the date was visible in the entry), and I asked them something about whether you can tell who wrote it based on the date. The eyes of one of these guys kind of grew large, he raised his hand, and with a bit of awe in his voice provided what he thought must be the answer: You wrote it!? (Did I blog about this before? If so, please forgive the repeat!) This was one of those die of laughter moments if it wasn't that the student was so serious. I mean, I may look old to these kids, but to be placed in the 18th century by one of them? And he was serious! I tried to contain myself and cracked a joke, wondering how old the student thought I was! Perhaps needless to say, this guy is not the quickest one in the class. It's probably a good idea he is transferring into a different level shortly...
The next class, also U.S. History, is one with some real live wires in it. Also some high achievers. And some really hard workers, who may not be as naturally intelligent as some of my students, but because they work hard I love them to death. And some lazy ones who do not work hard, and might fail, or barely pass. And at least one quiet one who is also a hard worker and doing well. They have a lot of energy. It's definitely a chore to keep them quiet sometimes, even when they are supposed to listen! This was the class with the student who asked why other classes are bored. If I had to pick a class for which it would be almost impossible for a student to claim it was boring, it would have to be this one. We laugh a bit more. They talk a LOT more. And I find myself often not getting through as much info as earlier classes of the same subject. I think this is partly because it is harder to settle them down. And I think it's because they ask more questions, which lead to extra pearls of wisdom spilling from my ever ready tongue. Ok, maybe not that. But I do go on side trails sometimes with them which I do not with other classes. I'm happy about the curiosity evident. Though it can slow things down, it is something that makes a teacher like myself quite happy.
The last class is my United Nations class. That is, it could be the UN, given the different countries represented by students in it. So it has its own unique flavor. A wide variety of academic levels too, which adds to the mix.
So that's a bit of my life. And now I'm running out of blogging momentum. So I shall shortly go and eat ice cream. Except I'll say I am very glad I no longer have the after school duties I had last year. It makes my schedule so much more manageable!
I just celebrated my two year anniversary this last week. Since I bought and moved into my condo, that is. I can still remember the great excitement of first moving into a new place of my own, getting things set up, etc. I loved my place then, and I love it now (still, can you believe it?) God is so good for making such a thing possible. And I even have a decent condo mate, which also helps! :-)
I've been swamped with student papers recently. Sixty or so of them. It's quite a process correcting them. And I'm doing something new this time. Trying to improve the teaching process and all that. I'm offering extra credit for students who will come in before or after school and take part in a mini, five minute or so conference with me to discuss their paper, after I have corrected it. I'm really hoping this will help me determine whether they understand what it means to write a run-on sentence, or a sentence fragement, or why I have marked something as awkward or unclear, or the difference between it's and its, their and there, and why you never want to use the first person in a formal essay. And why you never use contractions in formal writing. And the worst: "I feel this or I feel that" used to buttress their position. It almost makes me want to barf and scrawl in big red letters next to such a statement: "No one cares what you feel, so stuff it. The reader wants to know what you think, what your argument is, and why you think it. Feelings are irrelevant, you byproduct of a warm and fuzzy feeling generation who has been told that whatever you feel is fine. Your feelings are not fine here. I don't care what they are. So save them for your shrink."
Ok, I just made most of that up as I was typing. I'm kind of impressed with my off the cuff creativity. I don't really think all those things. And it would take way too long to write that anyway. So I don't. But students do need to learn to avoid such statements in formal essay writing! Anyway, these conferences, once completed in conjunction with another short writing assignment, will allow students to earn points back on their essay. I haven't done conferences like this before. Now I'm thinking it would be a good idea, since I wonder whether most students actually take the time to read the comments I make on papers, and if they do read them whether they comprehend them and learn from their writing mistakes. This conference will help them to learn, I hope.
I'm also loving school. Despite its business (or is it busyness? See what reading poor spelling in papers does to your spelling skills! Aaaagh!) Three different preps is really a LOT of work. Andrea's schedule notwithstanding, where I am this is more than the norm and thus worthy of bellyaching long and loudly about. In reality, I'm not really complaining, but making an observation. And I am kind of hoping that next year I will be down to two preps, which would help.
But despite the three preps, I pretty much love my classes. And they're sooo different in makeup and personality. Here's a taste:
First period--often dead silence at the start of class. Everyone must be half asleep. What highschooler is really awake before 9:00 A.M. anyway? And we start at 7:45! If I had pins to drop, I'm sure they could be heard and all that.
