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Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Anole Sitting on a Satsuma
Monday, April 25, 2011
Spring Break Swan Song
Is it wrong to most enjoy being paid for your job when you're not actually there?... Tomorrow, I WILL go to school after a glorious week and a day (and another day I took off on the front end). We spent the first weekend in San Antonio, TX for the AAE Annual Session, and it was lovely catching up with endodontic friends and my former and still fabulous AAE staffers and employer. I danced, I shoped at the supermercado, I guac-ed it up every day. Brian and I drove back together Sunday (I flew in Thursday to join him).
The rest of the break was overtly relaxing. I made it a point to burn no more than a quarter tank of gas whatever I ended up doing. We painted eggs, I caught up on my housework, reading, and gardening, and we had some major repairs done to the ceiling. Alas, I wish I had timed my housework to be after instead of the eve of the ceiling new prime, popcorn, and paint job. Instead, my housework served as bookends to the whole ordeal. From Tuesday to Saturday, it looked like we were housing E.T. in our makeshift medi-vac living room. But that's what spring break is all about: a break from the norm to catch up on cleaning, household, and personal maintenance. I got enough of "school" accomplished to feel decent about my plan for this week (and the next 4 weeks, count it down!), but I couldn't help feeling a sinking sensation as I made my lunch tonight. I had to pull out my discarded lunchbox which I had stuffed in the bowels of the pantry, out of site out of mind until tonight. Even sitting dormant for a week and a half, it still retained the ripe, rotten, something's gone BAD smell of my classroom which I also had blissifully shoved out of sniff/ out of mind. It came raging back, and I felt so grateful for the time away... but why must a person, or her 70 students, put up with a horrible dank odor M-F...? The smell was enough to depress me.
Let alone that 100 teachers were RIFed Friday, April 15 before we were all let out. Moral will be at an all-time low, and just in time for state testing to commence Wed. I don't know if I still have a job, since I played hookie on the 15th. As much as I know I shouldn't be saying this, it's the ultimate win-win if I'm one of the teachers let go: unemployment sponsored paid vacation beginning in August, and plus, freedom from dealing with the 30-50% class size increase. I'll tell you now: 25 is too much, even with half of them good kids. There are too many different learning styles and too many wannabe thugs that it's way too much to expect class sizes that large to be effective. Life is too short to wish away 9 months out of the year, and there just isn't enough money is the booze budget to self-medicate after a day of 90 kids, 90 minutes each. Block schedule, remember?
I'll keep y'all posted. Today is the Confederate Memorial Day (last Monday in April). I actually heard the Civil War called "The War between the States" twice today on the radio. What's wrong with celebrating the fallen Confederate soldiers with the rest of the Union's casualties on the regular Memorial Day? Still pushing that separate but equal agenda, I guess.
I mentioned we'll be going into state testing for the next two weeks. My classroom is used for testing so my students and I are relocated to the gym where we are "held" for the duration of the test. It could be a really neat experience for diverse learning media, but because most of the other teachers sit on the opposite side of the students and don't require ANYTHING to be done during the duration of the period, it's really uncool to be the only group of students with a teacher crazy enough to want to do something hands on, or even go outside and fly a kite (I only had 3 takers out of my class of 17 the last time we were in the gym... the rest wanted to stay inside and chill... did I mention it was 67', sunny, low humidity, and a perfect breeze... funny enough, I had 6 students from the other geometry class want to fly the kites, so why not, they came out with us). I'm going to introduce them to quilting this week. In the classroom, any classroom, not the gym. I'm getting to old to lug crap and leep bleachers, pretending the open gym circus of loose supervision is not the worst use of time and resources ever.
It's bed time. Here are some pictures. Oh sweet spring break, do not leave me now... twas not the lark you heard, but the nightengale...
