My Head Hurts Just Thinking About It

Today, the English Department is grading District Writing Assessments.

We average about 100 papers a day per teacher. *sigh*

By 4:00 I will be seeing spots.

Slow Weeks

Unfortunately, this isn't going to be one of those. 

Here is the list for today:  laundry, grocery shopping, press release to write for the show, quiz to write, lesson plans for the week, and four late research papers to grade.

Every night this week I have play practice.  We're kicking off the week with a photo shoot to add to the press release and ending with a play practice/party on Friday night.

I even have a Saturday morning rehearsal.  One of the girls volunteered to make pancakes for the cast.  Yes, food is always a good draw!
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As a side note, I have a freezer full of meat.  The men worked all day yesterday and butchered a 1300 pound steer.  I didn't wrap a single package.  Three or four men cutting the meat couldn't stay ahead of son-in-law CT packaging.  He's obviously done this a time or two.  Actually, the T family has the perfect set up and equipment for this job.  They have dressed a lot of wild game over the years, so they know what they are doing.  The Mr. enjoyed himself in a man's world for a change of pace.
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The goal is to get everything checked off my list for today so I can enjoy the rest of the week.  If it's going to be hectic, it might as well be fun!

Ash Wednesday

My first day being FB and Pinterest free hasn't been too bad.  Of course, I've barely had time to think.  That probably helps.

Today was a short day of school.  We have Parent/Teacher conferences tonight.

Let me tell you about stupid teaching decisions:  handing back less than spectacular research papers on the day of Parent/Teacher conferences.

My students think I am the meanest thing ever.  (Could be.)  I'm sure I might will be seeing some parents who aren't thrilled with their student's grade. I'm guessing they might have to take a number. 

This really could be an "Ashy" Wednesday.  I could be going down in a blaze.

Wish me luck.

Gone...Hope Not Forgotten

I am still here.  Easy Street is still in one piece. 

This is what I've been up to:

Play Practices from 6:00-8:30 at least two to three nights a week.  We also had a small Saturday morning practice. (A lot of lines were memorized!)

Ball games and some wrestling events.  It is the end of winter sports. Our new mascot design is being announced at this Friday's game. 

Running.  Or in my case, wogging. (Walk +jog)  I also walk Baxter almost every night. 

Grading research papers.  I kind of want to shoot myself.  I have always given the students a chance to revise, but I don't think I will this year.  I'm not sure why I should give extra points for going back and capitalizing the first word of a sentence (like they haven't heard this since they started school), or for going back and actually using the spell checker, or for putting in the citations that they were supposed to do in the first place. I am frustrated.  It takes almost 30 minutes per paper, which means I need 40 hours of total grading time. That isn't easy to find. I've made a small dent.

I am spending a lot of time trying to get the same students ready for the State Reading Assessment.  The quality of these papers has me freaking out a bit!  I keep looking for new ways to teach the concepts, plus figuring out how to incorporate some of the Core Standards our state is switching to.

Add in the fact that I am still having computer problems, and well....!

On the upside...

The Bug gets a little time once in awhile.  She's coming to stay with Nana Coco& her Papa this weekend.
Think I'll get much grading done?  Yeah.  Neither do I.

I Wish...

I wish I didn't have 80 research papers to grade.
I wish I didn't have to teach while I am trying to grade 80 research papers.
I wish I didn't have daily work to grade on top of trying to grade 80 research papers.
I wish the State Assessments were over.
I wish, on top of all of the above, that I wasn't trying to direct a play at the same time.

I wish I had time to read my favorite blogs.
I wish I had time to blog myself.

On the other hand...
I am running again three times a week.
I am walking Baxter five to six times a week.
I am eating healthier.
I am fairly relaxed: my classroom has been fun and the students are cooperative.
I feel strong and healthy.

But on the other hand...
I have lost three former students in the last 30 days:
One died in a car accident. (age 42)
One died of health problems.  (age 33)
The latest one was a suicide.  (age 21)
My heart aches for all three families.
It hurts for their friends and teachers, too.

I believe I will get through all of this.
I believe I will dig my way out.

I wish it would happen:  sooner rather than later. 

Enough Said

Research papers came in yesterday.  (80 of them.  Count 'em!) 

Play practice started this week. 

CT, the son-in-law, has a birthday on Friday and I've been working on a little surprise. 

And yes, all of the above is why Easy Street has been strangely quiet. 

Dr. Thunder, Colby Jack, and a Healthy Bug

Some Favorite Foods and Beverages this week:

*Constant Comment Hot Tea
*Fresh Pineapple  (Only $2.98 at the store this week, and they are wonderful!)
*Colby Jack Cheese Cubes
*Dried Cranberries and nuts mixed together. (Almonds are best, but peanuts will do.)
*Diet Dr. Thunder.  Yes, that cheap brand (84 cents a 2 liter) at Walmart. It's better than Diet Dr. Pepper--which is darn good!
*Celery and Peanut Butter (Why don't I make this more often??)