On a side note, but related to this class: I am quite sure that this class is the one to which a student in a later class was referencing when she asked a question that went something like this: "Why are your earlier classes so boring? So many people say they are boring?" I think I thanked this girl for her question and told her she had so made my day by saying such a thing. Both of my comments had a good bit of sarcasm attached to them. In fairness to her, I think she did not intend to come across as negative, because she seems to enjoy the class, and her class is really lively, so I think she was a bit surprised that earlier classes were not the same way. To deal with this alleged boredom, a couple of days later I addressed the accusation in this earlier class. I told them if they thought class was boring, they hadn't seen anything yet. They were going to get an extremely boring class that day. I then proceeded to talk in a monotone for the next few minutes, which did get some students laughing (amazing as it was, those students making some sound before 8 in the morning!), before I finally got tired of it and stopped. But I believe they got the point. Not that they don't think class is boring anymore. But at least they know what it could be like!
Ok, back to describing my classes. The second class of the day is with the brightest group of kids. They are much more talkative. One girl is an avid Patriots fan, so she often wants to discuss the game, which we frequently do before class starts. Others are solid Sox fans, so we have had some good chats about that, and the late nights it has entailed for us. One girl is probably about as conscientious a student as I have ever taught, and VERY bright, I believe as a result of her painstakingly doing all of the work asked of her in a deliberate manner. She gets stressed out about some of the work in part because she is a slow reader, so handling twenty-five pages of text for my class in addition to her other assignments can be tough. But I expect her to ace the AP exam in May with a 5. At least I have high hopes for her that way. As I do with some others, particularly a couple of guys who are quite good. And this class has two of my students from last year. I admire them for voluntarily putting up with me for an entire second year! And they have won a warm place in my heart for doing so. And they have both asked me for college recommendations, along with it seems like a dozen or so other past students. That's another thing that's keeping me busy this time of year. All those college recs.
After my second class I have quite a break from teaching, as a couple of other duties, my prep period, and my lunch period all are grouped together before I teach my last three classes at the end of the day. The next U.S. History class is unique in its wide range of skill levels. I have one girl who probably belongs in a higher level class. Sweet, quiet, solid. I had her for a semester class last year, and I'm really happy she's in my class again. Then I have some guys in there who are at the other end of the spectrum, who are close to or are failing, and do not have much of a clue about many things. But they are nice. A quick, laugh out loud funny story follows. Funny in a "Oh my word, I can't believe it's that bad" sort of way.
We were looking at a diary entry of a person living in the 18th century (and the date was visible in the entry), and I asked them something about whether you can tell who wrote it based on the date. The eyes of one of these guys kind of grew large, he raised his hand, and with a bit of awe in his voice provided what he thought must be the answer: You wrote it!? (Did I blog about this before? If so, please forgive the repeat!) This was one of those die of laughter moments if it wasn't that the student was so serious. I mean, I may look old to these kids, but to be placed in the 18th century by one of them? And he was serious! I tried to contain myself and cracked a joke, wondering how old the student thought I was! Perhaps needless to say, this guy is not the quickest one in the class. It's probably a good idea he is transferring into a different level shortly...
The next class, also U.S. History, is one with some real live wires in it. Also some high achievers. And some really hard workers, who may not be as naturally intelligent as some of my students, but because they work hard I love them to death. And some lazy ones who do not work hard, and might fail, or barely pass. And at least one quiet one who is also a hard worker and doing well. They have a lot of energy. It's definitely a chore to keep them quiet sometimes, even when they are supposed to listen! This was the class with the student who asked why other classes are bored. If I had to pick a class for which it would be almost impossible for a student to claim it was boring, it would have to be this one. We laugh a bit more. They talk a LOT more. And I find myself often not getting through as much info as earlier classes of the same subject. I think this is partly because it is harder to settle them down. And I think it's because they ask more questions, which lead to extra pearls of wisdom spilling from my ever ready tongue. Ok, maybe not that. But I do go on side trails sometimes with them which I do not with other classes. I'm happy about the curiosity evident. Though it can slow things down, it is something that makes a teacher like myself quite happy.
The last class is my United Nations class. That is, it could be the UN, given the different countries represented by students in it. So it has its own unique flavor. A wide variety of academic levels too, which adds to the mix.
So that's a bit of my life. And now I'm running out of blogging momentum. So I shall shortly go and eat ice cream. Except I'll say I am very glad I no longer have the after school duties I had last year. It makes my schedule so much more manageable!
posted by redsoxwinthisyear at 10:39 PM
4 comments