At least I have some swell and swelling distractions, like the Bulls, the Blackhawks, and my awesome garden and fruit trees. I also made a friend with a big ol' frog tonight who was hanging in the garage. I relocated him to the back porch and fed him a huge beetle and a deerfly. I actually saw him eat the beetle. There was a soft crunching. But the little bugger reminded me of me, watching him eat something that was a third his own size like no one was watching.
The rest of the break was overtly relaxing. I made it a point to burn no more than a quarter tank of gas whatever I ended up doing. We painted eggs, I caught up on my housework, reading, and gardening, and we had some major repairs done to the ceiling. Alas, I wish I had timed my housework to be after instead of the eve of the ceiling new prime, popcorn, and paint job. Instead, my housework served as bookends to the whole ordeal. From Tuesday to Saturday, it looked like we were housing E.T. in our makeshift medi-vac living room. But that's what spring break is all about: a break from the norm to catch up on cleaning, household, and personal maintenance. I got enough of "school" accomplished to feel decent about my plan for this week (and the next 4 weeks, count it down!), but I couldn't help feeling a sinking sensation as I made my lunch tonight. I had to pull out my discarded lunchbox which I had stuffed in the bowels of the pantry, out of site out of mind until tonight. Even sitting dormant for a week and a half, it still retained the ripe, rotten, something's gone BAD smell of my classroom which I also had blissifully shoved out of sniff/ out of mind. It came raging back, and I felt so grateful for the time away... but why must a person, or her 70 students, put up with a horrible dank odor M-F...? The smell was enough to depress me.
Let alone that 100 teachers were RIFed Friday, April 15 before we were all let out. Moral will be at an all-time low, and just in time for state testing to commence Wed. I don't know if I still have a job, since I played hookie on the 15th. As much as I know I shouldn't be saying this, it's the ultimate win-win if I'm one of the teachers let go: unemployment sponsored paid vacation beginning in August, and plus, freedom from dealing with the 30-50% class size increase. I'll tell you now: 25 is too much, even with half of them good kids. There are too many different learning styles and too many wannabe thugs that it's way too much to expect class sizes that large to be effective. Life is too short to wish away 9 months out of the year, and there just isn't enough money is the booze budget to self-medicate after a day of 90 kids, 90 minutes each. Block schedule, remember?
I'll keep y'all posted. Today is the Confederate Memorial Day (last Monday in April). I actually heard the Civil War called "The War between the States" twice today on the radio. What's wrong with celebrating the fallen Confederate soldiers with the rest of the Union's casualties on the regular Memorial Day? Still pushing that separate but equal agenda, I guess.
I mentioned we'll be going into state testing for the next two weeks. My classroom is used for testing so my students and I are relocated to the gym where we are "held" for the duration of the test. It could be a really neat experience for diverse learning media, but because most of the other teachers sit on the opposite side of the students and don't require ANYTHING to be done during the duration of the period, it's really uncool to be the only group of students with a teacher crazy enough to want to do something hands on, or even go outside and fly a kite (I only had 3 takers out of my class of 17 the last time we were in the gym... the rest wanted to stay inside and chill... did I mention it was 67', sunny, low humidity, and a perfect breeze... funny enough, I had 6 students from the other geometry class want to fly the kites, so why not, they came out with us). I'm going to introduce them to quilting this week. In the classroom, any classroom, not the gym. I'm getting to old to lug crap and leep bleachers, pretending the open gym circus of loose supervision is not the worst use of time and resources ever.
It's bed time. Here are some pictures. Oh sweet spring break, do not leave me now... twas not the lark you heard, but the nightengale...
At least I have some swell and swelling distractions, like the Bulls, the Blackhawks, and my awesome garden and fruit trees. I also made a friend with a big ol' frog tonight who was hanging in the garage. I relocated him to the back porch and fed him a huge beetle and a deerfly. I actually saw him eat the beetle. There was a soft crunching. But the little bugger reminded me of me, watching him eat something that was a third his own size like no one was watching.