It's a wonderful Wednesday: 

*My internet is finally on for longer that five minutes at a time. (Another call to the internet provider.)
*I am completing Day 2 of Week 2 on the Couch Potato to 5K. (How is it possible to lose this much ground in just a few months?)
*The Mr. is headed to the RV show, but at least I have a meeting to attend tonight.
*The little Lady Bug is finally feeling better.  She had an ear infection, but the antibiotics seem to be helping.  No fever.  Still coughing, but a much happier, chipper baby. Her parents seemed to have recovered, too.

I'm trying to concentrate on the good.  Research papers are driving me crazy, and spring play auditions are looming next week.  I have a lot to do, and a million interruptions a day. 

I'll let you know when I dig my way out!  
 

Weekend Fun

I spent most of this weekend working on a sample research paper for my students.  I researched a topic, searched for information, wrote the paper with in-text citations, and wrote the works cited page.

They now have a paper to refer to when they need it.  Documenting is hard for high school students.  Plagiarizing?  You'd think it was a foreign concept, yet they've heard it all before.

Then, my internet has been working only randomly all weekend..  After an hour on the phone on Sunday, we finally have it back.  The Mr. and I were both on the phone with a girl we were pretty sure was in India.  (And that might be the reason there are so many unemployed people in the USA: outsourcing for cheaper labor.)

To top it off, the Little Lady Bug has been sick.  Her first fever, sniffles, and cough. Her mother is a bit panicked.  I think the Buggie may be going to see her Dr. today.

To be honest, it wasn't all that much fun as weekends go.  I guess the bar is set pretty low, so weekends are bound to be more fun for the rest of 2012.  A girl can hope.

So In Need Of Friday

I am starting a research project with my students.  They will be writing research papers over famous people who have impacted our world.  The person can be alive or dead, and it can be a positive or negative impact.  (Hitler, Lincoln, Elvis, Rosa Parks, Monet, JK Rowling, Shakespeare, Einstein--the list is long and full of incredible people.) 

So the topic of choice for one student?  Barbie.  Yep, the plastic doll.  *sigh*  

I am so glad today is Friday!

Change of mind

This morning I am going to the funeral of my former student, killed in a single car accident in the early hours of December 31st.  I wanted to go pay my respects, but didn't think the district would be able to find enough substitutes for all the elementary teachers who would want to attend.  (She has daughters in 1st, 3rd, and 5th grade.)

Originally, I thought I would go to the evening visitation, but the family opted not to have one.  I truly understand.  I can't imagine how hard that would be on all of them.  But, that left me the option of sending a sympathy letter and donating to her memorial.  It didn't seem like enough, but it was going to have to do.  Until...

A 6'4" young man stopped by my room yesterday.  My former student's oldest child is a freshman in college this year.  He stopped in to talk about his mom, her death, and to find out if I was going to be at the funeral.  He knew I loved his mom when she was my student, and I loved having her son in class just a few years ago.

The top of my head doesn't even come close to his chin, and yet I felt like I was looking at a lost little boy.  His first semester in college has been tough.  He came home a lot because he missed his family and hometown friends.

And now when he comes home... she won't be there. She may have been my cheerleader at Tiny Town High for a few years, but she has been his cheerleader and biggest fan all of his life. 

When you're holding an 18 year old boy who just lost his mom, his best friend-- you figure that you will find a way to be there for her, for him, for all of them.  (I made a few calls.)



And so today, I will be right where I should be.   

Here We Go

We are having out last day of finals today.  We had a snow/ice day that didn't let us finish our semester before Christmas.  So-- finals to grade, all the make-up work for those wait-to-the-last-minute students, semester grades to finish--that's what is on the agenda for today. 

Tomorrow, 2nd semester begins, and we have all of our new classes. That means we need seating charts, new rosters, and lessons ready to go to begin the new units of 3rd nine weeks. 

Why do I have a feeling that the next few days are going to be hectic?  One step at a time.  One step at a time!

Wonder of Wonders

These things are amazing me today:

*How much room a Christmas tree takes up in our house.
*How quickly break flies by.
*How incredibly happy I will be when the Iowa Caucus is over.  I know. There will be more to follow.  *sigh*
*How much ground I could lose in just a few months.  I started the Couch Potato to 5K again.  The plan was to jump ahead a couple of weeks.  That won't be happening.  It was a bit tougher than I thought it would be.

Last day of break.  Back to...

Finals.  Three classes still get to take their finals.
A rivalry basketball game.
New rosters, seating charts, and lesson plans for the new semester, which actually begins on Wednesday.

Yes, it is time to get back in the swing of things.

Add Another One To The List

I guess I can add one last low to 2011.  Darn it. 

A beautiful former student of mine was killed in a car accident last night.  A graduate of 1987, she was on my cheer squad-- and to be honest, she looked like she still could be.  Absolutely beautiful. 

She still lived in the community and had become a friend.  She has children in our school system.  I am just sick. 

Teaching seems to mean that every student who passes through my doors owns just a little bit of my heart.

My heart hates this.


 

Another Great Moment

After 1st hour class yesterday, a student lagged for a chance to ask me, "What are we doing in class tomorrow and Friday?"

