Spring Break
I shall now pontificate on the wonders of Spring Break, especially when it is more of a break than usual. For the past three years I have had loads of research papers to grade over break, which meant that it was never the "break" that I wished it was. However, this year, two days before their major project was due (right before said break began, so I could correct them over it), some students begged me to extend the deadline to after break.
I pondered this a bit. The more I thought about it the more attractive the idea became. Not having piles of papers to feel guilty about if I wasn't spending every last minute of my break correcting? I liked it! In fact, I liked it a lot. So I decided to allow it, provided students agreed to certain conditions. Those conditions shall not be mentioned it, except to say that some of them were meant to be rather humorous, and were for some of the students. But anonymity forces me to refrain from mentioning them specifically...
Anyway, about 80 percent of my students decided to meet the conditions, and turn in their projects after break. Which left me with a week of no school and much more time on my hands to do things in it! This has been rather delicious, though I know I will pay for it next week. And the week after. And the week after that. Etc. But for now, I am free!
So, how have I spent my first ever relatively unencumbered Spring Break? Here is the list:
Corrected the first 20 percent of student projects. Done. Corrected 50 or so quizzes. Done.
Watched many movies, including but not limited to: He Knew He Was Right, The Way We Live Now, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, Red Dawn, I Am Legend, The Kite Runner, and Juno. Some of these films are NOT to be recommended, so please do not take this list as an endorsement of them. At least one was more for enlightenment purposes regarding today's youth culture, with which I obviously interact a lot, so it is helpful to gain some more perspective. One was World History related. Others were pure entertainment.
Read a U.S. History related book on the 1945-1974 period. Somewhat torturous, as the writer is prone to be critical and more effusive in his praise of people or events about which I have a very different view. Also is a bit snobbish and fancies himself an intellectual, I think. Not very "pleasant" reading. Not my first choice for reading. But still helpful to broaden my knowledge of these events. And since I am teaching many of them in U.S. History now, or about to, I thought it would be good to learn more. Done about 400-500 pages (can't remember for sure how far I was into the book at the start of break), probably will aim for another 75 or so in the next day...
Read for pleasure. Much more enjoyable. Currently reading my first Brad Thor thriller. So far so good.
Watched Red Sox and Celtics. Celtics good, Sox bullpen bad. Shame on you.
Got a haircut.
Watched parts of some softball games in which current or former students of mine participated.
Slept more than usual.
Took time to watch info on local access tv regarding school budget issues. The politicking this year is especially fascinating. Our mayor is calling for millions of dollars less than the school board wants to spend, which has resulted in a dire scenario being presented by the school board, under which many programs will be cut, teachers laid off, all athletics cut, etc. The political circus that is unfolding is interesting to watch, to say the least. And it is leaving me to wonder whether I'll have textbooks on hand for the expanding numbers of my AP class... How fun/ridiculous would it be to teach a college level course without an adequate textbook? Oh wait, been there, done that. So maybe I could survive, though it wouldn't be as fun for the students or for me.
Future plans:
More reading.
Watch Lost and not regret staying up late to do so! (No early start helps that!)
Relax more.
More movies.
Prep classes for next week. (Sometimes I can't believe how much fun I have planning/mapping out a week's worth of classes. Is it wrong that work can be this much fun?!)
Plot out how I will make students conform to school rules...
"Celebrate" a birthday?
I pondered this a bit. The more I thought about it the more attractive the idea became. Not having piles of papers to feel guilty about if I wasn't spending every last minute of my break correcting? I liked it! In fact, I liked it a lot. So I decided to allow it, provided students agreed to certain conditions. Those conditions shall not be mentioned it, except to say that some of them were meant to be rather humorous, and were for some of the students. But anonymity forces me to refrain from mentioning them specifically...
Anyway, about 80 percent of my students decided to meet the conditions, and turn in their projects after break. Which left me with a week of no school and much more time on my hands to do things in it! This has been rather delicious, though I know I will pay for it next week. And the week after. And the week after that. Etc. But for now, I am free!
So, how have I spent my first ever relatively unencumbered Spring Break? Here is the list:
Corrected the first 20 percent of student projects. Done. Corrected 50 or so quizzes. Done.
Watched many movies, including but not limited to: He Knew He Was Right, The Way We Live Now, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, Red Dawn, I Am Legend, The Kite Runner, and Juno. Some of these films are NOT to be recommended, so please do not take this list as an endorsement of them. At least one was more for enlightenment purposes regarding today's youth culture, with which I obviously interact a lot, so it is helpful to gain some more perspective. One was World History related. Others were pure entertainment.
Read a U.S. History related book on the 1945-1974 period. Somewhat torturous, as the writer is prone to be critical and more effusive in his praise of people or events about which I have a very different view. Also is a bit snobbish and fancies himself an intellectual, I think. Not very "pleasant" reading. Not my first choice for reading. But still helpful to broaden my knowledge of these events. And since I am teaching many of them in U.S. History now, or about to, I thought it would be good to learn more. Done about 400-500 pages (can't remember for sure how far I was into the book at the start of break), probably will aim for another 75 or so in the next day...
Read for pleasure. Much more enjoyable. Currently reading my first Brad Thor thriller. So far so good.
Watched Red Sox and Celtics. Celtics good, Sox bullpen bad. Shame on you.
Got a haircut.
Watched parts of some softball games in which current or former students of mine participated.
Slept more than usual.
Took time to watch info on local access tv regarding school budget issues. The politicking this year is especially fascinating. Our mayor is calling for millions of dollars less than the school board wants to spend, which has resulted in a dire scenario being presented by the school board, under which many programs will be cut, teachers laid off, all athletics cut, etc. The political circus that is unfolding is interesting to watch, to say the least. And it is leaving me to wonder whether I'll have textbooks on hand for the expanding numbers of my AP class... How fun/ridiculous would it be to teach a college level course without an adequate textbook? Oh wait, been there, done that. So maybe I could survive, though it wouldn't be as fun for the students or for me.
Future plans:
More reading.
Watch Lost and not regret staying up late to do so! (No early start helps that!)
Relax more.
More movies.
Prep classes for next week. (Sometimes I can't believe how much fun I have planning/mapping out a week's worth of classes. Is it wrong that work can be this much fun?!)
Plot out how I will make students conform to school rules...
"Celebrate" a birthday?
posted by redsoxwinthisyear at 9:30 PM
1 Comments:
FUN/ridiculous, eh?
Hope the rest of your break is wonderful! And Happy Birthday, a little early...( It IS tomorrow, right?) THE BIG 3-O!!!!
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