Big Ol' Frog "Setting in the Gee-Raj"
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Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Felt like writing
You can sum up the difference in culture and ework ethic by the communities local weather response. Back in Chicago, a blizzard dropping a predicted 2' of snow along with sheets of ice wasn not a blanket day off, even if it ends up being covered in a blanket of snow. Here, a tornado watch and a few thunderstorms with dropping temeratures cancelled all after-school activities (understood that parents and kids don't HAVE to be out on the road, unless it's a basketball game, in which case was still on because the playoffs are on the line!
There was a fight yesterday between two of my students. Afterschool, there was a fight between a former student who weighs 100 lbs wet and a current student who weighs 220 lbs., with 25 lbs of it in his face. Busted the other guys' nose. C'mon people. At least pick a fight that doesn't make you look like a wuss.
I received my W2 for income earned in 2010. Take home pay was 27K and some change. I think I made a wee bit more on my first job out of school ten years ago. And that first job was slightly abusive and crazy hours for the creative designers. But we didn't have to buy and bring our own supplies to work, or break up fist fights... it makes much more sense to be an alcoholic now.
But! I'm happy to report, I've had 5 nice days this past semester. Not in a row, and not today, but that's 5 more than I had all of 2010. By "nice," I mean, I felt professionally adequate and had most of my students on task and accomplished most of my lesson plan.
I've got my last week of Grad School left. Yeah. Back to homework. I'll clean the house later.
In other news, Danielle just got back from the March for Life in Washington, D.C. Rachel went to the same thing 2 years ago. I'll talk to them about that whole things when they're just a wee bit older, at least old enough to start forming their own opinions.
There was a fight yesterday between two of my students. Afterschool, there was a fight between a former student who weighs 100 lbs wet and a current student who weighs 220 lbs., with 25 lbs of it in his face. Busted the other guys' nose. C'mon people. At least pick a fight that doesn't make you look like a wuss.
I received my W2 for income earned in 2010. Take home pay was 27K and some change. I think I made a wee bit more on my first job out of school ten years ago. And that first job was slightly abusive and crazy hours for the creative designers. But we didn't have to buy and bring our own supplies to work, or break up fist fights... it makes much more sense to be an alcoholic now.
But! I'm happy to report, I've had 5 nice days this past semester. Not in a row, and not today, but that's 5 more than I had all of 2010. By "nice," I mean, I felt professionally adequate and had most of my students on task and accomplished most of my lesson plan.
I've got my last week of Grad School left. Yeah. Back to homework. I'll clean the house later.
In other news, Danielle just got back from the March for Life in Washington, D.C. Rachel went to the same thing 2 years ago. I'll talk to them about that whole things when they're just a wee bit older, at least old enough to start forming their own opinions.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Sick... but GO BEARS
Some stories from the Gulf Coast educational homefront:
It only took two weeks back into the school year to get sick. Nothing like teaching between drippy snot and soar throat action. I've come close but haven't quite reached the breaking point where I say, "Oh, I don't care what you do, just don't stand in the halls. And here's some sudoku for anyone who gets bored." Wait, that's not true. That's what I said to my third block (period) of the day last week on Friday, when no one knew or was given any heads up on when an awards ceremony would end and when the "in-school" soc-hop would begin. I never experienced such a place in which all the extracurricular events (except for sports) took place DURING the school day.
I have several great students, and a ton of good students. I have a couple who will test the waters of Mrs. B's Inner "B," but I've given them all jobs in class. One of my students came up to me after a lesson, when I mentioned OCD in some context. Well, it turns out, he really is, and he explained how he blinks a lot. The next day, he told me that he likes even numbers, but he doesn't like odd numbers. "So, if I blink three times, I don't feel right, and that's why I have to blink four or six times." Well, I was thrilled he knew his even from his odd numbers. He's my only Asian student, and his last name I wowed the class by being the first teacher to pronounce it correctly: Nguyen (thanks AAE!). I started to feel bad for the sweet kid who truly is a minority in the Moss Point High School environment, but that was before he stayed after class to tell me to try to give better examples. "Or maybe just try teaching it better..." "...I appreciate your honesty, San, and I'll see what I can do..." Nothing like your OCD kid who blinks a lot to keep you humble and grounded. Brian said I should have replied, "San, I told you not to blink so much or you'll miss something."