I had a number of answers I wanted to give him.
1.  It has been posted on the board all week. Duh! 
2.  Finals are on Monday and Tuesday, what do you think we are doing? Double Duh!

Instead, I responded with "Why do you ask?"  Good stalling technique, so my blood pressure could return to normal.

His answer sent it skyrocketing.  "I'm going to be gone tomorrow and Friday."

So, he's struggling already, is going to miss the final writing project and the review, and will be taking the final exam without a review?  If you said yes, you are correct.  

Glass of wine last night?  You betcha!  And I can't wait to see what surprises today might hold.

Great Moments In Teaching #633

In an open letter to a classmate, a student was listing qualities of a friend: terrific, caring, impotent... 

IMPOTENT???? 

I think she meant IMPORTANT.  (Gosh, I hope she meant important!)  And obviously, that is an important word to know how to spell.

And now, back to my regularly scheduled headache!

Nothing Like It

There can't possibly be anything more fun than being a teacher at Christmastime when there is a full moon.

Yeah, right.  Combine the full moon, the excitement of the season, and the energy drinks these dears seem to inhale and you have the makings for a disaster.

The inmates are running the joint, and this warden has a headache.

Words To Live By

Mom always said, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."  Well...






Yeah, I'm rarely speechless.  Right now, I am.  (And it's probably a good thing.)

National Writing Day 2011

I asked my students to answer the question, "Why do we write?"  Their answers...

Because you make me. (Knew that one was coming!)
To express myself
To inform or persuade
To entertain  (or at least entertain myself)
To show appreciation
To keep my mouth from saying it!  (Gotta love the kid!)
To organize myself
To stay in touch with friends
To make money  (I hope they remember to share!)
For therapy
To put it out there  (Looking at Facebook--sometimes I wish they wouldn't!)
To make sure my voice doesn't get lost
To complain
So they know I was here
So I don't forget
The paper always listens
Because you make me  (It bears repeating.  I'm guessing half of them said it; the other half were probably thinking it.)

As usual, interesting thoughts from teenagers: wise and funny.

Happy Writing!

Saturday Musings

*Lip dub at Tiny Town High was great fun and a huge success.  The student body had a blast.  For the first time since the tornado, I felt like the old Tiny Town High spirit was back.  (It has been quite strange to see how the tornado and trailers affected school spirit.  And then I was surprised to see how the new buildings, as welcomed as they were, couldn't undo the damage to the morale of our students.)  They've already posted the lip dub on youtube.  The kids are pretty proud of it, and the end of it leaves me encouraged that Tiny Town spirit has come back from the dead!

*Yesterday, I met with the theater local who is occasionally helping me with the musical. He talked me through the whole show to see what is left to do, looked at some minor cuts to the music, and generally put my mind at ease.  He always leave me thinking that we are either right where we need to be or a bit ahead.  Bless his heart!

*I didn't wake up once last night, which means I didn't worry about the musical all night!  Woo hoo!

*Today, I am taking it easy.  Baxter and I are hanging out.  L is at work in Big City.  K's in-laws are in town to hang out with Lady Bug, and the Mr. has a big sale going on.  If (and that's a big "if") I feel ambitious, I might drag out the bike.

I snitched this photo of the Bug from her mama's facebook page.  Couldn't resist!

An empty October Saturday-- God must have known I needed one.  (And I hear a freeze is coming.  I'm pretty sure He is looking out for me!)

Crazy Times At Tiny Town High

Tiny Town High is creating a lip dub video of our entire high school today.  You'll have to search on youtube to see examples of other high school videos. I first saw this technique last spring on the Today Show when Meredith Vieira retired. Watching high school students create a video adds a whole new level of enthusiasm and pandemonium.

The rules?  The video has to be done in one take, running and singing (lip syncing) through the halls of our school.  It has to include the student body and staff, and has to be done with one song. 

This is an organizational nightmare to me, but our journalism classes accepted the challenge. 

My role?  Well, my advisory students are on the front steps of the school at the beginning of the filming.  I bought a bunch of bubble sticks for them to use, and the dancing and going crazy is up to them. The teachers are lining the hall along the administrative offices. We'll see how crazy we get, but I'm pretty sure  the Standard of Excellence Certificates will be in hand.  Oh, and To Kill A Mockingbird.  Finally, I posted a sign on my classroom door advertising the musical this fall.  (I'm hoping it gets a little camera time.) 

The cheerleaders, drum line, and sports teams are in different areas of the school.  Journalism students will lip sync the song and a camera will follow them down halls, up stairs, through offices, the library, and even the backstage area.  They'll end in our auditorium-- where a school full of cheering, crazed students and staff will be waiting for them when they end up on the stage. 

Seeing as we are even attempting this, I'm pretty sure they'll get the crazy right!

You might be wondering the purpose of a lip dub video? They plan to show our beautiful school and promote everything good about Tiny Town High. After two and a half years in trailers, there is a lot of good to celebrate.  We're letting the joy spill over.