My fellow teacher friend across the hall has experienced a similar problem to the one I'm having. A particular student has been coming late to class. So, he gets written up for it right? "No, Ms. B, I was running down the hall, and you closed the door on my face, and no one else was in their seat so why you ain't mark them tardy, aw Ms. B, you're playing favorites and I told you I wasn't LATE." "...Are you finished?...what's my policy about being on time-" "But Mrs. B., I explained it to you that I wasn't late-" and I'd have to wait for him to get through his monologue again, and I'd just repeat myself. He's cut off by the third round. It's like, there's the truth, and then there's the mindset that if it's said loud enough and with enough detail, and you're angry about having been accused, then what you're saying MUST be the truth. I've caught kids red handed stealing passes, being late to class, copying answers, saying disrespectful things under their breath or sometimes above their breath, and mark my words... the student has yelled back at me, spins an entire yarn, and gets themselves in twice as much trouble. Dude. There's reality. And then there's what you're saying. (I don't say "dude," but I do explain that it's my job to help them see the light between fact and fiction... this is math class, not English).
Go Bears!
It only took two weeks back into the school year to get sick. Nothing like teaching between drippy snot and soar throat action. I've come close but haven't quite reached the breaking point where I say, "Oh, I don't care what you do, just don't stand in the halls. And here's some sudoku for anyone who gets bored." Wait, that's not true. That's what I said to my third block (period) of the day last week on Friday, when no one knew or was given any heads up on when an awards ceremony would end and when the "in-school" soc-hop would begin. I never experienced such a place in which all the extracurricular events (except for sports) took place DURING the school day.
I have several great students, and a ton of good students. I have a couple who will test the waters of Mrs. B's Inner "B," but I've given them all jobs in class. One of my students came up to me after a lesson, when I mentioned OCD in some context. Well, it turns out, he really is, and he explained how he blinks a lot. The next day, he told me that he likes even numbers, but he doesn't like odd numbers. "So, if I blink three times, I don't feel right, and that's why I have to blink four or six times." Well, I was thrilled he knew his even from his odd numbers. He's my only Asian student, and his last name I wowed the class by being the first teacher to pronounce it correctly: Nguyen (thanks AAE!). I started to feel bad for the sweet kid who truly is a minority in the Moss Point High School environment, but that was before he stayed after class to tell me to try to give better examples. "Or maybe just try teaching it better..." "...I appreciate your honesty, San, and I'll see what I can do..." Nothing like your OCD kid who blinks a lot to keep you humble and grounded. Brian said I should have replied, "San, I told you not to blink so much or you'll miss something."
My fellow teacher friend across the hall has experienced a similar problem to the one I'm having. A particular student has been coming late to class. So, he gets written up for it right? "No, Ms. B, I was running down the hall, and you closed the door on my face, and no one else was in their seat so why you ain't mark them tardy, aw Ms. B, you're playing favorites and I told you I wasn't LATE." "...Are you finished?...what's my policy about being on time-" "But Mrs. B., I explained it to you that I wasn't late-" and I'd have to wait for him to get through his monologue again, and I'd just repeat myself. He's cut off by the third round. It's like, there's the truth, and then there's the mindset that if it's said loud enough and with enough detail, and you're angry about having been accused, then what you're saying MUST be the truth. I've caught kids red handed stealing passes, being late to class, copying answers, saying disrespectful things under their breath or sometimes above their breath, and mark my words... the student has yelled back at me, spins an entire yarn, and gets themselves in twice as much trouble. Dude. There's reality. And then there's what you're saying. (I don't say "dude," but I do explain that it's my job to help them see the light between fact and fiction... this is math class, not English).
Go Bears!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
2011 Year in Review
Lunar Eclipse, Dec. 2010
With Auburn Tigers just a few seconds from taking the 2010-2011 college football season championship, with my first full year of teaching the Moss Point High Tigers, and with one student too many asking me, "Mrs. B! You got a tatoo?! What's your tatoo mean?"
...it's certainly been...
THE YEAR OF THE TIGER.
A wonderful trip to Alaska for Kim and Dave's wedding in May,
A thankful cancellation of Brian's Air Force Humanitarian/Disaster Relief trip to Chile back in March,
A blessed arrival of good friends Nick and Karen, bringing true southern comforts,
A blessed arrival of good friends Nick and Karen, bringing true southern comforts,
And some of the most exciting adventures never left the state of Mississippi:
-I started teaching. And have been feasting on Humble pie a la mode, al fresco, all-you-can-eat ever since (today, for only the second time since I started in Jan. 2010, I had a good day).
-Rachel started her Freshman year at Mississippi State University in the Biology dept, with destination: med-school on the mental GPS.
-Danielle received her driver's license, look out!
-Mom and Natalie came down to the MS Gulf Coast to help me and Brian celebrate the week before Christmas.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!
It's my new favorite thing in the whole world. I never thought it would come. And now it's here and it's just as sweet as I could have ever imagined it. I had several choice comments and "f you's" during finals week when I made some students retake their test for having all 50 identical correct and incorrect answers. "You're making me retake the test cuz I'm black! You're a racist." I didn't make all 25 students retake the test, so obviously the student failed to see that I was just racist towards cheaters.
On a positive note, I had 2 Christmas cards from students and they made my day. I also wrote a little something, an end-of-year send off:
“I was here to teach you Geometry.
Not to entertain, not to listen to you complain.
All I set out to do was teach you Geometry.
Let me explain, some of you drove me insane, and made me question the capacity of your brain. But it’s not about volume or quantity, it’s about quality. It’s not about the destination. It’s about the journey and the conversation. It’s not about the grade, it’s about the learning. And did you?
Did you do any learning?
That was my one and only yearning, But I have to be discerning; just as the cream separates and rises to the top, so will those of you who dared to be challenged and apply yourselves in my class. And without being a royal pain in the…
...Ask not what your teacher can do for you. Ask what you can do for yourself, if you only tried. Geometry is the measure of the earth. All you problem solvers who get it, now that you know how to measure your world, you can start to shape it. It’s been a pleasure working with all of you. Enjoy your time off this holiday. Take time to be good to your friends and family. Take time to reflect and relax. Don’t be a stranger. And don’t have unprotected sex.”
We'll just leave it at that.
On a positive note, I had 2 Christmas cards from students and they made my day. I also wrote a little something, an end-of-year send off:
“I was here to teach you Geometry.
Not to entertain, not to listen to you complain.
All I set out to do was teach you Geometry.
Let me explain, some of you drove me insane, and made me question the capacity of your brain. But it’s not about volume or quantity, it’s about quality. It’s not about the destination. It’s about the journey and the conversation. It’s not about the grade, it’s about the learning. And did you?
Did you do any learning?
That was my one and only yearning, But I have to be discerning; just as the cream separates and rises to the top, so will those of you who dared to be challenged and apply yourselves in my class. And without being a royal pain in the…
...Ask not what your teacher can do for you. Ask what you can do for yourself, if you only tried. Geometry is the measure of the earth. All you problem solvers who get it, now that you know how to measure your world, you can start to shape it. It’s been a pleasure working with all of you. Enjoy your time off this holiday. Take time to be good to your friends and family. Take time to reflect and relax. Don’t be a stranger. And don’t have unprotected sex.”
We'll just leave it at that.
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